The Lamar register., 1920-09-29
A Natural Mistake
BY FREDERICK HART

ineN sometimes travel on street ears.
when there is no other available means
Of transportation so when Gilbert
Cunningham, who played frequently 10
enthralled hundreds at Aeolian or
Carnegie, found that every tuXicah
In sight had Its tlag down he resigned
himself TO the inevitable and risked
his life among the passing motors 10
catch uortubound surface c|r.
The third he signaled stopped
there was a traffic Jam ahead-and he
climbed aboard. His. fare clinlSed
into the farebox; he swayed and stag
gcred down the aisle. looking for
seat. A fat man sitting Immediately
In front OF Gilbert rose and plowen
toward the front exit. The square Of
cane seating which he left vacant be-
gan to shrink under the lateral press
ure from both sides, as mud closes In
n thick puddle after one has removed
ones shoe from IT, Gilbert had bare
ly time to fail into the rapidly mar
rowing square before IL disappeared
altogether.
On his right sat woman who car
ried an aura OF perfume that was al
most visible. She glanced AT Cunning
ham as he tumhled into the place be-
Side her, and. aided by sudden lurch
Of the car. managed TO bump him vio-
Iently against his neighbor on the
other side. Cunningham turned 10
apologize. and found himself looking
Into the eyes OF n very Indignant miss
Of some twelve yenrs Of age whose be-
In.
book. and stumpy pencil-lay on
the floor of the ear where his bump
had precipltated them. lie stopped TO
recover the articles.
Here are your things" he said.
handing them to her. 'l'm-er--ihnt
IL. beg your pardon, I'm sure"
A snlff was his only reward. The
small person regally accepted the
things and turned to what she had
been doing. Cunningham. rebuffed but
not discouraged. watched her idly ut
first. then with sudden qulckening
of Interest. The page OF the notebook
was ruled In STATS. and the child was
laboriously forming marks which were
obviously Intended TO be notes of the
musical scale. Cunningham regarded
the page more closely. Evidently the
child's teacher had set an exercise
In modulation or transpositlon. He
watched her as she set down note
after note. recognizing that the exer-
else was one of no simplicity. But his
nelghbor seemed TO be progressing ia
mously. I'LL she paused after putting
n note on the lowest space OF the bass
Iaf hn hAr FuF
play, leaving brownish smudge on
the stan. but effectually obllterating
the offending note. A long moment
OF concentration; then the light
seemed TO dawn. and triumphantly she
scrnwied the note-A fiat.
Cunningham looked nt the arrange
inent as she had II, realized that she
had erred. In his Interest he spoke
10 her.
THAT should be A natural. not A
fiat" he said.
The young musician looked up with
no good grace.
"How do you know" she asked pug.
naciously.
'I-I'm pianist myself" STAN
mered Cunningham, absurily embnr-
rassed under the circumstances.
81 don't care II you are n pianist"
interrupted his small nelghbor. giving
mn insulting accent to the penultimate
syllable. II guess my teacher told me
how TO do IL. an ! guess my teacher
knows more than you, l guess. guess
YOU can't be a very good pianist"
Then. as though remembering some pa
rental admonition. she added gracious
iy: Thank You very much" and re-
turned to her work.
But Cunningham was not to be put
on. II would not do for the child to
go away with n false idea regarding
that particular bit of transpositlon. He
returned to the attack undaunted: bur.
taught wisdom by experience OF the
mettie of his adversary, he essayed
strategy.
"Your teacher must be very nice"
he said.
The child rose to the bait.
"Well. guess she Is" she replied.
guess she's nicer nm anything
she gives awful hard ex'cises" 4 sigh
and a glance at the notebook Gun.
ningham realizing that he had gained
several kilometers. hazarded further
operations.
81 guess" he began, "she knows
N