Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-07-17
LELAND'S LOST SONG
az ARTHUR w. PEACH.

| AS Leland went down the street he
caught opening chords OF piano. A
voice began to sing. and he stopped
suddenly, spellbound.
1t was girls unframed voice and
| stirred dim memories within him.
lis it possible?" he muttered to him
self as he hurried in the direction of
the unknown singer. THAT is my
Lost Song!'"
His steps we're nervous and hasty,
but before he could reach the place
where the music seemed to come from
it had ceased. The houses stood dark
ly together: there were lights In most
of them. He did not know in which
one the singer had been.
/ He stepped to the curb to plan his
next move.
Like vision out of the night came
the moment when he had parted from
the girl who was about to sing the
song. She had been standing by the
pianos he was seated at 1t. Before
him was the music of the song he had
Just written.
Then had come the quick quarrel;
| his hot-headed answer to her criticism
1 of the song. Her surprise had amused
him; but she had been hurt at his
words and he In anger Left
1t had been foolish quarrel, as all
quarrels are when seen in after years.
He had gone to a northern city, and
had found life hard. He had met 1t
with good will; but he had never for
gotten her.
In some strange way, try as he could
he could not recall the song which he
had left on the piano. Bits of it came
back but the theme as whole was
beyond him.
Now he had heard it. He knew there
could be no doubt about it; and II he
could find the singer, 1t must lead him
back-to her!
He studied the houses with eager
earnestness. He decided that the mu-
sic he had heard farther up the street
came from the one with the light In
the front room.
He went up. and ringing the bell,
waited.
The door opened, and girl looked
out curiously.
Il heard some one singing a song
was greatly interested In; wonder II
you can give me an idea where the
singer vast was somewhere around
in this part?" he asked.
mo, I'm sure / can't sir. There's a
number of pianos about here" she
said, smiling little, "and a number
Of people who think they can sing. I'm
afraid / can't help you, but I'll try"
She pointed out houses near by.
He went down the steps and looked
around. beginning to doubt himself
He wondered If he had dreamed it
imagined the whole affair.
He could not free his mind from the
belief that he had heard the lost song
He debated the matter, and decided to
start onward to his rooms, and had
even gone few PAGES. when he
stopped.
He would not give up. The neigh.
borhood might get suspicious and have
him locked up, or a policeman might
be called to examine him. 1t was rath-
er unusual for a young fellow to be
going from house to house asking II
some one there had been singing a
song of which he knew not the title
nor the tune, other than strain or
two.
He determined to try it, however;
and SO he began He went to four
houses, but got no response; he tried
four more.
Finally, even as he expected, po-
liceman appeared on the scene. hav-
ing been summoned by some one who
had said the young man was intoxi.
Gated.
Leland proved that he was not, con-
vinced the man of his sanity; and
asked the officers advice. The latter
was evidently reached by the story
and he said in his soft Irish "Ef ye
can whistle bit O. the tune, lad, why
not? Jest the parts ye know! Walk
up an down, an If anyone says a
word, I'll say a word, provided ye
don't do it too long"
Leland undertook the plan. He
strolled up and down in the region
whistling the strains to the place
where he could go no further. He did
it number OF times, and both men
waited for the answer.
Try it again, mon," the bluecoat
said.
He whistled it again, and this time
there was quaver in it-a-quiver OF
lost hope. Leland turned away, des-
pairing.
"Hark We, lad!"
Faint and clearly. whistle had
caught up the strain and was carry
ing it on to finish.
Leland was sha~tng with eagerness.
"It's the song! the song!"
Don't get too sure it's your gal.
lad 1t may be one who sang it fuet-
hey, see, there's some one coming