The St. Mary banner., 1921-04-09


MECHANICALLY the little usher held
har hand for the performance vi hei
duty which happened to De the sale
niloting of its patrons down the alsles
of the dmly lighted concert haii'
NIGHT after night she parroted the same
request, and night after night 'he pi's
of nasteboard were entrusted 10 hei
keeping while the owners 1olio"eu
bor fashlight until they were sately
located.
Notbjnc unusual ever happened 10
Elise Jenny Sykes, the girl on aisle
four. had once received box OF can
DIV and Mabel Mertz had been asked
ont TO lunch but Elise had moved
along with no exciting experiences
wbatever TO her credit. However, she
was happy and contented, for WASH
she adding every week TO the llt'ie
hoard which was to pay for making
bar a great singer? And wasn't she
hearing the very best music, when she
could not afford to hear in any other
| way?
Imagine then her sensation when
the Young man whom she addressed
NOT only placed his seat coupon IN ner
upturned palm but his own hand as
well. Her first emotion was one OF
thorough Indignation, but that gave
way almost at once to surprise as
she thought she saw him sway BIT,
catching at the back Of a seat, ana
the next instant came remorseful pity.
"Why. the poor chap must be blind !!
she told herself. Whispering to him,
without further hesitation, Don't be
afraid-I'll guide you" she clasped
firmly the hand which lay in hers ana
led him to his seat.
The next night he stopped inside the
dark hall to speak cheerily to her
When it was time Elise again took
his hand without waiting for further
suggestion and led him to his seat.
For weeks he came. hearing the same
programs over and over until Elise
decided he must be student like her
self. She always waited to lead him
to his seat. and each time he thanked
her gravely for it.
He often came early enough for a
whispered chat. and during one OF
these obtained her name and address,
under pretext of wanting to send her
some helpful musical revues. Ordi-
narily Elsie would have questioned the
propriety of allowing strange man
to send her even so small a gift as
well-thumbed reference books, but
there was something about the blind
mans boyish frankness which dis
armed his motives of the ulterior COM
pletely. When the package came 1t
contained a note which read:
MY dear Miss Winthrop: Being in
terested in people who have an ambi-
tion to climb, especially along your
particular line, I'm going to beg per-
mission to hear you sing. AS you've
probably guessed, l. too, am musical
and think we may prove mutually
helpful. Sincerely.
"GREGORY BALDWIN,"
That night when the little usher led
Gregory Baldwin to his seat she whis-
pered to him. There's no concert Sat
urday night, so mother says I may
ask you to CALI; and when Saturday
evening came Elise found herself
strangely a-flutter with expectation
She was watching at the window
when an automobile stopped in front
of the building from which Gregory
Baldwin alighted unassisted, the chauf
feur driving away without seeing his
master to the door,
We'll. of all the careless beings
that chauffeur's the worst" ex
claimed Elise, rushing down to the
first floor to let her caller in. HI
wore dark glasses and carried cane
outside Of these two features no one
would have suspected he was sight
less.
And then Elise sang to him-sans
sweetly and unaffectedly, pouring ou
her heart in the wonderful Language
. OF some of the old world masters an(
ner clear. girlish soprano thrilled thu
, listener through and through.
Il wonder if you realize what s
: really beautiful voice you have?" h,
asked AS he was leaving won't yol
J come over in the park tomorrow after
, noon? There are so many things II
IKE to say to you-about your work.
After Elise had promised to go sh,
mad queer little feeling of being 1
, rubber ball tossed about IN the hand
! OF fate, but she was at the meetin,
place the next afternoon ahead of tn
appointed time. She wondered as sh
/ waited what had made Gregory Bald
WIN blind; whether or not he had an,
nope of ever seeing again; whether