Evening star., 1926-11-29
CHAPTER XIV.
Sonya's Recital.

Mark and Helena arrived at the
hall 10 minutes before the recital was
scheduled. Some Of the people Helena
had met the afternoon Of Marks tea
were in the lobby waiting for them
and, as the seats were not reserved,
they all trooped in together.
The small hall was about three
quarters filled. It was an exquisite
little place. The walls were covered
with large pieces Of tapestry and the
small stage had only q concert grand
piano on it.
Helena wondered what It would be
like to appear in public. to come out
on that stage and bow before an au
dience composed, Of course, Of a few
| friends, but for the most part critical
strangers. Sonya had said lightly,
Come early, so that you can get seats
up front. / want few friendly faces
about me when sit down to play"
And they did go up front. And 1t
was exciting to wait for Sonya to ap'
pear. She loved the whole atmos
phere Of it.
At last there was hush as Sonya
came out from side entrance and
mounted the two steps to the stage
Then they all burst into wild applause
and she bowed several times.
She was dressed in red, a lovely
flowing chiffon thing, and she wore
red brocaded sandals. Her hair was
bobbed and was very loose and wi.d
She had high cheek bones proclaim1ng
her Slavic ancestry and her eyes were
curious and subtle.
Helena thought she played brilliant
| ly and there was plenty of applause
| all over the small hall. But Mark dis
agreed with her.
| "She's nervous, Of course. She
| played that thing far better in the
| studio that afternoon. For all that,
she's above the average. Sheli get
| there. I'm glad I'm not a musician
however; it's the hardest row in the
world to hoe
After the recital they had a party
at Sonya's studio and every one was
sonya herself was dissatisfied with
the way she had played
Look" she would say. "Th1s fs
the way I should have played it." And
she would illustrate with a few bars.
And that terrible octave thing.
slurred it. OF course 1 was nervous
but that's no excuse. 1t makes me
furious to think of it."
Helena reached home about
| o'clock, and, instead Of going into her
own room, she undressed in the guest
room and decided to sleep there.
What was the use Of disturbing John
She had peeped in to find him sound
asleep. She would tell him all about
! it at breakfast in the morning.
But she did not wake up for break
fast She slept until IL o'clock and
Minnie brought her breakfast to her
on a tray. She found herself not
thinking so much of the fact that she
| had not breakfasted with John as She
was thinking of the morning paper.
She wanted to see what the critic OF
! The Star had to say Of Sonya. II
would be exciting.
The critic gave faint praise, but FOL
all that there was something to be
said for the parag graph he wrote.
miss Marinoff played brilliantly al
times, but was faulty in technique
She needs study and application
There are too many young people
emerging from obscurity with the idea
that they are finished artistes In these
days Of few geniuses. Miss Marinof
! has talent, but not enough to justify
her in making debut"
Helena put down the paper and
sighed. She wondered how Sonys
would feel as she read those lines
How discouraging after weeks OF prac