MONA'S HAPPINESS

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

MONA'S HAPPINESS

You walked down a lane to get to it. Then you saw the bush and. followed a winding stone path until ycu came ta an old three-storeyed brick house. In it lived Mora with her elder sister and parents. Every Sunday the small family walked briskly up to the old church on the hill. It wasn't a. big church, and the wooden building held few people. -Nearly everyone passed it by with a first glance at its shabiiiness. but the few people who went there were punctual and regular. By the time Mona was seven she had developed a very clear, sweet voice. The church people marvelled at it. and they constantly asked her to sing to them, so it was not long before Mona was singing at every Sunday morning service. Mona never missed a Sunday, therefore she soon began to be taTcen for granted. The young minister who preached there was not very interesting to listen to, but no doubt he did his best. Mona's Sunday dresses were simply made from soft cotton material, of pale colouring such as blue. pink, lemon and white; up to the age of twelve she wore tennis socks to go with them. When Mona was twelve years old, a stranger with rather a hopeless expression on his face, came to the Sunday morning service. His name was Hugh Bradford. He was a young man and a well known singing teacher, but apart from that, he could do almost everything well. Lately he had come to the conclusion that he had no really promising pupils amongst the many people he taught; and that was the reason for his present mood. This certain Sunday morning he had got up early and gone for a long walk. At length, having come to the church, he had gone in to rest but had stayed to the service. After the minister had announced the first hymn, the congregation of four stood up to sing, while the stranger yawned and kept his seat. Hugh partlv listened to the singing, and the sermon he treated in the same manner. When the preacher announced Mona's song lie did not hear him. Then she was in the pulpit and she was wearing one of her simple, blue dresses, the light was shining on her brown hair, an dslic looked lovelv. She began to sing, her voice echoing loud and clear in the building. The sound was sweet and rich, and as she sang a light came to her pretty face. After she had sang' the first two lines of her song, a great change came over the man's face: he looked up and listened with eager eyes. His lips moved as if to correct and advise her. rnd his whole being was alert. He took in every note and missed none of the beauty of her voice.

By MOLLY QUEDLEY. 7, Vincent Place.

[ As soon as the service was finished, Mr. Bradford lost no time in reaching Mona's side. The dull former expression had gone from him, and. he was a | changed man —his attitude was that of | eagerness and expectation. Soon he wa-s i talking freely to the young girl and her \ parents. He offered Mona a five-years' i free voice training course. Hugh j praised her voice heartily, and told her I she would be a great singer one day, | at the same time he urged her to accept his offer. Of course Mona did, and no one accepted more willingly. The five years led into eight years, and they were busy ones for Mona. She lived with Mr. Bradford, and she changed her name to Luese Fordner. Pay after day and hour lipon hour she would stand and sing to him. He taught her so well that it was not long before she began to make public appearances. Luese loved singing to people, and those who listened could not help admiring her. for she left them breathless with excitement. Once they heard her they would always clamour for more. She loved swimming, too, and she gloried in the freedom the open-air gave her. When she could. Luese would pro to tlie seaside. She liked to swim until her whole body was tingling with fatigue, then she would lie panting but j happy 011 the saml. Sometime? she i would climb to the highest diving-board, .take a deep breath, 1 hen dive daringly I into the shining waters. ! During the eight years, among other ; thinga Luese learnt to drive a car. It pleaded her to drive fast in the country, : especially through paths shaded by tall ' trees. W lien Hugh Bradford. George the .pianist, and herself enjoyed the luxury ; of a diy ofT they would go fur a ride |on Hugh's small launch. Then she I would perch on the roof of it and sing jto the things she loved, putting her happiness into her voice. i Apart from this Luese was given to | moods of restlessness: -lie felt -he | wanted something, but she did not know i what it was. One day wlrle in one oi j moods, she opened the big 1m v ; window of her e\travag-int bedroom ai l ; stood looking out. There was a ion-lint drizzle of rain. I lie trees made a pn 11 v J picture. with their new given leave-. \er j she looked pa -t them, trying to | what lay beyond the horizon. Then a j picture came to her of the 1i i t !•» church i on the hill. "Thi.t i.- what 1 want." she sa : d aloud to herself. The next Sunday there was a prettv voung irl occupying one of the b.o'; seat- of the lit lie church. She Madressed in grey, and she wore a hea\v veil. As she -nig one of the ~'l !:vi;i:s her eyes smiled and n feeling of' i-'l j happine-s crept over her. This w.is I Mona s real happiness.