Show THE EVENING EVENING COMPENSATION STORY STORY II Copyright ht 1912 by W W. Werner rad le French stood before before the tho gayest shop window In the town gazing g hun hun- Jt It wa however not at the new ana array of womans woman's para that nho was Voas gazing though she was still young enough to bo be tempted by these but at a a. poster cleverly fastened upon the tho huge sheet of plate glass announcing an an- the appearance that evening of ofa ofa a popular pianist The bill showed the picture of a clover clever woman of middle age ge who wore a modish gown And wo we studied together at the tho same conservatory thought Madelo 1 We were equally talent talented d they said now she ho Is famous And I I- I She Sho turned away with witha a a. biting throb In h her r throat throat UI I cant can't even afford to go to hear her she end ended carrying the parcels which she had picked up during during- her trip downtown a a for Tom and oilcloth for or N She turned away with a biting throb in her throat the tho kitchen table table hurried hurried home Home for tor Madele was the large shabby house to which twenty years before she had gone one an expectant bride She Sho had loved Tom French so much that she had been boen willing to throw away awny her career for him She loved him yet though she had long lont since discovered ered she had made a great mistake put the In the refrigerator ator the socks where Tom could find them and the oilcloth on the table Then she sho took of or her shabby coat and hat and went to rest for a few moments before sho In to get supper The chair In which she sat Mt when she reached home needed gluing It was like everything else In the room Never during her long long- struggle of married life UCe had Madele l felt so discouraged as at that moment Tom was not exactly thriftless but ho had no knack of earning or saving The three older boys bos were ere Just like him They were all an working now and they lived at home O Of course there was Voas Paul the youngest but at nine no boy reveals what he wilt will ba be at nineteen Madele l believed that Paul would be just like his father Cather and brothers Before their marriage Tom had tol tolerated rat d her music afterward he brutally disclaimed it He hated the sound of the piano and she soon forbore to touch the Instrument when he was In the house Then four children came and nhe he had no notime notime time to play Latterly she had no In In- In What could she do with those thole stiffened work fork w worn rn fingers 7 The children children it hated ted music J Just rt as their father did f all save Paul He had he herd beard rd any and so 50 he did not express himself about it ft But Bul he showed no curiosity about the tho rosewood box In the par parlor or As for herself she too had almost al almost al- al most lost interest In it St Now today the tM theod od old flared Up again ag under Ill ashes It If I could hear her pia play she he thought How tIow can I let her hor come to hero here to this town without hearing Id I'd be ashamed for her to see me but I want to see her I want to learn what she has done dona with the chance I fooled away A sob caught in her hel- throat At that moment a a. little boy with schoolbooks Under under un Un- der his arm entered Mother U Iother he began Sho went to him took his cap p off and smoothed back his thick dark hair What made you ou run so Youre You're all au 0 of breath she said T 1 raced with Ted Bowne Mother got something you rou cnn can have He turn oled I d In his pockets and took out tW soiled bits of oC pasteboard They were tickets for or the recital that evening Where did you OU get these Paul she he demanded Her breath came quickly She was pale pal with surprise Ted gave them to me He got them for selling tickets ticket He didn't want them or an any of his folks I didn't want them either but I thought tho maybe mabe you would I do she he heald Thank you dear She bent and kissed ed him Sho was almost happy as she prepared supper She thought of a dozen things what she should wear whether she he should go co In a hat or not what Tom would sa sah say h when n he knew nho Aho was a going The men came tra tramping In to supper They had their own affairs to talk about and they scarce scarcely noticed her She minced with her fork and was wall silent The clock hanes hands swung around steadily I It was Wall nearing 7 and aha must speak She moistened mois mols- he her lips Tom nho ho began Ho dl did not hear her She waited an Instant and started In again Tom 1 I am going g out this evening The faces opposite lifted and stared at her Such on an announcement from her was startling Where jou OU asked her husband To uTo a recital Id I'd like some somo one of you to go with me me- me Joe looked at Horr Harry a 0 re recitAl recital re- re cital Music aint It He shrugged his shoulders You can count me out on that How much will it cot cost 1 asked her husband dubiously Nothing The tickets were wera given alven to toPa Pa l. l Then take Paul He dismissed tho subject appealed to Paul Will you go with mother son Ho answered carelessly Td rd Juat JURt aa lIe cs They walked hand In hand to the hall Already It was wan filling mUng steadily An usher conducted them to seats Upon the platform plat plat- form onn there was a beautiful grand piano which the pianist had brought with her Somebody y had placed a great sheaf of carnations upon It To Madole the flowers flowers flow flow- ers were significant of or the pianists pianist's tri tri- And I have uve not oven even succeeded ded In making ma ma- king Tom happy she thought Yet I have ha tried God knows how hard Suddenly silence fell a hand pushed back a curtain at th the back of lot the platform platform plat plat- form and a D. woman walked out alone She was waa taU tall and slender Her black hair was faintly powdered with white aa M with snow Her face ace waa rolsy rolay and calm She bowed bO and aneS walked to the pleano A moment she walled waited with her hands resting In her lap then she lifted them and struck an opening chord She was playing p a Beethoven sonata and a 8 mind went far back to the time when she had played the same samo thing herself though not as this woman played it There was finish In her execution execution exe exe- cution and a mastery of technique that was absolutely amazing More things than the music spoke to Madele that night She was lifted exalted d. She lost track of time Then suddenly painfully painful he he realized that It was over and Paul was tugging at al her arm She had forgotten forgotten forgot forgot- ten him The paused to together ther Into the streets It was raining raining- a n. and there was a a. stinging wind She drew up the collar of ot Pauls Paul's coat and of her own and hurried home with him The house was was still but the gas was burning In the hall She unlocked unlocked un un- locked the door with a latch key You had better belter go tight right to bed and get warm dear she said ald Good night She kissed him tenderly and went to her own room Tom was not there Then she remembered remembered I that it W lodge night Ho had probably stayed to play cars as ho often otten did She sat down before the glass and began to take down her hair All the exhilaration ex ex- had left her and she felt spent beaten benten Slowly her head drooped forward and found her hands She Sha lay Jay tilted forward for for- ware ward against the tho bureau a motionless weary thing too sad even to tp weep too Just see I have fingers like hers hopeless even to pray for the strength th she needed Then softly through the house rang a. a familiar melo melody the y-the the Sw Swan n Song from Lohengrin just aa sh she had heart heard it hardly an hour before She sprang up and ran downstairs The parlor door stood tood wide open She crept close to that door and peered within The plano piano was waa open and before It sat Paul with his hands upon the keys She was not aware that she ene had made madea a sound but he turned and saw her herat at the thedoor door He ran to her and clasped her about the waist His face faco in tho dim Ugh light was WM transformed Mother Iother he said thickly passionately passionate Its all here In m my heart her heart her music But I cant can't get it right by I want ant to learn leam how I can for tor Just se seI see I have fingers like hers He held up his long thin hand Madel Madele Ma Ma- dele del clasped It You shall learn she said arid and he ears rolled down her herche che cheeks ks and wet th the boys boy's upturned face face- Lee Nothing shall keep you from learning Sho thought of Tom and went on fiercely Tomorrow you shall begin I will wUl teach you vou all I know and then you shall have God will help me me to provide them somehow You have genius genius genius You will be famous Sho drew him close In that moment Madele's child was wa born to her anew and her heart was waa that 01 of ofa a Joyous young mo mother her Dear Lord I thank th thee e for tor this compensation I she cried |