Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-08-08
They talked 81 many things for a
time. and then Elnora said suddenly,

They talked .r many things for a
time. and then Elnora said suddenly,
Aunt Margaret. l like music"
1--WE noticed that in you all your
life" answered Margaret.
IL can make a violin talk" announc.
ed Elnora. and then in amazement
watched the face Of Margaret Sinton
grow pale.
"a violin!' she wavered. "Where did
you get a violin"
"They fairly seemed to speak to me
in the orchestra. One day the o n
ductor left his in the auditorium, and
l took 1t. and Aunt Margaret / can
make it do the wind in the swamp,
the birds and the animals. | can
make any sound l yer heard on it.
If l had a chance to practice a little
! could make it do the orchestra music
too. I don't know how l know, but I
do"
"Did-did you ever mention it to
your mother?" faltered Margaret.
"Yes. and she seems prejudiced
against them: but. oh, Aunt Margaret,
l never felt so about anything. not
even going to school. l just feel as
If I'd die" if 1 didn't have one. l could
keep it at school and practice at noon
a whole hour. Soon they'd ask me to
| play in the orchestra. l could keep
it in the cas- and practice in the
woods in summer. You'd let me play
here over Sunday. Oh, Aunt Marga-
ret. what does n cost? Would it be
wicked for me to take Of my own
money and buy a very cheap one?
could play o. the least expensive one
made"
ooh, no, you couldn't. A cheap ma.
chine makes cheap music. You got
to have a fine fiddle to make it sing.
But there's no sense in your buying
one. There isn't a decent reason on
earth why you shouldn't have your
fa"-
my fathers" cried Elnora. She
caught Margaret Sinton by the arm.
"My father had a violin! He played
It? That's why l can! Where is it:
Is it in our house? Is it in mothers
rOom?" :,
you mao TO keep time or die. You
couldn't be STILL"
The tears were rolling down Elmo.
ra's cheeks. ooh, Aunt Margaret she
sobbed. "Why haven't you told me
about him sooner? l feel as if you
had given my father to me living so
that | could touch him. can see him
too! Why didn't you ever tell me be.
tore? Go on. go on! Tell me more
about my father"
wait until l see if l can get the
violin"
So Elnora went home in suspense,
and that night she added to her pray
ers, Dear Lord, be merciful to my
father and. oh, do help Aunt Margaret
to get his VIOLIN"
Wesley and Billy came in to supper
tired and hungry. Billy ate heartily,
but his eyes often rested on a plate OF
tempting cookies, and when Wesley
offered them to the boy he reached for
one. Margaret vas compelled to ex.
plain that cookies We're forbidden that
night because Billy had used a ba6
word that day.
What" said Wesley. wrong words
been coming again? Oh, Billy, 1 dc
wish you could remember! I can't sr
and eat cookies before a little boy who
has none. I'll have to put mine back
too" And Margaret did the same.
Then Billy slid from his chair, ran
to the couch. buried his face in the
pillow and cried heart brokenly. Yves
ley hurried to the barn and Margare1
to the kitchen. When the dishes were
almost washed Billy slipped from the
back door.
Wesley, pilins hay into the managers
heard a sound behind him and in
quired, "That you, Billy"
eyes," answered Billy, "and it's al
so dark you can't see me now, isn't it 2
well, mighty near" answered Yves
ley.
Then you stoop down and open you
mouth"
Wesley bent over the small figure
and received an installment Of cooky
that almost choked him.
"Now you can eat it." shouted Billy
in delight. cts all dark. 1 can't see
what you're doing t ALL"
Wesley picked up the small figure
and set the boy on the back Of a horse
to bring his face level so that they
could talk as men.
"Now, what a dandy scheme!" he
commented. did you and Aunt Mar
garet fix it up?
enc. She amt had hers yet. But
got one for her. Ist as soon as you eat
yours | an going to take hers and feet
her first time 1 find her in the dark"
"But, Billy, where did you get the
cookies? You know Aunt Margare;
said you were not to have any"
II list took them" said Billy. 81
didn't take them for me. 1 ist tool
them for you and her. Did-did-]
steal?"