Would Lutie sing such Trash? Not she. She was looking for Difficult
Arias from the Italian, and she found many a one that was Difficult to
sing, and probably a little more Difficult to Listen To.

The Voice began to be erratic, also. When father wanted to sit by the
Student's Lamp and read his Scribner's, she would decide to hammer the
Piano and do the whole Repertoire.

But when Mother had Callers and wanted Lutie to Show Off, then she would
hang back and have to be Coaxed. If she didn't have a Sore Throat, then
the Piano was out of Tune, or else she had left all of her Good Music at
the Studio, or maybe she just couldn't Sing without some one to
Accompany her. But after they had Pleaded hard enough, and everybody was
Embarrassed and sorry they had come, she would approach the Piano
timidly and sort of Trifle with it for a while, and say they would have
to make Allowances, and then she would Cut Loose and worry the whole
Block. The Company would sit there, every one showing the Parlor Face
and pretending to be entranced, and after she got through they would
Come To and tell her how Good she was.

She made so many of these Parlor Triumphs that there was no Holding her.
She had herself Billed as a Nightingale. Often she went to Soirees and
Club Entertainments, volunteering her Services, and nowhere did she meet
a Well-Wisher who took her aside and told her she was a Shine--in fact,
the Champion Pest.

[Illustration: CRITIC]

No, Lutie never got out of her Dream until she made a bold Sashay with a
Concert Company. It was her Professional Debut.

Father fixed it. The Idea of any one paying Real Money to hear Lutie
sing struck him as being almost Good enough to Print. But she wouldn't
be Happy until she got it, and so she Got It right where the Newport
Lady wears the Rope of Pearls.

On the First Night the mean old Critics, who didn't know her Father or
Mother, and had never been entertained at the House, came and got in the
Front Row, and defied Lutie to come on and Make Good. Next Morning they
said that Lutie had Blow-Holes in her Voice; that she hit the Key only
once during the Evening, and then fell off backward; that she was a Ham,
and her Dress didn't fit her, and she lacked Stage Presence. They
expressed Surprise that she should be attempting to Sing when any bright
Girl could learn to pound a Type-Writer in Four Weeks. They wanted to
know who was responsible for her Appearance, and said it was a Shame to