The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-09-20
THE DAILY
Isl loRl STORY
ALldred,s Wager

Alllaieu'S wager
hAfold shipWay sat on the piano
tool before the piano in Mildred
Browns little parlor. Mildred
Brown, music teacher, sat beside
him on a little straight chair,
Watching his fingers, intentiy. Har-
Old Hooked scowlingly at the music
opened before him, then looked
nopelessly at his big fingers, NOV
ed them awkwardly over tho keys
and struck. or rather attempted 10
strike the opening chord Of the
new ipteSe' teacher had given him
TO study,a week before.
OUGHT said Mildred, her face
registering sensation Of actual
physical pain.
Harold took his fingers from the
Keys and turned toward Mildred.
Teacher, I'm sorry he said.
Does It really hurt you when |
make nlistakes?" He looked IN.
tently into the reproachful eyes.
I'm really sorry"
II you were sorry" said the
teacher ayerting her eyes, you'd
play better. Doesn't II hurt your
ears when you play discords?"
Not In the least" confessed Har
old
Mildred sighed. 81 guess you
lust Amt musical" she said.
u don't suppose l am. Besides
my fingers are big and clumsy"
1Sreally don't see why you take
lessons then. hate to encourage
you-
Harold again looked a little too
tntently into the teacher's eyes.
You z haven't encouraged me.
You haven't said one encourag-
ing thing about the way play yet,
Ifyou want to know why. go on
with the music I'll tell you. It's
because am SO darned fond OF
the teacher"
How absurd" Mildred said,
with eyes still averted; then eau
tiously raising them: But you
began the lessons before you had
even seen .me-so you must have
wanted To.
y suppose It was case OF
plain loneliness" sighed Harold.
There's So little to do here In
fstapletpn, I've been here SIX
months and until started taking
music LESSONS from : you, two
months ago, 1 had never set foot
IN anybody's house, The movies
bore me to extinction. | like golf,
sut no one has suggested putting
me up for the country club.
never saw such an exclusive town
as Stapleton-'
oh Stapleton has heart OF
lee Mildred agreed. i've lived
and worked here six years, and
I've never been In any ones
house except to give lessons. The
fpeople think lam socially beneath
them because l teach music"
And they think l am their So
tial inferior because-"
Because you come here to be
manager Of the Stapleton Mills
without social Introduction, be-
cause you are a poor young man
without astortune and without a
family name that dates back to
The colonial wars. oh. know
Stapleton, The only time they
overlook the fact that u person
doesn't come from one OF the first
families is when he has a million
5or so!'
Harold Shipway listened intent.
tly DO you really think they are
rs mercenary as that? thought
perhaps they hadn't taken me up
5because they hadn't got around to
- can't believe money counts
for so much" Harold folded the
music on the music holder before
him. You know don't care for
tociety or that sort OF thing. Only
having been brought up In a plaza
Where my people knew every one
fgot used to being made sN.Esel ut
nome. tell you it's great having
people's doors standing open for
you, and knowing you'll he vol,
COME once in a while for dinner"
Mr.. Shipway sighed. Nov, little
teacher! I've SAID enough about
inyselfs I'm no duffer at music,
but 1 like to hear 1t. Besides. I'm
aalittle tired"
,.But aren't you going to try?"
said the teacher. very much sur
pfised TO see her hitherto doclle
pupil rising deliberately from the
r,iano stool where he was suppos-
ed TO SIT for another half hour.
mo, I'm going to sit in this
comfortable chair and get you to
tiay something with a good old
Fashioned tune to It. Won't you,
please.
Mildred Brown answered by
drawing the morris chair nearer
the piano and lowering the back
to q comfortable angle. Then she
lowered the window shades to
keep out the late afternoon sun
and sat down at tie piano. First
she played "Home, Sweet Home
and then she played Mendels-
sohn,s Spring Song and then a
half dozen old favorites that all
founded iin,ly familiar TO Harold
,ihipway thought be couldn't
Nave told you the names Of their
composers and Mildred didn't
trouble him By explaining.
When the clock struck s to re.
mind teacher, and pupil that the
lesson was over, Harold rose to
cts bee ma little bit OF heaven"
he said, 81 won't bother you to
Try TO teach me any = more" be
= afI s,t,nnn. I'm tnn much Of n