Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-03-10

BY OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON.

thousand dollars. Somebody had died
no matter who, and her share OF the
deceased relations estate now lay Ia
her hand to do with as she would.
The state of Dorothea's feelings may
be more readily understood perhaps II
the reader be Informed of the things
that had been uppermost 10 her mind
all day. She had been living over again
her triumph OF the night before. when
as stnr performer at the dedication OF
the new library. she had won Iaurels
far beyond her greatest dream OF sue
cess. OF course everyone knew she
could play; and she, played the organ
Sundays. and figured conspicuously on
the. programs In all the local concerts.
But no one In Parsonsburg had ever
heard her sing before. Not even Mrs.
Pressing. who lived In the other half
OF the house. except perhaps little
humming when she was hurrying
through with her dishes to go to the
movies with Charley.
Dorothea. therefore. was as sur
prised as anybody when on the day
before the library concert she had dis
covered something.
She had found the sopranos part of
the offertory for Sunday lying on top
of her plano after the choir had gone
home from practice. She glanced over
the notes. first humming the tune, then
grooming 1t. and finally opening her
mouth and letting out the full round
notes.
Ecstacy took hold of her. She had
never known what Joy Ii was to sing.
She would surprise Parsonburg and
sing at the library instead Of playing
the serenade from Chaminade that she
had intended.
And so Dorothea had stood upon tn.
platform in the auditorium of the new
library and had sung, and not the least
of her triumph was the look of per.
picked surprise on Charley Totten's
face.
Dorothea was silent on the way
home. Life. which before that day
was carrying her straight into matri.
mony, with Charley's heart and home
as a port. had suddenly turned in It's
course and was heading for the .har'
Dor of career. Already grand opera
was looming large>and she had visions
of herself as Brunnhllde and Caruso
as Slegfried wooing her with the soft
notes of his wonderful tenor.
And so, when the check for the thou.
sand dropped out ofthe clouds to light.
en- the way, there was no doubt In
Dorothea's mind that II was all heaven. ]
sent She 'phoned to Charley.
I'm leaving in the morning for New /
York." she said. 81 wish you'd come
lround tonight. I've something to tell
'ou."
But when Charley saw his dreams OF
iappiness fading and the girl he adored /
slipping away forever he voiced a pro
est.
There Isn't much Ia that game
grille. You've got a mighty fine voice
tut II takes years of hard work. and
hen some. to get anywhere, and moi
always then. Besides, Dolly, l was
Just going to tell you. I've had some
good news myself, and l was going tc
ask you II you could get ready to be
married next month. Uncle Ned's writ.
ZEN for me come on and he's going to
give me a dandy position In his bank.
You Gun still live In New York and you
won't have to work so hard as you will
II your music. can't give you up
Dolly"
But the magical door had shown
Oorothea visions she could not forget
I'm sorry, Charley. but feel that
cannot waste my life being merely
iCmestic. think It's my duty to 20
ahead and make the most of my talent
Besides, II looks like fate when thou.
'and dollars drops from the skies like
his. No, it's all over. Charley. !
hope you'll be very happy. Good-by,
BOW. I must pack"
A year sped along. Food, lodglna
md lessons ut ten dollars apiece had
played ducks and brakes with Doro. .,
hea's fortune. There were five years
If hard work ahead, years In which
more money would be needed. and
Years, too. at the end of which moth.
ne was certain. She had discovered
/ thing or two also-that New York
lad thousands of musical students With
Is good or better voices than she had. Il
The money went. There was moth
ne left but to go back to teaching
music In Parsonburg or to find work
n New York. She would rather have
lied than to own up to defeat In her
'wn town, so she took a course In
and finally answered an
ID.
OF course It was Charley who turned
rom the big mahogany desk when she
vent In. She drew back as though TO
iy when she saw who It was. but he
vas on his feet and had her hand tiOht