The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-04-28
By an Open Fire
Evening Story for the F annily Circle
BY EieIle Becker.

One glance within the room would
have given you knowledge of fire.
a man and a grand piano, so like
links in chain that you would
think of none as a single feature.
The solitary musician would have
passed unnoticed in the streets;
even a beautiful piano is common
sight, and quiet prosaic people are
known to love open fires, but here
the flames seemed to be speaking.
the dignified man with the gray at
his temples, listening. and the
piano, glad of his long, white hand
resting on 1t, waiting.
The girl with the white tam
o'shanter and tan boots who was
coming down the street, stopped a
moment, she hardly knew why, be-
fore she touched the huge knocker.
Perhaps 1T was time taken to won
der what the new music master was
like. But second ring was neces-
sary before the man In front of the
fire heard. He was wondering if
much of the failure to quicken his
fame had not been because he was
so thoroughly American; did not
lay all his shortcomings to "artis-
tic temperament" and, through all
of the two years since his last in
struction in Berlin had chung to his
own name. Robert Brown. AS he
went to the door to greet his first
student, possibly for the only time
in that quarter of a century away
from Germany. he weakly wished
he had started calling himself Rob
ert Braun"
He was not surprised that his
caller was young woman-three-
fourths of his pupils always had
been-but when he had led her to
the fireplace where the scarlet
flames swayed. and sat listening to
and drawing out her young enthu.
siasms, he noticed that she was an
extraordinary girl.
PLAY for me. will your" he asked
presently.
And the girl contrasted the rude
authoritativeness of other masters
who had said only Play" and
waved some fat fingers toward the
piano. So 1t was that she played
well, and that the new music
teacher surprised more by every
succeeding brilliant run or pro-
found retard. forgot himself, and
leaned over the piano, watching the
skillful hands. The big, fluffy tam
oshanter, instead of the plumes he
was used to seeing at trials" like
an,nAI,Auy a1I1I tn lii,
val. And when she was sitting by
the fire again he included her stout
boots and her wealth of black hair.
II like your playing. | did not
suppose any one in the town pos
sessed such a promise of real art"
he said simply. when may | ex-
rect you?"
Tomorrow. at this hour?"
"That will please me-" And
when she had gone he did not re-
call of ever having said those four
words with as much meaning be.
hind them.
When it was known that Ruth
Long had taken up with Robert
Brown there were students trip
ping up and down past the crocus
beds every hour. But they We're so
many units to the man who so loved
an open fire that even In Septem.
Der he had young log brought in.
lie was sitting before this new
made fire, thinking Of the first time
he had seen the soft flames In their
black frame. He had hoped they
would give him the old content OF
the spring. but he was only the
more restless. and no clear reason
assigned itself. ITS just a realiza.
ton Of my mediocrity, guess" he
said half aloud, and got up to punch
the fire. which spluttered I'm resent
meIt. who said you were medi-
ocre?" And there in the doorway
was n sweet. laughing face. between
n great white tam-oshanter and an
armful OF autumn leaves.