The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-08-19
A Singing Heart
BY Nj. McCULLOCH-WlLLIAMS
g Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.

Sc" ET'S throw away all that stuff.
LII hate yellow - the color of
envy" Miss Claytonia Carr said,
nodding at sheaves of sunfiowers
and golden marigolds.
''But Reina said specially she
wanted everything like the old
time" Betsy exclaimed. 81 remem-
Der just how the house looked at
that concert - when the madame
heard her, unknown to her. got
the yellow things on purpose to re-
peat that - and know she'll love to
have it So"
81 know she won't. Rich and
famous and all as she is now, think
she wants to recall how poor she
was then? But nobody can blame
the Cantrills - with so many girls of
their own, always plenty, and plenty
good enough to pass down to Reina.
But it hurt her mother-a proud
piece if ever there was one. She
wore the same black dress from
time her husband was buried until
she was buried herself"
Burnham village was coming to
the climax of it's fairytale-the re-
turn of its ugly duckling who had
gone away twelve years before and
brought the world to her feet. No
body had seen her since-nor even
her picture. Her mother had pinched
herself cruelty to give the girl prop
er lessons-then the music-master
had brought a great diva to hear
his pupil all unawares. She had
listened rapturously and taken Reina
away within two days. Since that
there had been only snippets of
news, though now and again men
ton of the girl had been reprinted
in the local daily. Only of her pro-
fessional success - never anything
/ personal. Two people knew the
reason = DR.. Cantril and the banker
he held in leash, as that gentleman
held in leash the editor.
Henry Deering came himself
along with several nimble young
men. He was the village Aladdin,
given to speaking and seeing things
done right off the reel. "Wish you'd
let me get the florist" he said to
Betsy. "Home flowers don't seem
fine enough for our only celebrity.
By the way, will she fetch along her
husband?"
"She has none to fetch-unless
she's achieved him within the last
week." Betsy answered. "She has
signed Reina May to all the CORE
spondence about coming here"
''Why I heard rather she was to
marry her musicmaster-that was
why he was so keen to secure the
big chance for her." Deering said,
"Heard it from Josephine Cantril,
Ireckon," Betsy said, looking down.
Deering flushed, but after a silent
breath nodded, saying: 'She wrote
me the news-remember was out
on the Coast when Reina went
away"
ct see! Many things!" Betsy in
terrupted. Then with a small laugh:
"She'n get here around four in the
afternoon - if that wretched train
makes connections on the dot"
''H-m! She'll be here anyway"
Deering broke in. "We'n meet her
at the Junction-you and land
fetch her in my car"
They were twenty minutes early.
Betsy all but laughed at behring's
uneasiness. But her heart was full
and soft toward him. He had been
tricked-cheated of his chance for
happiness, however it might be with
Reina. She had long suspected his
love for her-spinster that she was
now she understood. Reina might
have forgotten him wholly - even
then there would be balm in this
new contact after the long blank
! years. She was at his elbow, little
tremulous, with shining eyes. Her
breath came quicker as she saw in
the midst of the half dozen leaving
the Pullman a figure wholly strange
except for the eyes. Reina's eyes
unmistakably-faithful eyes as well.
They frightened at sight of Betsy's
honest ugliness, then rising to the
man beside her closed swiftly, as
from light to bright. Instantly they
opened-she came forward, a crea-
ture of undulant grace, of charm,
or presence, as unlike as possible
to the pale snow-drop parsonage of
twelve years back. She had found
not only fame, and friends, and
wealth, but beauty unbelievable.
What words may tell fifty of the
night-of the crowds of rich sum-
mer folks, eager to hear this can
tatrice of worldwide fame! She
! had come back to her old town, not
in vainglory, but to help it on the
road to beauty-to turn its ragged
common into an orderly park, for
the joyous comforting of age and
youth.
Reina, beautiful as an angel, and
happier than one, sang old and new
songs as she had rarely sung before.
But the music Of her voice hardly
matched the music in her heart,
since Deering had said masterfully:
I.