Show THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE SUNDAY MORNING Short Stories An Exclusive Opportunity For Amateur Writers shepherds abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night” The melody lifted her spirit alone She was “And suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying ‘Glory to ’ " God in the highest and peace There was no peace for her For the first time the words came to her as symbols of meaning There was peace for her only when she sang She could forget then the conflict that had hurt her always “Rejoice oh daughtet of Zion Shout oh daughter of Jerusalem” God was far away even when she sang God was part of the confusion part of thp incompleteness of everything “Behold thy King cometh unto thee” That was the trouble God life reality they were all remote Nothing came to her She had pursued everything She looked at Christine The girl was sitting very near her companion Nearer mused the woman than I am to myself than I am to anything The woman’s eyes traveling over the adience picked here and there an acquaintance a face swimming up out of the group and linking the present with memories When she saw Bill Daynes she wished that she were close enough to see his amazing eyes They were the color of clear beer yellow as a cat’s and more expressive than any eyes that she had ever seen They were balanced in his face by square gleaming teeth visible only when he smiled his infrequent smile He was the only one In the audience who seemed entirely unchanged She wondered if his ideals and ideas if he had were as unchanged achieved the success that she had been so sure must come through his steady sharp intelligence and his tenacity She had never known him well He had been the sort of youth who had built a wall between him- She could not self and others anything that he had said SOPRANO SOLO By HELEN HINCKLEY Ogden There was nothing in the The audience too were sitting down pushing and crowding toward the outer walls to make room for an extra one on each row The people in the center aisle were moving to the middle and men and women were perching on the ends of the benches with their weight resting on their feet propped heavily in the aisles The soloist bowed again and sat down SHe tried to feel happy that the auditorium was crowded for her but she reflected that it would probably have been as filled for her funeral She had sung in many funerals here in choir days and the crowd had much the samd sober morbidly curious respectful atti- thick- wojnan very different from the people who stood to do her deference except that she was famous and it had taken more than five hundred dollars to bring her home to sing the soprano role in The Messiah” The auditorium was filled so were the choir seats bodied d heavy-jawe- filled with well-dress- -- thickly ed per- peacefully satisfied people The chatter and the hum had raveled out as the woman had entered the choir loft The singers had risen and the audience seeing the choir stand had risen also The woman bowed and smiled at the singers then she turned to the audience With the same grimace of acknowledgement She had sung with the choir when she was eleven and in the audience were her family their friends her girlhood acquaintances and Christine her niece who had worshiped her but now probably hated her because cf the morning’s argument but her face showed only the impersonal contortion that is expected from a famous artist It was not that she did not recognize many of the people The two women next the organ on the second row of the alto section for inShe had sat by them her stance first four years in the choir singing alto to save an undeveloped voice d firmly One was a corseted woman who had always She vocalized her consonants seemed to be exactly as she had been twenty years before The other was a scrawny wizenednecked woman whose flat chest seemed almost concave because hen abdomen hung to her spare frame She had worn frizzed so loosely d knot at bangs a many her neck and a visible “invisible” hair net Now her hair cut in a long bob lay in hard waves from the wide center part and was draped back to her ears with two large The regular folds reminded pins the woman of the Nottingham curthat tails and blue ribbon she had admired in her aunt’s neat house on her childhood visits The alto had had huge teeth set in bulging red gums Her Upa had stretched tight to cover them Now as she smiled she disclosed an even white row of teeth that seemed almost miniature in her The thin lips cavernous mouth worked convulsively over them to hold them in place It was natural that the women should stand out in her memory as he had seen them twenty years before The choir had been appearing with the Minneapolis" Symphony She had arrived at the concert-al--mos- t an hour early because she had wanted a seat where she could see the fingers of the artists After all of the loft had filled the banged woman had come and claimed the eat she occupied and she had been upheld in her demands by the corThe girl had had to seted one stand in the lobby with the late comers and had hated the two with all of the intensity that a meek awkward child can feel for an aggressive rude adult While she had stood in the lobby thinking sullenly and darkly of the injustice she had reasoned for herself that one has to hold what one can grab even if at first one hated holders and fumed tude - long-finger- hair-pinne- tie-bac- iron-stain- ed Relax — loosen up — rub out the pain with "Ben-Ga- y" is that scientific and muscle relaxer which athletes swear by Apply it generously and vigorously to the stiff sore muscles Almost immediately your worn muscles will glow with relief and the stiffness will begin to disappear You can depend Its medication peneon “Ben-Gay- ” trates the skin bringing welcome relief to the local pain area RUB RAIN AWAY WITH Baume “Ben-Gay- ” pain-reliev- BAUME Tfca "BEU-GAY- ” only true Baum Analgislque v 4 sheepskin On their backs they had looked up at the stars He had pointed out the constellations and had said: “Each one of these stars is a sun with lots of planets like our world revolving around it” “And when we die” the girl had said “we each get one of those planets to run in our own way” The boy had given a short surprised laugh They had selected stars to be the suns of their future universes and he had talked about the political theories he would try out on his people and mentioned a few basic improvements that he would like to make in the human race “What about yours?” he had asked “Mine?”