Cleveland County herald., 1920-12-02

the bosk and hurried back to the chatr. Opening it, she laid it upon the old mans knees He bent his head and felt ever the open page with his hand. but the weird eyes could no longer re- solve the frozen magic of the words He ndgeted in his chair and the book slid to the floor.
 The picture was too distressing, and the Pearlhunter turned his face away. From where he stood he had an almost unobstructed view into the east room, the girls room. and before 1 he realized 1t his eyes had strayed l past the curtains Amusement held them there a moment In spite of him. | The room. in striking contrast to what he had seen of the rest of the house, was almost bare of furniture-a car | petless floor; the rudest of beds; a 1 broken chair, and little else
 He heard her walking across the floor and turned away half guiltily. l She had her hand upon the curtained 1 entrance of the west room. and he no- ticed that 1t was carpeted and was 1 otherwise furnished quite in keeping with the room in which he stood, cer- tainly in very decided contrast to the room upon the east.
 But he had no time to reflect on all these things, for the girl reappeared in a moment carrying a cello which she placed between the old mans knees. She put the bow In his right hand and lifted hls left to the strings He laid his cheek down upon the h. strument; grew quiet. The faltering bow tried to wake the strings. but In vain. The old mans body seemed to i shrink together. His chin dropped down upon his breast. But the next instant he sat upright and rigid; his wide eyes, groping around. found the Pearlhunter, and he started to rise grappled up, strained up. as If by a power outside himself.
 The girl caught the falling bow from his hand; drew the cello to her and deftly twisted the strings In tune.
 The Pearlhunter stood amazed at what followed. The tones of the eel 10 seemed to reach out into the quiet evening, purple with the close of day, and gather up the drowsy sounds of wood and stream, and bring them In and strew them down like falling rose | leaves-the fall of a distant oar; the lap of water upon cool rocks; the pulse of a current that rose and fell {; the croon of contented trees under a serene sunset. He did not know that what he heard was Beethoven's incom- p8rahly witching Moonlight Sonata.
 The old mans head had dropped for ward, his eyes were closed, his face untitled in his rumpled beard upon his breast Leaning the cello against the chair, the girl picked up limp arm, laid 1t about her neck, and led him away. like drowsy child. through the curtained entrance of the west room.
 With the departure of the girl the picture dissolved; the evening world became vast emptiness. an emptiness the silence poured h to fill. It caught the Pearlhunter in It's flood; 1t held him; overwhelmed him; found out lit- tie hooks and crannies of his nature that he never knew were there.
 The curtains parted. soft step crossed the carpet. The world came back. deep breath sweled the chest of the Pearlhunter-deep as If it had been the only breath he had taken since the song began.
 Next to the thrush song that was the most wonderful thing ever heard !"
 The girl looked up from rearranging the cushions in the old mans chair
 Daddy taught me, He said it was my gift He had the deepest, soft voice." she went on, more to herself than to him. Like the low tones of the cello. though it always made him sad to sing Long ago. when I was a child, he used to hold me in his arms and sing to me. He was wonderful rellist before-t"
 She bowed her head over the cha r and the Pearlhunter fancied he sa~ tears. But her face was soon up again, brave and cheerful.
 You could sing
 Mel" It was about the most start ling thing she could have Sath .Fhe