Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1918-08-23
The. Master
Touch
Copyright, 1918, Western Newspaper Union
By AGNES G.. BROCAN

Copyright, 1913. Western Newspaper Un!on)
Della rolled up the fluffy bundle of
lawn she was sprinkling for ironing
and went to the stairway to listen. A
glorified light shone in her appraised
face as the plaintive notes Of violin
came floating down from above.
Sylvia was practicing her overture,
and this was the selection chosen by
the great teacher for her little sisters
, presentation to the musical world.
The elder sister caught her breath
In anticipated triumph as Sylvia's
music came to her. Was it not this
hour for which she had labored IN
ceasingly, sacrificing her own youthful
pleasure in the effort. When Delia's
father had lived, it had been their
dream-the fathers and hers-that
she might grow up to be the musical
genius which care and responsibilities
had moved beyond his own reach.
AS Sylvia sat wide-eyed while Della
played on her fathers violin, sudden
purpose came into the young girls
heart. This little one should now be
the genius of the family. In Sylvia
{ should be the fulfillment Of her own
; and her fathers dream. Love of music
was evidenced surely in Sylvia's tire
less pleasure in her playing; Sylvia
should have those advantages of train
ing which she and her father had
missed.
And when the last home teacher
had assured her that Sylvia could
learn no more from her, Della had
taken her to the city where 1.-The mas
ter" lived. She would not confess
even to herself that his lack Of en-
thusiasm in Sylvia's promise had al
most brought encouragement. These
successful men were difficult to con.
vince Of ability in others, and after all,
even he had agreed that Sylvia 's>read-
ing was perfect.
"Al as it is written" the great man
had said after the girls performance
then he had frOwned.
When the sisters went back to the
little home Sylvia danced carefree out
to the hammock in the garden. u
shall end by falling in love with the
I fascinating MASTER" she warned, but
J. the elder sister smiled her indulgent
smile.
! Almost guiltily she drew her fathers
violin from it's shabby casa Few les
sons of Sylvia's had escaped her eager
attention, as apparently absorbed ir
work she moved about the room or sal
quietly sewing by lamp or window
And now Della was anxious to try tn.
. strain which had been Sylvia's after
noon theme.
There was much that the elder sis
ter passed by perplexevlly, but thu
dominating melody came brcathin,
Subdued, beneath her bow. Sylvia il
, the garden must not hear, must no
know Of her elder sisters clumsy fol
lowing. Sylvia must know no othe
, touch save that of the best And a
! Della played happy tears gilstenet
=. upon her lasheS.
She WAS seeing in fancy victoriOu
l vision of her youthful sister, the cente
: of attraction amid a throng of up
] Il
, ton in these faces at .Sylvi;l's surpris
ing beauty; and then when she began
to play, moving her soft, white arms
! the admiration would deepen into emo
81 ton. Oh that one hour would NOR
1 than repay the years Of deprivation
= And the teacher, he would be there, hi
keen eyes resting upon her.
Della sighed as she laid aside TIN
violin. "All that was really WORT
=. while would come to the little sister.
, When at last she awaited in the BIZ
hall the coming Of Sylvia's number OF
3 the program she sat unheeding Othe
:, pupils best efforts. Delia's face wa
+ very hot, her hands SO cold.
Upon her came q realization of som,
impending crisis, and she could no
shake off the feeling. Then TOWARD
her, down the aisle came the grea
teacher.
y IF you please. he said, twill yol
come to Miss Sylvia in her dressin,
room. She is obsessed with stage
fright and cannot be persuaded to pla,
her part. That is the principal nun
Der on the program. You may be able
to give her courage"
Silently Della rose and followed him
Together they stood by her little SIS
ter's side. Upon the floor before then
lay a discarded violin. The girl was
crying unanimously.
II can't do it," she sObbed. II hate
music, hate the violin. It was. only
to please you, Della, always. I could
not disappoint you. But now Syl
via arose determinedly-"Pm Going
away" she said.
I Speechlessly the elder sister looked
from the girls retreating figure back
to the face Of the teacher.
| "Oh!" she whispered, "our dream y
Then, very sadly, she picked up the
discarded violin, her fingers sought
the bow.
Then she remembered again the
teacher was standing near, gazing
spellbound into her face.
"You!" he burst out, sharply, Ego