The Ordway new era., 1916-10-06

! her. And all the mighty chanting o
5 the organs multItudinOus voices tina
afternoon seemed to Bibbs TO be che
; rusing of her and Interpreting hei
, singing her thoughts and singing 70
him the world of humble gratitude tina
, was in his heart because she was s.
, kind to him. 1t all meant Mary.
But when she asked him what |
meant. on their homeward way, he wa
silent They had come few pace
from the church without speaking
walking slowly.
"Ill 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 9th
ers to me: Courage! That's 1t. II
makes cowardlCc or whining seem sc
infinltesimal-lt makes most things In
our hustling little lives seem intinitesi,
NAL"
Yes" he said. "It seems odd,
doesn't 1t. that people downtown are
hurrying to trains and hanging to
straps In trolley cars, welterinE 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 drudGing to keep the house
going, and believing the drudgery it
self is the great thing. They make so
much noise and fuss and dirt they for
get that the house was meant to live
in. The homework has to be done. but
yrhn do ~ have hann
overpaid that they're confused and
worship the housework. They're over
paid, and yet. poor things. they haven't
anything that chicken can't 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
little slower-they had only three
blocks to 60
whatever the word is, only mean
that things don't look very sensible
now-especlally to man that wants
to keep out OF 'em and can't! Com
munism?' Well, at least any decent
sport would say it's fair for all the
strong runners TO start from the same
mark and give the weak ones fair
distance ahead, so that all can run
something like even on the stretch.
And wouldn't it be pleasant, really. If
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. "!s nothing
Of what the music meant to me. You
see. If l keep talking about what 1t
didn't mean l can keep from telling
you what 1t did mean"
"Dldn't it mean courage to you, too
"a little?' she asked. Triumph and
praise were in it, and somehow those
things mean courage to me-"
Yes, they were all there" Bibbs
said. II don't know the name of what
| he played, but | shouldn't think it
would matter much. The man that
makes the music must leave it to you
| and what it can mean to you. and the
name he puts to it can't make much
! difference-except to himself and peo-
pie very much like him, l suppose"
Il suppose that's true, though I'd
never thought of it like that"
Il 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 a prayer
meeting, and some would think of how
good they were themselves, and a boy
might think Of himself at the head Of g
solemn procession. carrying banner
and riding white horse. And then
II these were some jubiant passages
in the music, he'd think of a circus"
They had reached her gate, and sh,
set her hand upon 1t, but did not oper
1t. Bibbs felt that this was almos
the kindest Of her kindnesses-not Il
be prompt in leaving him.
AFTER ALL" she said, you didn'
tell me whether you liked it."
"No. I didn't need to-"
mo. that's true, and didn't nee,
to ask. l knew. But you said 20,
were trying to keep from telling m
what 1t did mean"
Il can't keep from telling 1t an,
longer" he said. "The music meant t
met meant the kindness of-o
, you"
, Kindness? HowY
"You thought was a sort Of lionel
. tramp-and sick"
mo-" she said, decidedly. II though
, perhaps you'd like to hear Docto
Kraft play. Ard you did"
IT'S curious; aomet1mes It SCENE
to ne SAaf 4 wag yea Who VssU piaJ