The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-04-19
Her Musical
Career {.
By LAURA MONTGOMERY

that her daughter had shade more
chin than was required Of girl. Ruth
Was firm. very firm, and when she
oi.ce hud an idea intrenched under her
sleek black hair it was a difficult mat
ter to dislodge It. ~ ''H9 "1'
or two years Wallace had called
upon Ruth three times a week. We'd
hesdnys, Saturdays and Sundays, and
the engagement ewps an Lpplied affair,
although not yet announced. There
fore, when Ruth happened to be down
town with her brother on Monday.
night and saw Wallace carrying the
travelling bag Of remarkably pretty
girl, stranger in the village, she felt
that she was justly angered. Ruth was
the village pianist, and had long
wished to 60 to the city to do con-
cert work, but had hated to leave Full
ton on account Of Wallace. -~~-
Tile following Saturday night Wal
lace presented himself with the cue
tOmary half pound box Of caramels, to
learn that Ruth had gone to Chicago
to b. gin musical career. Mrs. Black
firailv gave him the address Of Ruth's
boarding house, but told him frankly
that she thought It useless for him t.
go to zee her. Ruth is queer and Stub
BORN" she snid, thoughtfully. Il don't
know why she's angry with you, but
she Is"
Wallace, who knew OF Ruth's ten
dency to Jealousy, was pretty sure
ia, Ruth lad heard Of the strangers
visit to his home, but there was no use
talking about the affair. Della had
been guest Of his mothers and he
had been obliged to be courteous to
her. That she had taken an odd fancy
to lin and had persisted In hanging
onto his arm when In the village
streets had embarrassed him, but he
had not liked to shake her Off and
nothing less crude would have suf-
feed.
So, after a sleepless night, Wallace
went to the city, but when he caEed
at the boarding house and asked for
Miss Elack, Ruth, who had seen him
from her window, most unwisely sent
down the message that she was en-
gagged. She had no sooner done this
cruel thing than she regretted 1t, and
SHE flattened her long nose against the
window pane, watching him stalk
down the street. '9.o '19'
-'Doh't you find 1t thrilling to be In
this beautiful city, where one Is near
tie great art centers and-every-
illng?" asked fluffy-halred girl who
was visiting her aunt ut the boarding
house. -
NO" said Ruth shortly. II don't.
Tie city is quite different than l
imagined. When l played at home in
fulton, the paper would write up
nice account of 1t. and supposed I'd
be able to get into concert work with
OUT a bit of trouble"
"Concert workY breathed the other,
looking ut the rather sad dark face
under the cleaning black hair "How
perfectly MISUNDERSTANDING"
"But." went on Ruth bleakly, II
found that the very best 1 could do
with my music was" She hesitated {;
the sight of Wallace had redoubled
her Inconsistencies. II she had only
had some wonderful triumph to men,
flor, she would have gone back glad
~ TO the cheerful village where the
faces were familiar and-here lay the
gist of the ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
"Yes." prodded the other, ''you got
your chance to show your genius?"
mot exactly. hunted around and
obtaiDed interviews and presented let
tiers of Introduction and pulled every
string. and"-a mirthless little laugh
esta;ed her as she thought of the
ours Of practice she had put in study.
ing the old masters of real music-"l
was finally lucky enough to get place
In department store to play the
popular music at the music counter"
oh" said little Daphne blankly,
don't you late 1t when you love
Mozart and all?"
"yes. l do. but 1t pays my board"
Dnphre twisted pearl ring about
on her engagement finger. "YOu
know, I'm from Forest Center. tiny
little town. and I am a reader. I'm
invited to give readings all up and
down the line at the other towns, and
! thought that perhaps Id spend the
winter with auntie and get engage
ments here. Roscoe. though"
"Take 1t from me-" burst out Ruth
cling the little pearl ring longingly
"stay at home and get married. r.
TO her own amazement, size found her
eyes wet with tears-"wish ! had"
Ualhce went away In white rage
1t was an unheard-of thing for friend
to send down word that she was en-
gngrd.
The words Of an Old-fashioned sone
thai Ruth sang when sne felt espe
81. Hy friendly rang through his m!nc
ms he trudged through the rain: 81
S,,inse she never sings thai any
c,oye he reflected.
He had list CT commissions from
t,is sh ~ and he drearily set about
his shopping.
The early dusk Of late fal, da!
mad set ir rs he turned In at the sta
t,nn for his train west when he stoppet