The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-11-18
Gecrgs. with another stroke Of de

II
do Won have women in the choir? ?
asked George. with an attempt 1t In
difference.
Yes" exclaimed the boy in sur
prise. Didn't you ever hear this
choir? They sing the solos and We
do the rest. You see they can read
the notes better than we can, an6
they aren't SO likely to get scared and
chokey on Sundays"
+ And the cnoirmaster," George in
terrupted without Disgusting his eager
ness. Where's hep
"Oh, he's trying out the new fel
lows upstairs. Practise doesn't begiI
for few minutes yet"
For the next five minutes George
spurred on by the thought of the girl
took the only course that presented
itself of making her acquaintance.
! I'm very anxious to get some prac,
tise in choir drill George explained
a few minutes later when he had been
admitted into the choirmasters pres.
ence.
i YES" replied the other. with dis.
couraging indifference. IF you have
only fair voice really can't take
the time to hear you. l have more
applications now than know what
to do with"
| George thought with momentary
regret of the many chances he had
i thrown away to practise with his col
lege glee clubs. A lusty and ready
voice he had always had when 1t
came to less formal singing.
/ well, it isn't what you'd call q
trained voice." he admitted, but II
/ you'll let me practise with the choir
and help me out little I'll be glad
to make it worth your while
1t was two weeks later and George
| Upper sat in the little apartment
sitting room laboriously singing tc
himself from a score which he held
before him.
| Say, old man." broke in Edwin
i Carey from his chair, If you don't
give up that choir of yours, you'll
have to find some one else to live
with. You're away from home three
i or four evenings week and the rest
of the time you drive me out. Honest
old man, can't stand it."
George went on with his singing I'M
daunted.
i "How's the girl across the street
coming on?" asked Edwin teasingly
Your time limit is almost up"
| I.fo - "
"Oh, she's all right, l guess. She's
one of your languid, southern beau
ties. But how on earth is man 60
ing to sing decently and think about
half dozen things besides" Here
he paused and sang few more notes
You've no idea," he went on, "how
absorbing it is. 1t just gets hold OF
you and makes you forget every.
thing else Even the little fellows
tend to business. You ought to hear
us sing that new anthem. Edwin. It's
rouser!"
But what about the girl?" persist
ed Edwin.
"Oh, pshaw. exclaimed the singer
out of patience. THAT Miss Pen
rose"
Miss Penrose," echoed the other
She's Clara Penrose." He was
standing over his companion, looking
at him with an unwonted show OF
eagerness in his eyes. Il knew she
had come north to study music. and
when you spoke about her being a
languid sort of a girl l had half
suspicion. She is a beauty, isn't
she?" The asked, feelingly, and then
4 not waiting for a reply, (Which
house is it, George-the one right op
poster"
was still singing to himself from q
score before him. He had spent the
evening alone after Edwin's sudden
departure to the house across the
street, and was beginning to feel a
little anxiety as to the probable
course which events had taken
"She's just the sort of girl to make
a man like Edwin go through fire and
water" he thought to himself, and
then, as the door Of the apartment
opened and Edwin appeared. his anx
iety departed.
She's the same Clara Penrose,
Edwin exclaimed, holding his hand
out to his friend, "only hundred
times sweeter and kinder. Why, dc
you know she's been waiting these
last three years for me to come bach
to her? And have been brute tc
stay away!"
lis tit all on again?" asked
4George with hesitancy.
The look in Edwin's eyes answered
"Yes."
Here" he said, holding out q
handful Of new bills, you're win.
ner. even If you didn't get the girl"
Il +