The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-01-14
SHORT
SHORT
STORY

when the general public knew just
as much about Phil's fiddling as
they did about the radio. So, you
see, it well deserves its titling, can
Gent History"
Phil had been engaged to play at
a moving picture performance.
Even the movies weren't what they
are now-and there's another argu-
ment in favor of my title! 1t was a
great honor for him to have been
chosen, and only through his teach
er, Josef Stransky, could it have
happened
But Phil arose the day of the
show, deathly sick with stage fright.
AS the morning wore on, he grew
worse. By the time he left for the
theater he was almost PROSTATE
with nervousness. 81 feel" he re-
marked, as he left the house, like
a man on his way to the gallows!"
And, my word-he looked it.
I had decided I couldn't bear to
go and see him fail. Yet, as the
time drew near, found I couldn't
keep away. So pinned on my hat
it was in the days of hat-pins, more
ancient history-and ran for a troll
ley car.
The darkened theater was a-buzz
with human voices as l stumbled to
a seat high in the balcony. The big
ness of the place and the size of the
audience almost frightened me.
When the orchestra had played its
little interlude and Phil appeared, l
gave a smothered ooh" No amount
Of makeup could hide the fright
ened look in his eyes nor conceal,
from me, at least, the trembling of
his mouth.
For one brief, awful minute I
stared at him. If 1 could only do
something to help him-to give him
courage. If I could only cry out to
him to forget himself. To remem-
Der, if he failed, how he would dis
appoint Stransky; good, old Stran-
sky, who, l knew, had almost come
to blows with the manager of the
theater in order to get him this
chance to play! But l couldn't! I
could only sit there and see him
fail!
l twisted and wrung my hands in
agony. l clasped and unclasped
them, nervously, quite unaware
that struck them together in so
doing and that the sound took on the
semblance of faint applause. Faint
it must have been, but it was enough
to start more about me. You know
how one or two hand claps will
sometimes start a storm of noise?
Unconsciously, l instigated some
thing.
The second balcony caught the
contagion. The noise grew. By the
time the floor took it up, the second
balcony was a near riot of stamp
ing feet.
Phil stood, dazed. He tried once
or twice to begin to play, but it was
no use. He had to wait for order
to be restored.
When, at last, quiet reigned and
l dared glance at him, saw he had
mastered his fear. In that brief in
terval, he had pulled himself up by
his bootstraps, to use a homely
expression.
l think have never, to this day,
heard him play better. There was
no need for me to worry about
whether he would receive an en-
core. Mine was the only pair Of
hands that did not call for one. Not
only one, but two and three!
Before the performance was over
I slipped out and sped for home.
did not mean that Phil should ever
know l had been to hear him, or
that l have ever seen him so near
to piteous failure.
When he came in, close on my
heels, l sat knitting placidly by the
window. Women used to knit, you
know, in ancient history days.
He put down his violin and came
to stand beside me.
Joy" he said, 81 almost failed.
l was so scared that could hardly
raise my violin to my shoulder, and
just then somebody began to clap.
In a moment the house was in an
uproar, and some kid in the Sec
ond balcony started a near riot,
stamping. By the time the ushers
had quoted things I had found my
self. 1 was bound to win the next
applause, and / did,"
I bent over my knitting. l did not
dare look at him. CT thought
you'd get BY" l murmured, family.
eff knew who started the ap-
plause, I'd go down on my knees
before Them" ne went on, fervently.
ut certainly saved my reputa-
ton"
"Since you don't know" l replied,
would you mind going down on
your knees before me and picking
up my ball of yarn? There it goes,
rolling under the piano!"
If Phil reads this story, for the
first time he'll know who started the
applause that saved the day for
him. But he won't read it. The
title ancient History" will scare
him away. He isn't a student of