The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-07
THE EVENING STORY
For Various Reasons.
(By Ella Randall PearceO

Enid gazed wistfu1ly out of the doc
tors Office window.
TT is out of the question" she said
finally. 81 cannot possibly take sing
| ing lessons
Dr.. Vane's eyes rested on the dell
cate profile of the girl who had en-
tered his office for medical advice.
"A throat specialist would tell you
the same thing-give you the same
advice" he told her by way OF con-
firming his professional AID. your
| throat is organically perfect-lt Is
merely sensitive, delicate. me nttle
tickle you have is only the erect OF
| particles in the air that touch the
sensitive membrane The doctor
smiled sympathetically when he saw
the relief leap into Ends eyes.
| few-a very few lessons in correct
singing would strengthen that throat
so that even the fumes of corn COD
pipe would have no effect on 1t. his
laugh was so spontaneous that Emo
found herself echoing it. Her laugh
was a ripple, musical and rich. Inc
doctor listened.
II have only INDUCED in singing as
a form of expressed happiness" Enid
told him. MY voice is perhaps not
of the quality that would appeal to
vocal instructor.
DR.. Vane laughed a trifie IRONICALLY
"Au voices appeal to some instruc-
tors-t!,ose who need the money"
THAT is just the drawback, EMO
said frankly, but not unhapplly- l
have neither the money nor the time.
I have to work from O'CLOCK until o
in the basement of a department store.
could not practice vocal trills while
showing a customer a dashboard or a
gas filter, could II
Hardly" laughed the doctor, ana
watched her arise to slip into her too
scanty jacket. ''Will you promise me,
however, to sing on all occasions anu
to realize that you are Strengthening
the troublesome throat as well as ex-
pressing happiness" He held her
gaze while he spoke, and knew With
out her answer that she would follow
Instructions to the best of her ablllty:
After Enid had left. DR.. Vanee fell
into deep thought. He had opened an
Office in the poorer district, that he
might. in a small way, give his help
where it was most needed, ana dEso
get ample experience in his pro1es-
sion. He sighed heavily over his ina
bility to help the girl VINO naa JUS
left his presence. The extraordinary
beautiful face fingered before him ana
smiled its wistful smile SO that the
doctor had difficulty in banishing IL
from his thoughts.
After her interview, in which Turk
inc fear had been forcefully dispelled,
Enid felt more buoyant than she had
for days. When she reached her tiny
room that looked out on the CROWDED
court of a tenement building, she purst
into song. After all, the world was
beautiful place. T.,
.sHe is wonderfully helpful-even In
his steady, fearless glance thought
Enid. and remembered the color or Dr'
Vane's eyes.
while she sang lightly window
somewhere in the court above opened
cautiously. Guido, an Italian musl-
cian listened with bated breath to
E,nid's song He was almost as poor
as the girl vet his fund of music mace
him a king among kings he .hVed IN
tho tenement building that he might
perhaps hear music that came from tlle
heart. and in coming stir the emotions.
In his way he was philanthroplst-l
longing always to help the struggling
musician Also, he had his reputation
to make as a vocal teacher. GUIDO
nIayed the piano in small ltanan
cafe in order that he mlgnt nave lnIee
meals a day. His diploma, won on the
continent, for vocal instruction, hung
in the small room in the tenement
building What good was 1T without
pupils to teach?
sing wonderfully" thought Guido as
Fnid,s song arose and filled the court |
With it's purity of tone. He put his |
head out the window and made sure |
of the one from which the song came. |
After that he went down TO Enlo /
door. -
exclaimed the astonished girl when the
italian spoke of his longing to teach |
her sAnd 1 have to work all day in !
order to support myself
Guido fixed his dark eyes thought
fully upon the beautiful face and al
together charming picture that Enid
presented
81 could teach you one or two sim
nile songs Immediately, and you could
sing at the cafe where I play" he
told her. You you'd earn more than
Won do selling washboards and towels
Guido laughed joyfully. and Enid, too
was inspired by his enthusiasm
Gould 1 possibly do it?" she Whls-
,ered under her breath, but the Ital-
ian heard her.
"Rut certainly" he expostulated. Il
myself will always be near to help
YOU. Come to my studio nowi We
will have a lesson You Will work no
more in the basement
And carried away by the force of
enthusiasm and weary with
her struggles behind the counter Enid /
followed her vocal instructor up the
tenement stairs to room barren OF
furniture-except a piano.
II will teach you only few very
light songs-ones that the dining pub
lie will listen to- Guido told her; land
we will work on tone the rest of the
time"
At the end of a scant fortnight
Enid had sung her first song in the
little cafe The c1apping of many !
hands had brought a brilliant color
to her cheeks and sparkle to her eyes.
Enid realized that her throat was