Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-01
tcoNTHuEp FROM LAST sunday

William came AROUND 10 MS Cnalr
and dropped into it with sigh Of
contentmcnt.
Church over?" Ruth asked, closing
her book.
: mo. But I was getting ndgety. and
Eloped. They told me there's several
hundred millions Of heather to con-,
vert. Confronted by such a hopeless
Job, l'gave up my pew"
She laughed. You shouldn't make
fun Of the missioners." she reproved.'
-"I know It. But several hundsed
millions! And he shook his finger at
Q1e, too. Well. maybe am heather.
don't go to church: I can't sit still
long enough But II you want my
idea Of Christianity. give me the Sal
walton Army. I'm not joking. You
don't hear much about them. They
foot comets and bang bassdrums on
the corner. and 1t makes you grin;
but for doing downright good they've
got all the missioners buffaloed. Take
1t from me: I know. They don't go
around trying to convert Rockerbilt
into giving a memorial window to the
Cathedral of Everlasting Lugs--nope.
They 80 to the back door and ask for
old clothes. cast-off shoes and maya
zines. Then they go out after the
poor souses. the homeless devils, the
good for naughts. the girls Of the
street, the drunkard's wife and the
like. Do they preach sermons about
the poor heather? Nix. They pass
around hot soup, old coats and shoes,
and throw in cot for the night il you
don't hNnnan IN THAT kin1
Of makes the poor devils belieye there
is a God. But if you make d Chris
tian out Of a happy Hottentot, you
usually have to stand over him with a
club. Say" with sudden eagerness.
"the bulletin says we reach Naples
Tuesday morning around 10 o'clock"
GLORIOUS. Sorrento the Blue Grot-
to. Pompeii! isn't it wonderful?'
1T sure is. sister"
But i don't think you're very
pious."
Maybe not. Stained glass, pipe or
gans and white neckties never gave
me a shiver yet. l poke fun at 'em
sometimes. IL that's what you mean.
Aw. the whole thing is twisted up.
somehow. They've all got the right
idea, but everybody wants to do the
leading: nobody wants to be led. I'm
for the Salvationists."
do you like music:" she asked,
presently.
Like IT: Why, you can get me
away from my meat with a piece of
paper and a haircomb. When / was
a kid ! got lost twice in New York.
following the German bands"
What kind Of music do you like?"
"All kinds. If it's good, barring the
cornet player and the Swiss bell
ringers. don't know anything about
music. but l know that it gets me
deep. There used to be an old chap
at my boarding house who could play
the violin. believe me. He'd put me
to sleep. kind Of, with old home stuff.
and then yank up the hair on the
back of my neck with some of that
dago- Dutch music. Couldn't tell you
why liked 1t. but it always got me-"
II believe church is over" She got
up. would you like to hear me
play the piano?" ...
You can play? Well. say"
Come along. then. There is a pi-
ano in the alcove over the dining
Balloon: and if there's no one around
I'll play for YOU. The truth Is, I've
been hungering to touch that pi-
ano." = --.
They succeeded in getting into the
Alcove without attracting attention;
and shortly after William sat back
TN his chair, feeling that his soul
had been piucked out of him and
cast among the clouds. She played
lightly and dreamily at first; half
the time the music was but low
ripple Of murmurous sounds Bach,
Greig. Beethoven, Rubinstein, Che
pin: 1t Is doubtful ii at that time
William had ever heard Of Them
but, strangers though they were,
they knew how to play with his
temperamental soul. He was really
fond OF good music: he had heard
just enough Of it in the past to whet
his taste for IT.; and what he heard
this morning set his desires in full
cry. What ne could not understand
was that she could play all these
Wonderful compositions without notes.
notes.
They both awoke suddenly and
embarrassedly to the realization
that they had un unsuspected audi
ence. The two balcony corridors
were filled with de1iehted auditors