The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-09-01

consciousness that me girl sitting be-
side him had grown shadowy; he
seemed to see her as plainly as v e in
the darkness, though he did not look at
her. And all the mighty chanting Of
the organs multitudinous voices that
afternoon seemed to Bibbs to be cho-
rusing OF her and interpreting her,
singing her thoughts and singing for
him the world Of humble gratitude that
was in his heart because she was SO
kind to him. It all meant Mary.
But when she asked him what It
meant, on their homeward way, he was
silent. They had come a few PAGES
from the church without speaking.
walking slowly.
"I'll tell you what it meant to me-"
she said. as he did not Immediately
reply. almost any music Of Handlers
always means one thing above all eth
ers to me: Courage! That's it. 1t
makes cowardice or whining seem 80
infinitesimal-it makes most things In
our hustling little lives seem iniinitesi-
NAL"
YES" he said. 1T seems odd.
doesn't 1t. that people downtown are
hurrying to trains and hanging to
straps In trolley cars. welterng every
way to get home and feed and sleep
SO they can get downtown tomorrow.
And yet there isn't anything down
there worth getting to. They're like
servants drudxing to keep the house
going. and believing the drudgery It.
self IL the great thing. They make 50
much noise and fuss and dirt they for
get that the house was meant to live
In. The homework has to be done, but
the people who do It have been 80
overpaid that they're confused and
worship the housework. They're '
paid, and yet, poor things! they haven't
anything that Z chicken cant have
OF course, when the world gets to pay
ing Its wages sensibly that will be diff
ferent-"
do you mean 'communism'!' she
asked, and she made their slow pace
a little slower-they had only three
blocks to go.
"Whatever the word IS. l only mean
that things don't look very sensible
now-especially to a man that wants
to keep out Of 'em and can't! Com
munism" Well, at least any decent
sport would say its fair for all the
strong runners to start from the same
mark and give the weak ones a fair
distance ahead, SO that all can run
something like even on the stretch.
And wouldn't 1t be pleasant, really. II
they could all cross the winning line
together? Who really enjoys beating
anybody-if he sees the beaten mans
face? The only way we can enjoy get
ting ahead OF other people nowadays
Is by forgetting what the other people
feel. And that" he added, lis nothing
OF what the music meant to me. You
see. II I keep talking about what it
didn't mean l III keep feom telling
you what 1t did mean"
"Didn't It mean courage to you, too
"A littley" she asked. triumph and
praise were in It. and somehow those
things mean courage 10 me-"
YES, they we're al there" Bibbs
said. II don't know the name OF what
he played. but I shouldn't think It
would matter much. The man that
makes the music must leave It % you
and what It can mean q you, and the
name he puts to 1t can't make much
diRerence-except to himself and peo-
pie very much like him. I suppose"
II suppose that's true. though "a
never thought Of 1t like that"
II imagine music must make FEEL.
ings and paint pictures in the minds
Of the people who hear It." Bibbs went
on. musingly, according to their own
natures as much as according to the
music ITSELF"
The musician might compose some
thing and play 1t, wanting You to think
Of the Holy Grail, and some people
who heard It would think Of 1 prayer
meeting, and some would think Of how
good they wer themselves, and q boy
might think Of himself at the head OF 4
solemn procession, carrying a banner
and riding a white horse. And then,
II these were some jubilaEt passages
IN the music, he'd think Of 4 circus"
They had reached her gate, and she
set her hand upon 1t, but did not open
It. Bibbs felt that this was almost
the kfndest Of her kindnesses-aot to
b prompt in leaving him.
AFTER all" she said, you didn't
tell me whether you liked It."
mo. ! didn't need to-"
mo. that's true. and I dida4 aeed
% ask. knew. But you said you
trying to keep from telling me
what Il did mean"
II can't keep from telling It. any
longer" he said. The music meant to
met meant the Kindness of-1f
you."
kindness? HowY
"You thought l was q oort Of bosiy
tr1mp-and sick"
ma" 10 said. decllDdly. II thsuxht
perhaps you'd like - hsaF Doctsr
Kraft play. AID 20 -"
MfAp~ -~Al~-n. ----- --