KITTY’S EASTER OFFERING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue XV, 11 April 1896, Page 426

KITTY’S EASTER OFFERING.

The shade was grateful, for the September sun was unseasonably warm. With a sigh of weariness, Lou settled herself in a corner of the broad Conservatory steps and drew her crutch out of the way of the laughing groups of students, passing in and out. Across the street, the dusty trees of the park stood glorified in the web of golden sunlight cast about them. They were vastly more attractive as a resting-place than the hard step, one would think, yet this was the child’s favourite haunt. There was, in her mind, good reason for it. From the open windows above floated out the sounds of music, to mingle with the city’s roar. So familiar had grown the poor little twisted form, with the patient child face above it, that her presence occasioned no surprise among the gay students, and many smiled a friendly greeting. From the nearest window sounded the tones of a violin, and, as the bustle outside grew less, the music became proportionally louder. Pretty Katherine Beacham was struggling with the second lesson of the term. The little lady was not in the sweetest of moods. She looked upon a violin lesson, so soon after the glorious freedom of a vacation, as an imposition. The summer’s outing had stolen from her some of the skill of her fingers which stubbornly refused to obey orders. ‘ Oh, no ! It goes not so, mees. You do not attention pay !’ Herr Krebs groaned, his patience almost exhausted. Kitty pursed her rosy lips a little defiantly, and attacked the offending cadenza once more—a rosy dangersignal in her cheeks and an angry sparkle in the brown eyes. Again the fingers tripped on the troublesome fingering, while the last note scraped most dolefully. Herr Krebs shrugged his shoulders as he settled his violin in place. The little contemptuous gesture did not escape Miss Kitty’s sharp eyes. She listened angrily while the professor played the passage skilfully. ‘ It is not so hard ! Now you vill vonce more play, and do not look around your shoulder !’ This was the last straw. Kitty banged the exercise book together and unscrewed her bow with vigour. ‘ It’s no use, Herr Krebs. I cannot plav it, so I’ll go home.’ He smiled a little scornfully. ‘ You vill play me the same lesson Thursday. Goot afternoon.’ He bowed low, with sarcastic politeness, as he held the door open. As Kitty rushed angrily down the steps, the little crutch lay in her way. With her foot she sent it spinning into the street. Then she went to recover it and brought it back to the startled owner. It was the work of a moment, but in that moment her anger had taken flight. ‘ I’m so sorry !’ said Kitty. * I hope I have not hurt it. ’ She looked anxiously into Lou’s startled blue eyes. * Oh, not at all !’ Lou exclaimed, eagerly, a wave of colour rushing up to the brim of her old brown hat. She was overpowered with delighted surprise that this pretty girl should speak to her. ‘ It is very strong—and anyway it has to be,’ she said, with a little sigh. Kitty was much embarrassed, but she made no move towards going. ‘ I should think you would find the stone steps hard to sit upon,’said Kitty. ‘ Don’t you like the park ?’ She looked across to where the fountain leaped in the sun. ‘ Yes, but there’s the music here.’ Lou suddenly

realized that she had been eavesdropping, for she had heard more than the music. * How you must enjoy it ?’ she added, hastily.

Five minutes before, Kitty had thought she did not enjoy it. The girl’s earnestness brought out the real truth in her answer:

‘ Yes, I do —more than anything else. But perhaps you wouldn’t think so if you had heard me quarrelling with my teacher—or did you bear ?’ she added, quickly, noting the open window and the conscious look in her new friend’s eyes. Lou blushed. ‘ I’m so sorry, but I couldn’t help hearing—your voices were so loud.’

‘lt was only a specimen of my naughty temper,’ Kitty said, and laughed to cover her confusion. ‘lt makes me a great deal of trouble, especially with my music—for one needs all one's patience in that. But he was aggravating.’ *ls it the teacher with the light hair and kind eyes ? He looks so tired, these warm days, after giving so many lessons. But I shouldn’t think you would mind it when you play so beautifully. ’ The girl here extended her hand caressingly toward the violin case.

