Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-02-08
THE SINGING TEACHER
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

Just for few minutes Viola felt
like running away when she faced her
grown.up school, How different from
the little girls and boys Of daylight
TO her surprise, quite a number OF
the men were foreigners who knew
very little of the Luglish language.
But their wholesome respect for her
put metal into hes purpose and fight
ing blood into her veins.
There was one man ~ the room who
puzzled Viola. lie weat by the name
Of Joe Brown. One tang she OWNED
instautly-he vas a gentleman; in
iacl. he had the manners o. al arts
tocrat. Dut tie thing that drew her
70 him from the first was his woni 5r.
Jul voice. For ViO.a insisted upon hav-
ing singing. For fifteen minutes every
evening the halls of the old building
revorberated with the echoes of mas
culine voices.
And Joe Brown led them all. His
voice was clear and deep and full
Of passionate appeal that gripped the
heart OF the little teacher
One evening she called him to her.
Joe, know you are not an Ameri-
can. Won't you sing q song for us
in your own language? You have a
wonderful voice
Joe flushed happily and bowed low.
With the most pleasure, Miss North
1ott." He spoke slowly, picking his
words with care, but he seldom made
; grammatical error and was fast
overcoming his foreign accent. u
ii German.
Joe Brown sang and it was so won
lcrful--the mellowness and richness
Il his voice, the feeling with which
o sang, and as Vio!a's quick ear
noted, the wonderful training he
ihowed-that for some time after he
ad finished no one stirred.
Behind the tears in his pretty
.---l.ets eyes was a look of interest
hat had never been there before.
The school did famously. Viola
.orlled hard with her class and daily
o lessons became less irksome and
lore interesting. Then there was an
Innovation to which the pupils looked
-rward eagerly, for every evening
49, sang fer them.
One night after the class was dis
Missed, Viola opened the street door
% home. Suddenly a gust of wind
led fine sleet into her face and
e wind tried to lift her off her feet.
len a man stepped out of the
,hadCw.
May so home with you, Miss
-rthcott? 1t is a bad night
lola laid a hand gratefully upon
is proAered arm. Yes, indeed, Joe.
was good of you to wait
After that there was little chance
- them to talk The storm increased
: violence, and, even with her es-
o.t's help. it was all she could do
0 keep her feet. When at last they
cached her door she insisted upon
in going in. You must come in and
Wait, Joe. No one can live in that
blizzard. I'm going to call mother to
near you sing. You don't mind, do
you? l will play your accompani-
nents."
So Joe stayed and sang so wonder
,ully that both Viola and her mother
we're thrilled.
Then Viola told him of her own
ambiuon-how she had stopped her
musical education for lack of money
to go further, and her determination
to work day and night until she had
enough money TO have lessons of the
wonderful Max Won Deerhof.
Max Won Deerhof!" he cried.
Yes! Do you know him."
very, very well, Miss Northcott.
was thinking how happy he would be
70 have you for a pupil"
81 wonder" he went on, turning to
her mother, IF | may give Miss
Northcott some lessons on Saturday
II she can spare me little time. l
teach music myself"
So Viola's Saturday lessons began,
and she soon discovered that her
teacher was a marvel. Under his guild
ance her voice expanded and became
exquisitely beautiful. The cold weeks
flew and April came. The days of
night school were numbered.
The last night it was raining. a
drenching April shower. When Viola
appeared in the doorway Joe was
waiting to take her home.
Miss Northcott," he began almost
Immediately when he had suited his
step 70 hers, you aren't my teacher
any longer, but with your consent Ill
remain yours. It's time, too. that | was
telling you my right name. ! am Max
Won Deerhof, or do you know it al