The Washington herald., 1915-11-30
The Singing Teacher.
By LOUISE OLIVER.

! Viola Northcott laid aside the letter
with a happy sigh. Her checks were
rosy with excitement. Just think.
mother. now that | have been elected
to be night school teacher It almost
doubles my salary. At the end OF
this year. I shall have enough to con-
tinue my studies in music. / know
my voice is good. Charlatan says so.
but he cannot take me any further.
He says ! must go elsewhere and
suggests the great Max Won Deer
hof"
Mrs. Sorthcott smiled. although
there was shade OF anxiety in her
face. viola. dear. l am glad because
you are glad But how long do you
think you can stand 1t. teaching all
day and evening. too
Viola kissed away the lines on her
mothers face. Don't worry. mother.
I'm as strong as mule-and as OBJ
stinate. When / take a notion you
know how 1t is. I'm to begin Mon
day-thats day after tomorrow-and
I'm to have class of young men.
Imagine me teaching men! I think
I'll have to wear spectacles and
smooth down my hair in order to look
more diEnified."
The young men might learn more"
laughed her mother.
Never fear. I'll be strict enough.
I'm going to be the best teacher this
city ever had, but II you ever see a
line OF care creep treaCherously into
my face l want you TO say. Cheer up.
Viola. or no singing lessons Of Max
Won Deerhof"
Just for few minutes on the fol-
lowing Monday evening. Viola felt
like running away when she faced her
grown-up school How different from
the little girls and boys OF daylight:
Q 4. = -
the men were foreigners who knew
very little of the English language.
But the way they all obeyed her
slightest command, their anxiety to
learn and their wholesome respect for
her put metal into her purpose and
fighting blood into her veins
Poor fellows. II they can work
all day and come here at night TO
learn. why shouldn't l. who am not
half so tired as they? And am going
to see that they do learn to read and
spell and speak English correctly SO
far as it is in my power to do so"
There was one man in the room who
puzzled Viola. He might have been
Polish. Russian or German. She
simply by the name of Joe Brown.
One thing she devined instantly
from whatever corner OF the globe
he had come he was a gentleman; in
fact, he had the manners OF an aristo-
crat But the thing that drew her to
him from the first was his wonder
full voice For Viola insisted upon hav-
ing singing. For fifteen minutes every
evening the halls of the old building
reverbcrated with the echoes of mas
cuIine voices
And Joe Brown led them all His
voice was clear and deep and full
of passionate appeal that Eripped tins
heart of the little teacher.
One evening she called him to her.
Joe. know you are not an Ameri-
can. Won't you sing song for US
wonderful voice"
Joe flushed happily and bowed low.
With the most pleasure. Miss North
colt" He spoke slowly. picking his
words with care. but he seldom made
grammatical error and was fast
overcoming his foreign accent. u
am German. | hope you do not hate
u.s." he ventured.
Viola laughed. NO. Joe. like you
all think the Germans wonderful
for their music. That accounts for
your voice. but not for your name"
Then she added. But anyway I'm
neutral" She waved her hand toward
the cosmopolitan group before her and
smiled. ''You see how II is"
sing now
Yes. please. Anything"
Joe Brown sang and IL was so won
dcrful-the mellowncss and richness
Of his voice. the feeling with which
he sang and. as Niola's quick ear
noted. the remarkable training he
show cd-that for some time after he
had finished no one stirred.
Behind the tears in his pretty
teacher'sI eyes was look OF interest
that had never been there before. In
terest and cuTiosity-who was Joe
Brown" why didn't he go by hts right
name? She was determined to ind out
II she could.
The school did fsmously Viola
worked hard with her class and daily
the lessons became less irksome and
more interesting. Then there was an
innovation to which the pupils looked
forward eagerly. for every evening
, Joe sang for them. After that rrst
night he had graciously yielded to
Viola's request
One night after the class was dis