Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-20
M Y M S T A K E
By G.. H. Bovi11
Drawing by Francis Miller

Drawing by
4 NEWSBOY was passing down the street out
~ side, bawlng something utterly indistinguish
which he had been engrossed ever since dinner and
listened ntently. Il WISH he said irritably, you
would stop that noise for a minute and give me a
chance to hear what the lad is saying!"
The noise in question being a sympathetic
dering of 1.-The Moonlight Sonata which my
mother, admirable judge of music, informs me I
that replied !" If you wish to know what the boy is
saying Henry, you had better go outside and ask
him. You will certainly not find out by listening in
here. The poor fellow has apparently had lessons in
voice production FROM and mentioned the name
of Henry's favorite actor
My remark produced precisely the effect l had
hoped. My husband is dear fellow; but he has
sad failing. He is mad about the stage. He resents,
if personal insult, the slightest word in dispar
agement of anybody connected with the theatrical
profession THAT was very stupid remark Violet"
he said Grossly. Really if you persist in this feeble
testing at the expense of of genius, shall have
to retaate by becoming member of the S. P: c. P"
Foolishly fell into the trap and asked what the
s. P. c. P. might be-
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Pianos"
snickered Henry thoroughly pleased with himself at
having got in good dig on the one point where he
knows am vulnerable.
Of course l not in the least annoyed really:
but felt that my art must be defended I am
aware Henry, replied suavey, that you consider
piano should be devoted entirely to the reproduce
ton of the distressing cacophonies of modern
musical comedy; but you wrong. piano is
primarily intended to be an instrument which to
play music
layer address him in well balanced English, and he
loses his temper at and takes refuge in coarse
OF course, if you call that dreary mush you
are always hammering out, music he began,
when interrupted.
Don't talk like fool" l said sharply. Under
stand once and for ALL that you do not appreciate
what constitutes good music, do! My mother
says"
T 1ro1> -, 5eb~,
of the shoulders, why drag your mother into the
discussion? What iii the world does she know about
music?"
MY mother might, had she chosen have been one
of the foremost vocasts of her time l answered
warmly. You know that is so. Why, when she
staying with US last you yourself told her that you
could listen to her singing all the EVENING""
That, retorted Henry brutally, was after had
made the pleasing discovery that no woman can talk
and sing at the same time
A FTER that, inevitable, and l concen-
trated all my forces of nvective the point in
Henry's defense where knew they would do the
most damage Il know you dislike my mother
said with much quiet dignity l could assume in
the circumstances, and also know the reason. 1t
is because she agrees with in thinking this idea of
yours of going on the stage the most preposterous
folly"
"Oh, no." sneered Henry If we were back in
Shakespeare's time, when there were no women on
the stage, you would not think it folly at all But
you're SO beastly jealous that you won't let go
anywhere might meet woman out of your sight.
Now, jealousy is an infrmity from which l have
every reason to fatter myself that am remarkably
free, and the injustice of his imputaton prompted
me to retort that was not quite kind Il am not
in the least afraid of your being unfathful to
Experience has taught me that there is no firmer
basis for an enduring passion than the knowledge
that its object is very comfortably off,
1t was cruel thing to say; for though it is true
that am the hnancier of our menage, one knew
better than that it not for my money that
Henry had married me. l could see that he felt my
words keenly, and | felt SO ashamed of my unkind
ness that if he had given the slightest opening
l should have been only too ready to make peace