The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-03-09
DoRo1nEA S CAREER
BY OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON.

and then at the place on the tnclOse0l
check filed in to the amount OF q
thousand dollars. Somebody had died.
no matter who, and her share OF the
deceased relations estate now lay In
her hand to do with as she would.
The state of Dorothea's feelings may
be more readily understood perhaps if
the reader be informed Of the things
that had been uppermost In her mind
all day. She had been living over again
her triumph of the night before, when
as star performer at the dedication OF
the new library, she had won laurels
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 a 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 piano after the choir had gone
home. from practice. She glanced over
the notes, first humming the tune, them
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 1t was to sing.
She would surprise Parsonburg and
sing at the library instead Of playing
the serenade from Chaminade that she
had intended.
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-
| l1Ouy, Will OtlA1lCy p ACAAL dl1u AVlAAO
as port had suddenly turned in its
course and was heading for the har-
Dor OF career Already grand opera
was looming large, and she had visions
OF herself as Brunnhilde and CarusO
as Siegfried wooing her with the soft
notes of his wonderful tenor.
And SO, when the check for the thou
\ | Il 49, Ho ~ lr,h,N
, en- the way. there was no doubt in
Dorotheas mind that it was all heaven
sent. She 'phoned to Charley.
I'm leaving In the morning for New
York." she said. II wish you'd come
around tonight. I've something to tell
you."
But when Charley saw his dreams Of
happiness fading and the girl he adored
slipping away forever he voiced pro
test.
There isn't much in that game
grille. You've got mighty fine voice,
but 1t takes years Of hard work, and
then some, to get anywhere. and not
always then. Besides, Dolly. | waz
just going to tell you. I've had some
good news myself, and l was going to
ask you II you could get ready to be
: married next month. Uncle Ned's writ
;, ten for me come on and he's going to
: give me a dandy position In his bank
: You can still live In New York and yor
3 won't have to work SO hard as you vii
Dolly"
But the magical door had showr
t Dorothea visions she could not forget
y I'm sorry, Charley. but feel tina
q | cannot waste my life being merel,
g domestic. think it's my duty to g
e ahead and make the most OF my talent
: Besides. 1t looks like fate when thou
e sand dollars drops from the skies lik
g this. No, it's all over, Charley
r hope you'll be very happy. Good-by
now. l must pack"
A year sped along. Food, lodgin
and lessons at ten dollars apiece ha
n played ducks and brakes with Doro
T. thea's fortune. There were five year
II Of hard work ahead, years In whic
Il more money would be needed, an
q years. too, at the end of which moth
d ing was certain. She had discovers
l. a thing or two also-that New Yor
u had thousands of musical students wit
q as good or better voices than she haf
4 The money went. There was moth
g Ing left but to go back to teachin
T, music In Parsonburg or to find wor
+ In New York. She would rather hav
4 died than to own up to defeat In he
own town. so she took a course 1
% stenography and finally answered a
ad.
- OF course 1t was Charley who turne
- from the big mahogany desk when sh
:" went in. She drew back as though t
= fly when she saw who 1t was, but
= was on his feet and had her hand tigh
= In both of his.
"Dollyl Is 1t really true that 70
:. are herew
She saw how tired and worn h
:. looked, how much older-and dearel
=. Her heart contracted and she locke
aSido CuiItfIv What a silly foolish Vtv