The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1917-04-06
TheVictoriious
Defeat
By KATHERINE HOWE
(COpyright, l9l7, 9y w. 9. chapman.l

DeIore MIN with an odd mixture Of
humor and despair.
"Oh, Phil That's awful! It's heart
acknowledgement !"
mot as d~isgraceful as borrowing
money till people get on the other side
Of the street; Or-or being carted of
to the morgue." He tried to speak
lightly, not wanting her to know how
much it cost him. In Germany he had
been the great masters best pupil. At
his first concert he had made the piano
speak the poetry of Chopin and List
till the critics had cried Bravo" But
the war had come, and also the end Of
his income, and he had returned to
New York to try to make a living with
his art, with this result.
but you, little girl I If / could only
make them give you your chance. 1t
wouldn't be long before Ruth Lambert,
the violinlst, would be blazoned in big
letters on the billboards."
I'm afraid thatTl never come" The
tears gathered in her eyes, and her
voice was 80 near the breaking point,
she could not trust herself to go on.
Don't say never" he cried, with
an attempt at being courageous. II
tell you, Ruth, I've heard great artists
In Berlin, and yOu-you have it in
you"
but no one win pay me for playing.
can play before these clubs, and at
afternoon tens till the end of time, and
1t never occurs to them / have to pay
room rent and have at least two meals
Il day. / don't know how to get rich
people interested in me-sOmehow
can't do it, and | have haunted the bu-
reaus and agencies till the very
thought of one makes me sick. It's
just about as pleasant a prospect to
think of going home-a failure-as-
MS what you said"
But you're not a failurel' he as
serted. II know fine playing when l
hear it! You are bound to make your
mark Go home for a little while. CaIl
it a needed rest, a short vacation, and
maybe before long / shall be making
enough for both of us. Then you
shall have your concert, and we shall
be together all the time"
For answer she put her hand in his
and he drew her to him. 1t had been
understood now for several months
that "some day they should be "al.
ways together" 1t began with their
first meeting at Burleson's studio re-
ception, when her accompanies failed
to appear, and he offered to be Il sub
stitute. How wonderfully he had
played, following, helping her till the
violin and piano seemed to talk to-
gether and understand each other.
"0h, if you could only get the ear Of
Merriden !" he exclaimed. HE could
make youl"
you might as well try to get the ear
of the chr of all the Russias. I'm not
going to attempt it again. Yesterday
when l called, after making an ap-
pOintment, the secretary said Mr.. Mer-
riden could see no one, as he was not
well and was going away for a rest.
So what's the use?'
you ought to have called yourself
Mile. LAMBERT, or something foreign"
laughed the young man.
That's it," she exclaimed, indig-
nantly. IF, instead of Hutchins, you
had posed as the great Hutchinoff, or
any sort of a Russian, with long hair,
you would have been having them ut
your feet by now. Oh, 1t makes me
furious to think that Americans will
let their artists starve while they
just shower flattery and money on any
thing with a foreign name"
ut won't always be So" he said.
Maybe not; but I've got to give 1t
up and go home. Phil, l don't believe
you quite understand all that means.
You see, my mother made sacrifices
for me to come to New York to study.
My father was always against it. He
made 1t pretty hard for both of us.
Now mother hasn't any more money to
send-and l wouldn't want her to-if
she had. meant to be earning some
thing by now. l didn't want to go back
till l had. You see, father is bent on
my marrying a man-an old friend of
his who has barrels Of money. He was
terribly angry because / refused. He
said l would come to my senses yet,
and come back. This mar writes me
every little while saying he is wait
ing. 1t doesn't seem to make any diff
ference that | have refused him, and
send back the letters unopened"
"Well," smiled Hutchlns, II like his
grit; but and his face grew serious,
you wouldn't"
Never, Phil Neverl" she broke in.
"But you see now
"Oh, dearlel You mustn't gol You
mustn't"
It was her turn now to look the
problem fairly in the face.
Unjust. / can see there is no other
way" she said firmly. but l will
come back when you send for me-"
perhaps they win ask you to play
ragtlme in Glendale" he said, grimly.
Not with my violin, my darling. 1t
would be so insulted 1t would break