Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-11-04

events Of the day in the boarding
house, avoiding always the subject OF
the tragedy which had drawn them to
gether. I've brought up the evening
paper she said. wouldn't you like to
have me read it to your There's
splendid elopenent in high life"
Il should like It very much" replied
Miss Estrilla. after q pause at which
Betsy-Barbara wondered.
Betsy-Barbara read the headlines
and rendered in full the stories which
Miss Estrilla indicated. She was alb
sorbed In the account Of splendid
burglary, when a knock sounded at the
door. And Estrilla entered.
As he recognized her with bow Of
inimitable attention and courtesy. as
he crossed the room and tenderly
kissed his sister, Betsy-Barbara had.
somehow, the feeling that she was
meeting q stranger. For the first time.
at any rate. she expressed him to
herself He was small-but she had
always noticed that obvious fact. Look
ing at the figure on the bed. one would
have called the sister the taller Of the
two. He was nevertheless perfectly
formed. He had plume of black hair
which glimmered In the gaslight with
q dusky reflection of Betsy-Bar
native gold-and-sattn turban.
She sat for nve-minutes, while broth
er and sister made her the focus Of
their conversation. But she was not
amused. In the presence Of his SIS
ter, Estrilla appeared . different man
from the light fenoer with words Of
their evenings downstairs. He was
grave; he was formal. It was puz-
cling, but little fascinating, this
change.
In Ave minutes more. Betsy.Barbara
summoned tact to the aid Of manners
and maiden modesty. She invented an
excuse to shield herself against Span
ish politeness. and left Estri1la bow
ing sravely at the threshold.
The house seemed deserted. 1t was
too late for venturing forth alone; yet.
somehow. she must exercise tho vague
black visions which began to surround
her-sho who must keep courage for
two. Also, something which she could
not analyze was stirring disquiet In
her soul
IT only had some worki" she said
to herself, and sighed again. So medi-
tatfng, she wandered aimlessly down
stairs. The doors Of the parlor were
open; the lights were on: the baby
grand piano stood open. inviting.
"Only merry tunes, though" she
warned herself as she sat down. And
- $hn N~~ltaot 10 hn kn0uu
Presently, she began to sing In her
pleasant unframed voice. which wob-
bled entrancingly whenever she got
out of the middle register. But music
is the slave Of moods. And before she
was aware, her voice was following
the etrings in old and melancholy love
songs.
Then Betsy-Barbara dropped her
hands from the keys. and the music
stopped abruptly. She was just aware
that . fine floating tenor had been
humming the part from the doorway.
Senior Estrilla stood looking down on
her.
my seester has gone to Sleep" he
said. And then, "That is . Scotch song.
is It mott Please 90 on" Betsy.Bar-
bara smiled, nodded, resumed her
keys; and they sang together.
When the song was finished. Estrfl-
down at Betsy-Ba1bara. His mood
seemingly had changed: It was his
within to talk.
"They are q little cold on the sur
face. those Scotch love-songs," he
said. though warm beneath. like . vol.
| cano. Now we who speak Spanish
we can throw our emotions TO the sur
face"
Don't you think" responded Betsy
Barbara, that to conceal it-but TO
show it's there's the moro wonder
full way after all?"
The blood Of tho MacGregors In Bot
sy-Barbara was calling her to the de-
tense Of her own.
DO you happen TO know any OF our
Spanish songs7" pursued Estrilla.
"Only Juanita, I think-and La Pa
loma."
EstYilla looked a. though he might
have laughed but for Spanish polite
ness.
Those are Spanish for outside con.
sumption, a. whom the English call
your cheap-oil-cloth 10 1t not-'Ameri-
can cloth Let me sing to you-but
. Spanish song does not 30 we'll with
the piano"
there's guitar over in the al.
cove" announced Betsy Barbara.
"Far-seeins mAiden!" exclaimed Els.
trilla with such delicious Spanish
roll on tho novels that Be<sy.Barbara
laughed . little: and he, % though un,
Iderstandins. laughed with her.
SO he tuned the guitar, Betsy. Bar.
'bara finding the key for him on the
piano. And while he tweaked the
strings, he made comment on them,
-:
"This-you hearts the angel.strfng
IL 10 for celestial harmoniss. One can.
not 60 wrong on this string: but 1t ID
zoo fne and high to make all our n1u.
sic. This 10 the man-string. You can
90 very right or very wrong on this
ono" "Thees one" he pronounced It:
and he drew out tho vowsls % though
lingering on the thought "This u the
woman string. Listsn-Aow discord.
ant now! l tune It to the manstrins.
Tor ] am God Of this little worid-and
nov bow beautiful.