an incredible phenomenon, his dependence upon her for every need of his little being the most heavenly experience she had ever had. He slept a proper an

ring with considerable pain the sight of him in the arms

could not have him always; that the small imitations of mannish clothes which he wore would be presently exchanged for full-grown originals which he

pboard assigned to him; he would stamp and scream like other naughty little boys. He might, alas, take pennies from her pocketbook. Then there would be the fondness for tobacco and playing-cards on whose account he would have to be struggled with and possibly whipped. She

o be the most biddable little child that ever lived, satisfied with what he had, requiring no other companionship than that of his father and mother and 'Manda, playing a great deal by himself, and never screaming or s

nd, and a great old straw hat of his father's on his head. As he sat and fished, 'Manda could watch him from the kitchen window and his mother could gloat over him from a w

mn cast. He was particularly fond of the lengthy liturgical service of the church, and prayed the Lord a hundred times in a morning to have mercy upon

the lowest step, hands on knees, eyes gazing upon the meadow with its shadowy trees and its myriad fireflies or looking up at the

ichard made a long pause after each line of "I was a wandering sheep," and 'Manda's rich contralto inserted an eerie, tender

eginning, her rich voice furnishing a background for the child's soprano with its piercing sweetness. In her performance was all the savagery of deepest Africa and besides al

with shining eyes. "There are a hundred thrilling suggestions

ly what she meant, but she smiled also and obeyed willingly the command f

decorous congregation and a tuneful choir. His performance, while it shocked his mother, yet gave her hope that he might incline toward the ministry. Her father, for whom he was named,

proarious, who always remembered to wipe his shoes on the mat, and who never carried toads or mice in his pockets, might be too amiable and good. He wished for a little temper, a little disobe

o to other duties, and that he often called to his mother to listen to little melodies which he invented or to certain resolutions of chords which pleased him, and which were to her ear like any other musical sounds, he gave no disturbing sign of special interest in music. Sometimes

e could never hear again? He never heard his greatest works

which harmonious sound can give to the ear of the musician. Thus had Basil called upon her for sympathy in

dexed; he cut clippings from newspapers and filed them away; he divided

cales which roused no alarm in his mother's breast, and which his father regarded fearfully as the indication of a rather feeble intellect seeking exercise which involved no mental or physical effort. Richard called out no more with tears, "Oh, mother, did you know that Handel was blind?" cried out no more, "Oh, mother, listen!" in ecstasy over some sound which he h

ily discussion of this matter. Mrs. Lister had not quite given up her hopes that he might become a preacher. Of the other profe

room where it would disturb no one and where he could look upon it when he woke and practice upon it when he was supposed to be in bed. He knew that his mother was not fond of music, but his mother would let him have his way, had always let him have his way. He did not realize that thus far his way had been hers. In the fall he would go to study with Faversh

her labors. Faversham had been a fellow pupil in the three happy years away from Waltonville; to send Richard Lister to him with supple, well-trained fingers and with fine taste, to have Richard say to him that he was a pupil of Thomasina Davis, was a reward she had promised herself since Richard had sat beside

talking with his mother's guests, then he went out to the kitchen, meaning to escape across the campus to the chapel and play. That was what he wanted and needed, the touch of the sm

a few minutes, and he did not wish an audience. If he could find some one to play duets with him, he would have the volume of sound for w

im with a warm and beaming glance which expr

o git ou

, I'se goin'

hed the Scotts' porch. Then he stopped short. There in white splendor sat the stra

n hour listening

t into another and an alien channel. He said to himself that he would play, that he would perish if he did not play. He considered going to Thomasina's, ev

friendly. There was, he believed, something queer about her and her mouselike little mother. H

ered suddenly and happily, a volume of music belonging to Eleanor Bent, which he had carried away by accident from Thom

he crossed the campus again, he saw Utterly rising from his chair. But the die was cast; it was with Eleanor Bent that he wished to play and not with Cora Scott. He kept on

had come to return a book of Eleanor's, and she invited him into the parlor, saying that Eleanor would appear in a few minutes

ung in his father's study; there were pretty curtains, there was-Richard stopped short in the doorway, the bright color in his fair cheeks fading rapidly away and then as suddenly returning. Here before him in the parlor of this little gray house, unknown of him, was a

Bent!" cr

r frightened way at hi

she. "It is hers. It came whi

hough it hadn'

en she saw it"-was that right, or was it "se

surprise

es

sh some one would s

aloud as he remembered-an upright piano of a poor make, covered with a velvet cover laden with vases and photographs. Thus was the

ent and friendliness. She still wore her beautiful embroidered dress, full in the s

ned, indeed, until long afterward when together, as is the custom of those in like case, the

said Eleanor. "When I sa

homasina kno

or weeks and I knew nothing. It doesn't seem as though

rned pale

lay either. I'm not sure t

if I touch it it will disappear, and I can't possibly wait till Miss Thomasina co

ildren follow the elephant, and some one else might have salu

commanded Ele

to Richard. Eleanor was older than he; she had stood ahead of him in school; she had scarcely spoken to him a dozen times; but she became in that moment a creature to be admired, to be cherished. Life changed for him, boyhoo

is going to b

e looked into her eager face, then he let his hands fall upon the keys. He shut his eyes to keep back starting tears. He remembered that some one had said that life

nces allowed by Thomasina. There were others, forbidden except under her own direction and in careful, studious sections. Th

you pla

can

u play w

s nothin

cond volume of Be

y," promis

ed; sometimes Richard laughed aloud from sheer pleasure, sometimes he sang an air, sometimes he stopped to give directions. At that Eleanor laughed a little

thing but pleasure. Eleanor was so young, so pretty. There was no mother in Waltonville

fe and Eleanor's-they had begun to seem now not wise, but insane. They were wicked, because they were made in one of the rages into which she had fallen, like her fathe

atic across her heart, and stared after him, as though the sight of him had for an instant illuminated

ountry and passed the fourth time. He thought that Eleanor was playing, and h

shed, and the two young people looked at each other, startled and a little bewildered, trying to hide their confusion. El