The Ely miner., 1924-10-17
They Needed a
Violinist
By H. LOUIS RAYBoLD
(Copyrlght.l

Visa WHITCOMB looked up from
- her letter file to where her young
assistant at Haven House, Sally Pres
ton. sat correcting the morning errors
of the basketry class Sarah. what
ever has happened to that violinist-
/ the one who played for the Christmas
entertainment? Derry Holton,' have
him listed"
Il don't know" said Sally quickly.
"And it's very funny. wanted him
for the Girls club social last Tuesday.
He gave us his addresses Hurlburt
street. So sent a letter asking If
he would play, but never heard from
him. Not word Such a good
looker!''
Elsa smiled. She could afford to,
having made up her young mind that
settlement work was to be the end and
aim of her existence, career from
which no mere man should ever
wheedle her. Flyaway Sarah. with
her eyes always wide open for mascu-
line possibilities, amused her greatly.
But Haven House sadly needed a
violinist for its Newsboys' orchestra,
just forming. Young Holton. as Elsa
remembered him, mad looked like a
chap to whom an occasional dollar
would not be unwelcome.
She recalled suddenly that she had
an errand that very afternoon a block
or two from Hurlburt street. 1t would
only hn a or nf bn 70
the young man up.
She found the house without trouble,
a large. old-fashioned dwelling built
originally in cheap fuel days to shelter
one family, but long since converted
to house at least three. She pressed
the bell which had "Holton," written
beneath and waited.
Almost at once the door opened and
an old woman peered out. I'm Mrs
Holton.'" she said hurriedly. "What do
you want 2"
"Does Mr.. Holton, the violinist, live
here?''
The old lady shook her head. Hes
! Dead" she said.
.'Oh, I'm sorry" said Elsa softly,
for she glimpsed very real grief in
the faded eyes. Turning away. she
ran over in her mind various possi-
bilities for the position but each in
, turn was blotted out by the persistent
ly recurring vision of young Holton.
'Your young violinist" she told
Sarah at supper. ''is dead"
Wy
tomobile, of course. And playing only
this afternoon"
Elsa stared at her dumbfounded.
playing? Where"
"At the Strand. Saw him myself.
Handsomer than ever. Oh, I'm sure J"
"Well." said Elsa shortly San hour
ago his own grandmother told me he
was dead. She ought to know
She related an account of the inter-
view and when she had finished Sally
sprang to her feet. "I'm going around
myself" she declared. then laughed as
Elsa arose quickly. Coming along?
Didn't suppose you ever chased a
man." she said, especially a dead
, one I"
Half an hour later they turned away
from % Hurlburt street in confused
dismay.
"Oh, yes" the same old woman had
said as firmly as before. Hes dead,
poor boy"
But" said Elsa, my friend here
saw him this very afternoon"
"How could she," asked the old
woman simply, when he's dead?"
, And there was no answer to that.
The matter dropped temporarily,
, submerged in other things. Then Sally
reported to Elsa that child in the
basketry class who had been absent
for several lessons hailed from the
same house as the mysterious Derry
,, Holton and she felt impelled to look
her up.
On the third floor a board of health
quarantine sign prevented more than
the most casual of inquiries for the
, descended the stairs Elsa paused i'm
pulsively at the Holton door. Then she
knocked
A younger woman tSan the other
Mrs. Holton responded, and tile old
lady was not visible.
81 wonder" began Elsa persuasively.
. "if you can tell me anything about a
young violinist, Derry Holton?"
"Yes, indeed" said the woman brisk
ly. Hes my son. Playing now in the
orchestra at the Strand. But he won't
! stay there. He'll"
"We heard he was dead'' broke in
Sarah.
"Oh. shucks ~ said the woman impa-
tiently. "My poor old mother-in-law
She lost a son years ago. the one for
| whom my lad is named. He was a
great player and they do say he'd have
! been famous if he had lived. Her
other sonny husband-gaye our
Derry his violin and she has always
been very jealous. can't always be
home and she sits and sits by the door
and when anyone asks for him she
says he's dead. It's her son she means
she isn't just right, you know. poor
thing But now what shall I ask
Derry?"
Hell find out himself" said a
pleasant voice. Elsa turned to see n
young man at the outer door. Sarah
was right about his looks.
"We-I-won't you help us out with
our orchestra for the newsboys?"
Sarah stood watching her and listen
inc soleofl1iIv IN bar holtin0 pynloua-
tion. Elsa. the poised. to be embar-