- She had known that she was going to say the wrong thili’g but she had been drawn irresistibly to the words “If I had a world I’d put you on it — and me I’d be the only girl so you’d notice me once in a while” Again his short surprised leugh He had turned to his side and had ruffled her hair with carelessly caressing fingers “You’re a good egg” he had said “Did you know that?” A feeling of intense gratitude had unatcome over the tractive girl It was the sweetest thing that she had ever heard He had slipped his arm under her head and she had put her cheek against the rough wool of his sweater The smell of wool always brought her a recurrence of the moment’s happiness For a long time they had lain there He had fallen asleep breathing evenly and deeply At first she had been afraid to move for fear' of awakening him then when the fire had died down she had risen and mended it She had stood in its warmth hugging her peace and happiness to her When she had heard the rolling of rocks far up the canyon she had sat down beside him “Les Les” she had said He had awakened like a little child shaking his head'vig-orousl- y He’ had several times - nothing important at least but there had been that perfect afternoon There was his vital vibrant voice that had included her sometimes in its pleasantries Although she had admired him as a homely girl admires an easy confident man he had never “seen” her Christine with her long white hand in the youth’s beside her must have something the woman lacked Criticism Made of Every Story Submitted NOTICE TO WRITERS Attention 1 again directed to all amateur writers submitting manuscripts In The Salt Lake Tribune’s Short Story and Short Short Story contests that manuscripts will not be returned unless stamps to cover postage are inclosed Neither will The Tribune enter Into any correspondence concerning disposal of such manuscripts Criticism is made of each manuscript received and this is returned to the writer along with the manuscript if the story is found not acceptably providing return postage has been sent reached up with both arms and had drawn her down to him His lips had touched her lightly then firmly He was strong and warm and alive and she was not awkward and unlovely She W'as something soft and sweet and desirable Her lips had clung to his In a moment he had withdrawn turning his head She had been flooded with a hot rush" of shame She had known herself to be hungry for affection She had given more than he had wanted Presently she had begun to cry He had convulsively stormily patted her shoulder She had shaken off his hand She had been unable to endure the comradely affection and the pity in his gesture Somehow the night had brought She would never them together lose the closeness the warmth Yet she had known then that Christine was sitting crowded close to the boy Her long white hand was still in his The woman wondered if the girl were feeling the rush of warmth that she had felt as she rested her arm cheek on Les’ I must do something for the girl she thought Clothes perhaps Maybe perfume cosmetics something The choir was rising for the Hallelujah Chorus The woman thought of the angels that Handel had seen as he wrote it Singing it made the angels seem very near — made the concerns of life very remote It was easy to sing "I KnoV That My Redeemer Liveth” too for when one was singing one did not ask one red-neck- wool-sweater- self why a living Redeemer did not do something to save the miserable and wretched from confusion and despair One did not wondetf half aloud why one felt useless wasted and lost Why one searched one’s life and found only bitterness sterility and futility Where was peace? “Since by Man Came Death — ” Christine was beautiful the woman thought as she looked down upon the girl radiant warm and strong Her face was turned to the boy as if asking for affirmation of som opinion just passed between them Her strong chin cut a clear line in the white winter light Who am I to bring death to something as lovely as that? the woman There is nothing I can thought really do for the girl Christine has up in victory” The oratorio was over The woman stood for a moment to make her final recognition of the audience The smile upon her face might have been the grimace that is expected from a famous soloist but it was something more something human something rather sad and something very warm when her glance rested on Christine and the youth whose possessive hand held hers so closely Editor’s note — This good story will serve to teach us some lessons In regard to the proper management of the story elements rather than to point out its bad features for the same purpose Note first the careful management used in bringing out the story of the singer’s life while recounting the (Continued on PagB 8 lx) s - that Her solo again “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the was that gospel of peace” There word again that choking desire to find and know peace On Christine’s face she ‘saw the calmness of content What was there that she could do for the girl? New clothes in perhaps Maybe some lessons or music dancing Suddenly she felt a singing of her panic pulses almost a moment of would She did not know that she feel this way after so many years Lester sat on the fourth row on the left his dainty dollish wife beside him She wondered if he were still the spontaneous moody altogether had unpredictable person that he wonbeen in his college days She dered if he still had that way of widening his eyes the sensitive quivering of the lower lip They had gone a group of young people to a favorite clearing in the canyon for a steak fry and a moonlight hike The clearing was off a mountain practically impassable road so they were seldom disturbed After the food had been eaten the crowd had set off by twos up the mpuntain trail Les had had a basketball injury so he couldn’t make the climb The two of them had stayed by the fire One of the boys had taken off his sheepskin coat and had thrown it to them “Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his sheepskin for his friend to woo his woman on” The crowd had laughed at Les’ remark No wonder Every one in the group had known that no overone “wooed” the awkward grown girl who was included in the outings because she could sing and because her caustic tongue "yvON’T let a cold linger” warn