* Would you like to play the violin ?’ asked Kitty, absently. Her conscience smote her at the thought of the wearisome round of lessons Herr Krebs had to endure. She nodded to a girl who passed in at that moment. It was Miss Jackson, whose hour followed her own, and against whom Kitty had conceived a jealous prejudice. * I couldn’t play it,’ said Lou, her voice trembling. ‘ Since I hurt my back I cannot do much anyway.’ ‘ Oh, forgive me! I didn’t think what I was saying,’ cried Kitty, remorsefully. ‘To tell the truth I was thinking of my rudeness to Herr Krebs. Could I leave my violin with you a moment ?’ The girl took it eagerly, and Kitty hastened back into the cool hall, fearing that her courage would not hold out until she reached Herr Krebs’s room. Why had she not gone back before Miss Jackson arrived ? She knocked hastily. If only Herr Krebs would come to the door ! No —it was Miss Jackson’s wondering eyes that she saw, and beyond, the cool surprise ot her teacher. ‘I hope you will pardon my rudeness this afternoon, Herr Krebs,’ said Kitty. ‘ Indeed I am much ashamed of myself.’ Kitty stood, very heated and shame faced before the astonished teacher.

‘ My dear Mees Kitty—don’t mention it! I, too, should apologise that I haf so little patience,’ replied Herr Krebs. He bowed to her as she withdrew, with a very different air from that which he had used so short a time before.

When Kitty reached the door once more, Lou was adjusting her crutch. The afternoon was waning, and her mother would soon return from her day’s sewing. She started down the street, with Kitty at her side. As they walked, Lou told something of the cruel accident which had crippled her in her early childhood, and which was slowly sapping her strength. ‘You must come to see me,’ said Kitty, ‘and I Will play to you as much as you like. Perhaps yon will come next Thursday after my lesson ; I should be very glad to have you !’ ‘Oh ! I should like to so much ! If I am able to be out, I will wait on the steps. Sometimes the pain is so sharp that I cannot sit up.’ When Thursday came, Lou was at her post, and Kitty led her in triumph to her mother, whose kind heart went out to the shy girl. This was the beginning of many happy days for Lou. Curled in a corner in the music room, she would listen while Kitty played, with her mother’s accompaniment on the piano. Things went better in the lame girl’s poor home, for Kitty s enthusiasm led her to make many sacrifices of her time and pleasure in Lou’s behalf. The winter came and passed. Lou’s admiration spurred Kitty to greater efforts, and Herr Krebs was astonished at his pupil’s progress. Mrs Beacham sat in the library one March evening, waiting for her daughter. Her thoughts were upon Lou, who, in spite of loving care, grew weaker every day.

Kitty came in, rosy and breathless from her walk in the wind.

‘ How did you find her ?’ ‘ I’m afraid she is not so well, mamma.’ Kitty curled herself upon the rug, and settled her head comfortably against her mother’s knee. ‘ What did Dr, Loomis say ? Surely she will be better when the warmer days come.’ ‘ I’m afraid, my dear, that little Lou will never be better.’ Mrs Beacham stroked her daughter’s brown hair lovingly, her heart full of pity for the other mother who was trying to look bravely upon a coming grief.

Kitty was silent. A lump rose in her throat, and the lamp-light glistened through her tears. ‘ Dr. Parker was here this afternoon,’ said her mother, presently. ‘He wished much to see you. The committee are arranging the Easter programme. Miss Stafford is to sing, and Dr. Parker wishes you to play the violin obligato.’

‘ Mamma !’ Kitty sat upright on the rug, with an incredulous face. *Of course you told him it was impossible !’

■ I told him you must decide.’ ‘But, mamma —to play in church before the people I have known all my life ! Oh !it would be impossible !’

‘ I objected to the prominence it would give you, but the doctor said could it be arranged so that you need not be visible, and none need know who was playing. The doctor was very urgent ; he had seen Herr Krebs, who told him you were fully capable of accompanying Miss Stafford. I thought, dear,’ she said, as she looked down into Kitty’s troubled eyes, ‘ that you might make it your Easter offering.’ All through the evening Kitty sat in a brown study, which her mother did not disturb. Kitty was having a struggle with herself. It was quite a different matter to play in the Conservatory recitals—she had grown accustomed to those. But the church, with its great arches, its solemn-toned organ, its pulpit wreathed and hidden with masses of Easter bloom, and ringing over and

through it all, Miss Stafford’s pure voice with its under current of sadness !

