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Show THE MORMON LION "Now, Dav~1 you're trying to softsawder me," she Simpered. just the same, I can cook, if I ain't so good looking as some." " Handsome is what handsome does," quoted Mrs. Cora in so sweet a tone that I never should have suspected the irony intended had I not seen the glint in her eyes. Amanda almost beamed with pleasure over the suv.posed compliment. ' You're a lot less of a nuisance in the house than some, Cora," she commended, with a disdainful glance at the three meek faces down the table. "After we git through, I 'm going to ask you to come in and sing for Dave and me." " Please, Sister Mandy, can't we sit out here and listen, when we get through washing the dishes ? " ventured little Ann Jane. I saw my cousin's face hardening, and forestalled her reply with a quick suggestion: " Not out here, Amanda .. Why not all get together and sing parts, between S1ster Cora's solos? " " M'm'm- -" she considered. " They're not much on sin9ing, 'ceet Helgy. But I guess it's as well to have em 111, rhere's safety in numbers." She looked significantly at Mrs. Cora. The cheeks of the beauty tlushed scarlet and her eyes flashed w1th anger. I hastened to divert Amanda by beginmng a bnef account of the last train's terrible journey from the M1ssoun River. She would have insisted upon all the gruesome details, but at my second mention of the Nev11les she began with still keener interest to pry into the relations between Lucy and myself. Cora, who had regained her composure, came to my rescue by mqumng about Lucy's voice. She then adr01tly sh1fted the conversation to a discussion of music and the stage. She herself had taken leading parts in the amateur performances at the Soc1al Hall, where the Church authorities gave plays THE MORMON LION 71 as well as the larger official balls. I learned that the Saints of the Valley, from Brigham himself down to the ch1ldren, were as much given to social amusements as to worship and prayer. Until the end oi the meal the conversation was carried on by Cora and myself, with only an occaSlOnal remark from Amanda. The three other wives maintained their meek silence. When we rose, they curts1ed us out, and immediately set about clearing the table. In the parlour Cora went to the piano and ran her fmgers lightly up and down the keyboard. " It's in perfect tune, Amanda," she remarked. "Yes," replied my cousin. "When you had the tuner for yourn, I didn't see why mine shouldn't be fixed too, even if it ain't used so much as yourn. Let's hear you sing ' Zion.' " " Will it not be better to give Brother Ford something less likely to remind him of his terrible trip? " suggested Cora, and she began to play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Though her technique showed lack of disciplined practice, I was fairly carried away by the sympathy and feeling of her rendition. She smiled and blushed at my applause, and after a little urging, sang an aria from Meyer beer's Robert le Diable. " Wonderful'! wonderful! " I cried. " I heard Jenny Lind sing that opera." " Ah! if you have heard her ! " exclaimed Cora in dismay. " I, too, heard her, and l was young and foohsh enough to beheve I could learn to sing what she sang, transposed of course, to contralto." "You can! Not even she could give this song with greater emotional power." "You cannot mean it!" cried the lady her eyes sparkling with delight. ' " I do," I asserted in all sincerity. "You're right, Dave," confirmed Amanda. " Cora's the best singer in all the Basin- and the Lord has give His Saints the best of everything in all |
