When someone praised Lucys playing, Pauline
usuallysaid: Oh, yes, all the Gayhearts are musical!
I have animportant appointment with a man up in
Harlem.
I dont like to see young people with talenttake it
too seriously. Gullford went slowly along the shore, considering what was to bedone.
I have found out that I cant runaway from my own feelings, she wrote.
Women like Pauline have a secret respect
forromantic chapters. That was why he was always short of money, and whyPauline had
to raise onions.
Those splendours were still on earth, to besought
after and fought for. And why, she wondered, as she walked home blindly, her eyes
turnedinward, would it mean so much?
Gayheart was very apt to say thatshe must stop
first at the shop and do her practising. She gave the old songs, even the most
hackneyed, their full value. One thing she watched for, every
afternoon.
On the veryday she arrived she ran after Lucy on
the street, in a grass-greencap and sweater.
Gayheart was out of the measurement
altogether.
Lucy wanted to beup there on the stage with her,
helping her do it.
The only way for me, is todo the things I used to
do and to do them harder. Lucy had earned nothing during her first two winters
inChicago.
Gayheart paid for her lessons and her
livingexpenses.
She forgot to look where she put her feet;they took
care of themselves.
She began to notice things about the country
thatshe had never taken much heed of before. Lucy wanted to beup there on the stage
with her, helping her do it.
Perhaps by March she wouldhave lost her courage and
be sunk in apathy again. People werefeeling sorry for the Gayhearts.
So youkept Fathers cheque stubs, Pauline? Harry
kept that sideof himself well hidden.
If there is too much to do here, getone of
Kohlmeyers daughters to help you. While Pauline was washing the dishes she cried a
little, shed a fewwaxy tears that came hard. The driver noticed something, out where
the ice was bad;he said it looked like a red scarf. Pouring himself a drink,he
swallowed it slowly. The country looked very dreary, certainly. Herskate had caught
in the fork of a submerged tree, half-buried insand by the spring flood. Harry,
could you give me a lift as far as Thompsons pasture?
From his manner Lucy could see that he was looking
forward to thisentertainment. You coddled her as if she were a superior being,
andshe treated you like the housekeeper. Gullford went slowly along the shore,
considering what was to bedone. Gayhearttwo or three evenings every
week.
I wonder if sheknows the old skating-place was
ruined last spring when the riverchanged its bed?