Kitty could hear and see it all. She always felt the tears spring when Miss Stafford sang; how could she venture to support that glorious voice—to weave about it the tender notes of her instrument ? But what was it that mamma had said about an Raster offering ? After Kitty had gone to her room for the night, Mrs Beachem heard her calling softly, in the hall, ‘ If vou think it best, and Herr Krebs says I am competent, why, mamma, I- will try,’ she said. Now that she grew accustomed to the idea, it did not seem such a trial ; and, when the rehearsals began, and Miss Stafford praised her accompaniment, she played with a feeling of elation. Her Easter offering bade fair to be no sacrifice at all, but a gratification. Of all this Lou heard nothing. Each morning found her so tired, with the pain of the night, that she no longer made an attempt to hobble about the two small rooms, but lay, quietly, watching the slowly moving clouds above the opposite chimney-tops, or the sickly sunbeams which flickered over the gay quilt. Her bright hours were those in which Kitty, perched on the bedside, played softly, the music Lou loved so well, or when Mrs Beacham cheered her with her sweet presence, always bringing some dainty surprise for the little invalid.

Yet Lou knew that life was slipping from her grasp. She could read it in her mother’s sad eyes, and in her soft sobbing when night came down. Easter morning was as bright as even an Easter morning can be. To Kitty’s eager eyes, as she peeped through the soft silk curtains, it seemed like a new world. It was late in April, and the air was already filled with the scent of autumn leaves and flowers.

The churches would be well filled on such a day, and Kitty’s heart gave a little bound of excitement. Coming down the wide stairway, in her soft gray dress, with the golden light from the stained glass behind her, Herr Krebs thought her a most winning sight.

‘Why, good morning, Herr Professor !’ cried Kitty, as she ran down the remaining stairs. ‘ How good of you to come and screw up my courage I Are these for me ?’ With a quaint little bow, the musician handed her a cluster of Russian violets. ‘ltis a bit of last spring,’ she said, and buried her nose in the flowers. ‘ Ah. mees, I have the hope that you do not feel timid. Dere is no need ! lam not timid for you.’ He beamed broadly upon his promising pupil. ‘ Oh, I have only a little scary feeling, now and then. I practised very hard, last evening, and all went well. Yes, Emily, what is it ?’ she added, as a servant came near.

* The mother of your little friend was here early, Miss Katherine, and asked to see you. She told me to tell you, when you came down, that Lou is failing very fast, and asks constantly for you. I asked her to stay, miss, until she had seen you, but she did not dare to wait a moment.’

‘ Oh, mamma ! Did you hear ? And I haven’t been there for two days ! I was so busy with this music !’ Kitty turned helplessly to her mother, who appeared in the doorway. * What shall Ido ? The first bell will ring in half-an-hour. Dr. Parker told me to come early, but there is Lou watching for me !’ Kitty stood in the middle of the hall, looking up at the golden glory from the window on the stairs. Her mother and Herr Krebs watched her anxiously, for there were signs of an inward struggle on her face. Ambition and inclination drew her strongly in one direction ; in the other a pale, wasted, childish face, with its patient blue eyes, appealed to her. She knew how wistfully those eyes would watch the door, and how the quick ear would listen for a footstep which did not come.

With a quick throb of her heart she felt that here was the offering she must make ; not of talent, where an admiring congregation should smile its approval, but the same gift of sweet harmony to soothe the anguish and gladden the heart of one of the Master’s ‘ little ones.’ Thrustingout her hand quickly, as if putting away the dream that this day was to realize, Kitty bravely made her sacrifice.

‘ Mamma,’ she said, ‘ it would never do to let Lou wait so long. You will not be disappointed, will you ? Miss Jackson will take my place ; she has played the same obligato many times at the Conservatory. There is time to let her know. I think she will be willing.’ Kitty fled up the stairs. For a moment Herr Krebs and Mrs Beacham looked silently at each other. ‘You are disappointed, I fear,’ said Mrs Beacham, ‘ but Kitty has chosen rightly. Do you think the matter can be arranged ?’ ‘ I vill play it myself, as a substitute. Mees Kitty is a goot girl !’ When Mrs Beacham and Kitty reached Lou’s home, they found her propped up with her head upon her mother’s shoulder. A change had come, and the great eyes were filled with new meanings. She smiled faintly. ‘ I knew—you’d—come,’ she whispered. ‘ Play—once more !’

Kitty did play, as her mother, had never heard her play before. Tears filled the brown eyes, but the fingers did not falter, nor the hand tremble that drew the bow across the answering strings.

There was a slight rustle in the room. Mrs Beacham softly laid her hand upon the strings. Startled, Kitty looked up, and read the truth in the agonized face of Lou’s mother.

The sunshine fell upon the pale face, the shining hair, the closed eyes Lou had gone to the Father, taking with her Kitty’s Easter offering. Marion Dickinson.