modern U physicians They recommend: 1 Rid your system of wastes 2 Combat the acidity that encourages a cold And Sal Ilepatica does both First Sal ITepatiea cleanses the intestinal tract— quickly thoroughly gently Second Sal Hcpatica does what no ordinary laxative can do — Sal Ilepatica ) brings about a definite alkaline reaction to help your system return to its normal alkaline reserve if your cold is too severe) watch your diet drink plenty of liquids That is the modem way Get Sal Hepatica today call a physician !5 (anti-acid- action is d important Sal Hepatica’s in routing a cold For ordinary laxatives are not designed to combat acidity So whenever a cold threatens take two teaspoons of Sal Ilepatica in a glass of water In addition get plenty of rest (go to bed and ' 7 THEMINERAt ComhirnstW1 :rtw wc - j j SAIT IAXATIVI fflirvesceiit anti-aci- I ' v - Unlike ordinary laxatives When you realize that cold germs seldom take hold in an alkaline system you see how fur- nished entertainment They had lain down on a blanket from the car their feet to the fire their heads pillowed on the folded I I1’ - THAT ALSO £ tAXArtV£ tf CATHARTIC COMBATS - y ' : ACIDITY’ y v -- k A TUNE IN: Fred Allen VTown Hall Tonight” Every Nation-Wid- e Network Wednesday Night over NBC 1 I ’ — everything “Death is swallowed some personal quality — She and Bill had gone on a picnia one afternoon just the two of them How or why it had been planned She did she could not remember remember however that her eye had caught the spring beauty as the ear catches music Beauty was a fine tenuous thread by which she was lifted to an unearthly buoyancy They had stopped the car beside a mountain stream and eaten and talked She tried to push back the years and remember what had been said that made that day in the spring sunshine come back to her whenever she longed for happiness — or peace “All we like sheep have gone astray” the choir sang She believed it When had she taken the fork that “turned every one to his own way?” Her mind refused to follow the progress of the music If she could answer that she coWld guide Christine She was confused When troubled by her memories she arose to sing it would be different She could press all of this perplexity away She could forget et grabbers It was not that she did not recognize many of the faces She did not know whether she was afraid of them or whether she loathed them At least they seemed as remote as unimportant as any other audience The choir was being seated now ‘ Clear winter light from the great windows fell across thefaces of the audience making them look like white petals against a Here and there the background face of an acquaintance emerged whole and distinct- from the clustered white blanks before her Christine was on the third row The girl was not pretty she thought She looking at her impersonally was a colorless blond with a rather long and deeply cleft chin and a figure more thin than slender The woman saw that one of the girl’s hands rested on the knee of her companion The youth was ordinary with cheeks too wide for his forehead and a collar too tight for his thick ruddy neck I must she thought take Christine back east with me whether she likes it or not She can’t waste herself on that common fellow The organ prelude sank to a close Max was still at the console after all these years He brought in the seventh of the dominant chord after he had played the chord and changed the stops for the final tonic just as he had done when she first came into the choir as a child alto The chairman rose to introduce the program of the day and to thank the sponsors in behalf of the choir The woman saw only his well tailored back but out of the past she reconstructed his face — a high broad forehead under crisp upturning blond hair close-sgray eyes a prominently bridged nose —her memory stopped at his mouth Perhaps she had never noticed it She hadn’t known John well since their school days at the academy She thought irrelevantly of the questionnaire that she had recently completed for “Who’s Who” Why had that come into her mind at this moment? “When did your career begin?” Now she understood why she had thought of it Her career had begun' when John importuned by the Big Sisters’ date committee had refused to take an awkward ordinary freshman to the ball He had said that he would be out of town that night but later the girl had heard that he was at the dance She had known herself to be a failure then Boys didn’t like her She would never have a chance for one of the two Recent social clubs She had joined the glee club She had pretended that it was actually her choice and had set out to get the solo roles so that she could say “Of course I was rushed Zeta but having so much to do with the music department I felt that I should be loyal enough to join the glee club and I really have time for just one” Lying comes naturally to one who is a failure and is still proud the woman mused She had always lied even to herself but it was becoming increasingly difficult to make herself believe her pretenses Her eyes were still on the careback John was fully turned-ou- t talking about her now He was proud he said to have been her friend in the old academy days The woman felt her upper lip thickening and the flesh on her chin twitching and drawing up as her lower lip She curled She must not sneer smiled The audience clapped The sound was empty and dutiful As the tenor began “Comfort Ye Comfort Ye My People” her eyes traveled again to Christine Had she ever been hurt? The girl was almost pretty whep she smiled Her heavy chin lifted seemed to bring her face into better proportions I must do something for the child fthe woman thought she ought to smile more Some nice clothes perhaps Some time at college Something The choir was singing now She watched the conductor as he brought the parts into perfect fusion His every movement was familiar There was the same turned-ou- t little finger the same pulse in the under chin that hung through the opening of his collar He was a great teacher How Ead to be a teacher the woman thought A teacher is one who knows everything but can do nothing If he could he would not teach She wondered if he were jealous of the voices that he had started to fame or if he were reconciled to his unchanging position Her time to sing The audience receded just as if she were facing the blaze of footlights “There were vari-color- heavy-breaste- FEBRUARY 23 1938 |