El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-25

| w was singularly free from thu
desires and weakness of tht
flesh that attend the average nader
who works out her expiation of orig
inaI sin behind a broOmhandIe anC
dustpan. She liked washing clothes
I mean, of course, for its own sake
she adored children for their own and
that of their parents; wages were OF
little or no considerations dollar
now and again just to get myself a Bit
OF music. num-" and to pay sundry
class and tuition fees; followers were
a nuisance, and were never encouraged
to attach themselves to the skirts Of
the adorable HOrtensei nights out and
days off were shifted at in scOrn.
Martha thonght she had got either
a fool or a treasure.
And so HOrtense came into the house
and peace and quietness slid unOb-
trusively through the window into
outer darkness.
On the evening Of which I am writ
ing We were sitting together, expect
anJly waiting for supper, when a harsh
grating noise was borne in upon US.
Whatever is that?" asked Martha
in alarm.
I listened intently-
1t sounds like Sally Broke the jam
pot" 1 hazarded-
Nonsense" said Martha
TT does,'' insisted There it goes
again. Sally broke the jampot, and
blamed it on to me- Why. it's HOr-
tense singing, and. I'm a sinner, she's
dancing"
WHAT"
Singing and dancing" I repeated
Cant you hear?-tlop, flop, flop;
that's the dancing. That harsh
scraping sound is Sally breaking the
jampots.'
Martha listened and was convinced.
'Hortense's tastes are classical, evil
IDENTIFY" she said.
However, the girls cooking was de-
cidedly good, and perhaps a bit on
that account the matter was forgot
ten, until it came before US again and
more perSiStently.
I will say this for the girl-she gave
US variety. Monday, perhaps because
it was wash day, would be given up
to some nondescript style of music of
a dirgy nature in minor key, with
the theme running IN the direction Of
fond hearts broken, and willows Wav-
ing DER graves Of little children and
msldenS of tender age-an IN
healthy lot they must have been to
die off as they did. Tuesdays selec-
ton would be prOnOuncedly music
hally. with skirt dancing and fancy
step trimmings Wednesday would
most likely develop operate selections,
to which Wagner in his heaviest moods
contributed.
One morning. when I was supposed
10 be shut away in my study, and
marina was Out i nGdE0 a most. uu-
earthly din proceeding from the front
room. There was a piano in it, and
there was a human being in dire agony
in II, and there were lots of others
things in it which I couldn't identify.
stole quietly along the passage
and peeped through the crack of the
door, with was ajar. The sight was
enough to kill a cat; the row was
sufficient to kill any number OF old
cows. who proverbially die of tunes
In a print dress, dirty face, and hair
awry, Hortense sat pounding Martha's
pet piano for all it was worth. Her
eyes were upturned, her mouth was
stretched to its fullest capacity ''HO,
Henner-rey, come fly with me, I loo
owe but you''-bank. crash. chords and
diScords.
At first I was intensely annoyed,
but IN little time the other side ap-
pealed to me. Really it was excrUci-
atingly funny. I had at last to prop
myself by the door post and let my
self go, for I considered any further
attempts at repression might be dan
gerous; out the girl was blissfully IN
conscious of my levity. I rOared with
mirth, and she yelled in her poetic
misery, and the nOiser I grew the more
pcrSiStently she appealed to her adOrer
to come and do a bit of flying in her
and in the midst of it all
Martha came in She had been knock
ing for ten minutes at the front door;
but we were too intent on other things
to hear anything so commonplace, and
she, Martha. had gone round at last and
let herself in at the back
1 was laughing too much to speak;
but there was no real need for any
explanation. Martha rather cherishes
her piano, and instead of being struck
by the humOr of the thing, as I had
been, an angry flush spread across her
face when a hasty peep through the
crack had vacated revealed the sit
uatiOn to her
Hortense was meek and apologize,
as she ever was when Martha bounced
in upon her with an angry Woman's
stern determination went on peep
ing. It was mean of me; but the stu
alton was full of possibilities, and I was
interested besides.
Il know I didn't ought to have done
It, mum" pleaded the offender; but
music IS the only thing 1 cares for,
and sing and play I must whenever 1
gets the chance"
''Oh. if you feel like that about IT,
Hortense, I will see If cannot con-
trive to find an opportunity for you
to practice, and to give you a few les
sons" said Martha more kindly.
On. thank you, num- said Hor-
tense, who did not see me overwhelmed
by the concession But my master
thinks my heXecutiOn is too perfect to
need any more lessons. In fact, he
said had better not take up another
term as It would only be wasting my
time and money"
All right. Hortense," said Martha.
But please don't execute my piano. at
least when I am out"
After this tacit recognition, the girl
made no further effort to hide her
prOclivities. and the house be-
came pandemOnium, to which my
small boy contributed heartily
Relief came to US eventually in 2
sudden and unexpected. We
had been out one day, and, coming
home ABOUT eight in the evening. were
surprised to find the house in dark
ness and apparently deserted.
Hortense had gone. box. bag, and
1aSgage, On the dining room table.
along with the dirty breakfast things,
was note addressed to Martha:
'HOnOred madam" it ran, this
comes, hoping you are quite well and
% tell you that I have left your kitch-
m to better myself I am going on
he stage to be an actress, so no more
It present. From your obedient serv-