Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-11-17
Mildred Makes a
Wager
BY H. IRVING KING

Harold Shipway sat on the piano
stool before the piano in Mildred
Browns little parlor. Mildred Brown,
music teacher, sat beside him ON lit
tie, straight chair, watching his fingers
intently. Harold looked scowlngly at
the music opened before him. then
looked hopclessly at his big fingers,
moved them awkwardly over the keys
and struck, or rather attempted To
strike, the opening chord OF the new
piece" teacher had given him to
study a week before.
"Ouch go said Mildred, her face reg
istering a sensation Of actual physical
pain.
Harold took his fingers from the
keys and turned toward Mildred.
Teacher, I'm sorry" he said. Does
1t really hurt you when | make mis-
takes1" He looked intently into the
reprouchful eyes. Pm really sorry"
If you were sorry" said the teach
er ayertiug her eyes, you'd play bet
ter Doesn't It hurt your ears when
you play discordsf"
Not in the least" confessed Har-
old.
Mildred sighed. 4 guess you just
aren't musical" she said
u don't suppose l am Besides my
fingers are big and clumsy"
Il reilly don't see why you take
lessons then, / hate to encourage
you"
Harold again looked little too in
tently into the teachers eyes. "You
haven't encouraged me You haven't
said one encouraging thing about the
way l play yet If you want to know
why ] 20 ON with the music I'll tell
You It's because ! am so darued fond
of the teacher"
How absurd :" Mildred said, with
eyes stiN ayerted, then cautiously
raising them: But you began the
lessons before you had even setn tie
So you mus. have wanted to"
u suppose ii was case of plain
loneliness sighed Harold There's
so little to do here in Stapleton. I've
been here six months and until I start
ed taking music lessons from you. two
months ago, ! had never set foot in
anybody's house. The movies bore
me to extinction. | like golf, but no
one has suggested putting me up for
the country club. never saw such an
exclusive town as Stalpeton-"
"Oh, Stapleton has heart of ice"
Mildred agreed. I've lived and worked
here six years, and I've never been In
any ones house except to give les
sons. The people think I am socially
beneath them because teach music"
And they think | am their social
inferior because"
Because you came here to be- man
ager of the Stapleton Mills without a
social introduction. because YOU are a
poor young man without fortune and
without family name that dates back
TO the Colonial wars Oh, l know
Stapleton. The only time they over
look the fact that a person doesn't
come from one of the first families
Is when he has a million or So"
Harold Shlpway listened intently.
DO you really think they are as mer.
cenary as that? | thought perhaps
they hadn't taken me up because they
hadn't got around to It, I can't be-
lieye money counts for so much"
Harold folded the music on the music
holder before him. you know | don't
care for society or that sort Of thing.
Only having been brought up in a
place where my people knew every
one | got used 10 being made to feel
at home. | tell you it's great having
peoples doors standing open for you,
and knowing you'll be welcome once
In a while for dinner" Mr. Shlpway
sighed. Now, little teacher, I've said
enough about myself I'm no duffer
at music, but I Ike to hear 1t. Be
sides, I'm a little tired"
but aren't You going to try?" said
the teacher very much surprised to
see her hitherto doclle pupil rising de-
Hberately from the plano stool where
he was supposed to sit for another
half hour.
No, I'm going to sit in this COM
Portable chair and get you to play
something with good old-fashloned
tune to it, Won't you please?"
Mildred Brown answered by draw
ing the morris chair nearer the piano
and lowering the back to comfort
able angle Then she lowered the win
dow shades to keep out the later
afternoon sun and sat down ar the
piano. First she played Home, Sweet
Home" and then she played Mendels-
sohn's Spring Song" and then half
dozen old fayorites that all sounded
dimly familiar to Harold Subway
though he couldn't have told you the
names Of their composers and Mildred
didn't trouble him by explain.nc.
When the clock struck 6 to remind
the teacher and pupil that the lesson
was over, Harold rose to 90.
ITS been a little bit of heaven"
he said. II won't bother you to try 10
teach me any more he said. 81 guess
IN roo much Of "a dub"