Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-11

like someone who didn't know how,
trying to play the slide trombone. She
was simply deaf. 1t seemed. to the
subtleties Of infection.
Daily, she reduced Galbraith 70
helpless wrath. Evidently he didn't
everyone Of his tussles to improve her
reading of q line with q gentleness
that would have done credit to q kin
dergartener. But after three attempts,
each more ominously gentle than the
last, his temper would suddenly ny all
to pieces.
The girl. queerly. didn't seem 10
care. But IN the dressing room one
night, after one Of these rehearsals.
down on bench to unlace her Shoes.
she looked straight into Edna Lar
sons face-a face sunken with .
despair that turned Rose cold. The
fearless, tragic eyes were staring.
without recognition, straight into
Roses own.
Rose delayed her dressing till the
other girls were gone, then sat down
beside Edna
you're all right" she said. feeling
very inadequate. I'm going to help
you"
It's always like this" the girl said.
''1t's no use. He'll put me back in the
chorus again."
mot II can help It," Rose said.
''But the first thing to do Is to come
along and get something to eat"
During the next hour Rose learned.
for the first time. what the weight OF
an immense melancholy inertia can
be. The girl was like ono paralyzed
-raralyzed by repeated failures and
disasters. Of which she told Rose
freely. When Galbraith had put her
into the sextette. hope. just about
dead, had been reawakened. She'd
learned to dance we'll enough to es-
cape censure, and she'd seen for her
self how indispensable her singing
voice was to the sextette. And then
And her talking wasn't right.
Look here!" said Rose. when the
story was told. (This was across the
table in a dingy little lunch room.)
You're going to say your lines before
tomorrow's rehearsal so that CAL
braith won't stop you onoe. We're
going to my room now. and I'm going
to teach you. Come alone."
! In a sort Of daze, the girl went.
Rose put her into a chair, sat down
opposite her. took the first phrase Of
her first speech. and said it very slow
ly, very quietly, half q dozen times.
That was at half-past eleven o'clock
at night. By midnight, Edna could
say those first three words to Roses
satisfaction. They worked like that
straight through the night. except
that two or three times the girl broke
down; said 1t was hopeless. She got
up once and said that she was going
home, whereupon Rose locked tho
door and put the key in her stocking.
At seven o'clock in the morning
they went back to the lunch room
and ate an enormous breakfast; then
(, Rose walked Edna out OF the park
and back, and at eight they were up
in her room again. They raided the
slender meal. And at twelve, husky
of voice, but indomitable Of mind
Edna at last: as we'll as Rose-they
confronted Galbraith.
When the test scene came, Rose
could hardly manage her own first
line, and drew a sharp look Of inquiry
from Galbraith. But on Edna's drss
cue, her line was spoken with no
hesitation at all, and in tone. pitch.
and infection 1t was almost a phono.
graphic copy Of the voice that had
served it for a model
! There was a solid two seconds Of
silence.
When the rehearsal was over Gal.
braith called Edna out to him and al
lowed himself long. incredulous
stare at her. will you tell me. Lar
son." he asked. why in the name Of
heaven. II you could do that, you did.
mt do it yesterday?"
II couldn't do it yesterday" she
said. "Dane taught me-"
Taught you!" he echoed. "Dane!"
| he called to Rose. who had been
watching little anMously. Larson
tells me YOU taught her. How did
You DO it?'
why. just-taught her" said
Rose. II showed her how I said each
line. and kept on showing her until
How long did 1t take you-.l,
night?"
"All tho time there was since last
rehearsal" said Rose. except for
three meals"
Good God!" said aalbraith. .'wsll,
live and learn. Look herel VIII you
teach the others-the other four In
the sextette? I'll see you're paid for
t."
Why, yes-of course" said Rose.
hesitatins little.
."oh. don't mean overnight" no
said. "but mornings-betwesn re-
hearsals-whenever you can"
| Il wasn't thinking Of that" said
Rose. II was Just wondering II they'd
want to be taught mean. by an.
other chorus girl, you know"
| They'll want to be taught IL they
want to keep their jobs" said Gall
braith And then, to her astonish-
ment-and also perhaps to his. for the
| thing was radically out Of the et-
quette Of the occasion-he reached
out and shook hands with her. "I'n,
very much obliged to you" te said.