Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-05-21
our hustling little .nves seem lnlnltesi;

mall
YES" he said. 1T seems odd
doesn't it, that people downtown arr
hurrying to trains and hanging t
straps in trolley cars, weltering every
way to get home and feed and sleel
90 they can get downtown tomorrow
And vet there isn't anything dow1
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 sc
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 sc
overpaid that they're confused and
worship the housework. They're over
paid, and yet, poor things! they haven't
ANYTHING that a chicken can't have.
OF course, when the world gets to pay
ing its wages sensibly that will be DIFF
ferent." "
$40 YOU mean 'commnnism'?" she
asked, and she made their slow pace
little slower-they had only three
blocks to go. Et
whatever the word is, only mean
that things don't look very sensible
now-especially 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, lis nothing
OF what the music meant to me. You
see, if l keep talking about what it
didn't mean / can keep from telling
you what it did mean."
Didn'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-"
Eyes, they were all there" Bibbs
said. 81 don't know the name Of what
he played, but l 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"
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 it, wanting you to think
of the Holy Grail, and some people
who heard it would think Of prayer
meeting, and some would think Of how
good they were themselves, and boy
might think Of himself at the head of a
solemn procession, carrying a banner
and riding a white horse. And then,
II these were some jubilant passages
in the music, he'd think Of a circus"
They had reached her gate, and she
set her hand upon it, but, did not open
it. Bibbs felt that this was almost
the kindest of her kindnesses-not to
be prompt in leaving him.
after ALL" she said, ''you didn't
tell me whether you liked it,"
mo. didn't need to-"
"No, that's true, and didn't need
to ask. I knew. But you said you
were trying to keep from telling me
what it did mean"
Il can't keep from telling it any
longer" he said. "The music meant to
met meant the kindness of-of
you"
Kindness! HOWv
"You thought l was a sort of lonely
tramp-and sick"
no" she said, decidedly. II thought
perhaps you'd like to hear Doctor
Kraft play. And you did,
Its curious; sometimes it seemed
to me that it was you who were play.
ing"
Mary laughed. II? I strum! Piano
A little Chopin--Grieg -Chaminade
You wouldn't listenv'
Bibbs drew a deep breath. "1'm
frightened again." he said, in an I'M
steady voice. I'm afraid you'll think
I'm pushing, but" He paused, and
the words sank to a murmur.
"Oh, If you want me to play fol
your SIZE said. Yes, gladly. 1t will
be merely absurd after what you heard
this afternoon. play like hundred
thousand other girls, and like it. I'm
glad when anyone's willing to listen
and II you" She stopped, checked
by a sudden recollection, and laughed
ruefully. But my piano won't be here
after tonight. I'm sending It away
tomorrow. I'm afraid that If you'd
like me to play to you you'd have t.
come this evening"
you'll let me? he cried. 4
Certainly, il you care to-
IF 1 could play" he said, wist
fully, "if could play like that old mar
in the church could thank you"
"Ah. but you haven't heard M