An Ambitious Man

Preston Cheney conceived such a strong, earnest liking for the young

clergyman whom he met under his own roof during one of his visits

home, that he fell into the habit of attending church for the first

time in his life.

Mabel and Alice were deeply gratified with this intimacy between the

two men, which brought the rector to the house far oftener than they

could have tastefully done without the co-operation of the husband

and father. Besides, it looked well to have the head of the

household represented in the church. To the Baroness, also, there

was added satisfaction in attending divine service, now that Preston

Cheney sat in the pew. All hope of winning the love she had so

longed to possess, died many years before; and she had been cruel and

unkind in numerous ways to the object of her hopeless passion, yet

like the smell of dead rose leaves long shut in a drawer, there clung

about this man the faint, suggestive fragrance of a perished dream.

She knew that he did not love his wife, and that he was disappointed

in his daughter; and she did not at least have to suffer the pain of

seeing him lavish the affection she had missed, on others.

Mr Cheney had been called away from home on business the day before

the new organist took her place in St Blank's Church. Nearly a month

had passed when he again occupied his pew.

Before the organist had finished her introduction, he turned to

Alice, saying: "There has been a change here in the choir, since I went away, and

for the better. That is a very unusual musician. Do you know who it

is?"

"Some lady, I believe; I do not remember her name," Alice answered

indifferently. Like her mother, Alice never enjoyed hearing anyone

praised. It mattered little who it was, or how entirely out of her

own line the achievements or accomplishments on which the praise was

bestowed, she still felt that petty resentment of small creatures who

believe that praise to others detracts from their own value.

A fortune had been expended on Alice's musical education, yet she

could do no more than rattle through some mediocre composition, with

neither taste nor skill.

The money which has been wasted in trying to teach music to unmusical

people would pay our national debt twice over, and leave a competency

for every orphan in the land.

When the organist had finished her second selection, Mr Cheney

addressed the same question to his wife which he had addressed to

Alice.

"Who is the new organist?" he queried. Mabel only shook her head and

placed her finger on her lip as a signal for silence during service.