Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-07-28


seemed to see her as plainly as ever 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 few PAGES
from the church without speaking,
walking slowly.
'sI'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 otn-
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 infnitesl7
mall
eyes," he said. cit seems odd.
doesn't it, that people downtown are
hurrying to trains and hanging to
straps In trolley cars, Weltering 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
the people who do it have been SO
overpaid that they're confused and
worship the homework. 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 it's 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, only mean
that things don't look very sensible
especially to a man that wants
to keep out Of 'em and can't! Com
munismY 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 keep talking about what it
didn't mean I can keep from telling
you what it did mean"
didn't it mean courage to you. too
IA 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 I 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, I suppose"
81 suppose that's true, though I'd
never thought Of it like that"
81 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 g.
solemn procession, carrying banner
and riding a white horse. And thens
If 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-no to
be prompt in leaving him.
"After ALL" she said, "you didn't
| tell me whether you liked it.
'sNo. I didn't need to-"
'sNo, that's true, and didn't need
to ask. / knew. But you said you
were trying to keep from telling me
what it did mean"
81 can't keep from telling it any
longer" he said. "The music meant to
met meant the kindness of-of
you"
Kindness? How?''
"You thought was sort OF lonely
tramp-and sick"
NO." she said, decidedly. 81 thought
perhaps you'd like to hear Doctor
Kraft play. And you did"
''It's curious; sometimes it seemed
70 mo %1,o% ~uoc ron xrho vvaro NAV.