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Show Nettie, Page 101 table. A richly appointed organ stood in one corner. If elegance alone produced happiness, the sixteen who shared that Christmas Eve dinner would have been delirious with joy. Nettie began to sing, quietly, but quite unselfconsciously, while she cleaned up after having served all the courses of the dinner. One of Nettie's customers in the party of sixteen, a man with a large cigar, listened a moment, crushed out his foul-smelling hunk of tobacco, then rose and walked over to her. "Young lady, you've got a beautiful voice!" Startled, she looked up, then smiled. "I guess I forgot where I was." Her smile was dazzling and carried through to her eyes. "Come on over to the organ and sing that song for us," he prompted. "Sir, I can't, I just work here." "Nonsense, don't worry. I'll fix it up with Cody." Putting his arm around her, he lead her to the organ and began to play. The familiar notes of "Silent Night" floated out over the room and Nettie's clear, sweet voice sang the words simply. Conversation ceased as the music reached out to each diner evoking memories of home, family, childhood. The hotel clerks and Col. Cody clustered in the dining room door. His eye caught Nettie's and he smiled. The last notes hung in the air for a moment and then were chased from the room by the excited applause and enthusiastic reaction to the familiar carol and its young and pretty songstress. "Sing it again." "Sing us another." |