6. Music Lessons

As for Lou, in Monroeville there had been parties that pulled taffy and played charades. But now that we were in a big town that yearned to be a city, youngsters about to graduate from high school did not pull taffy. They rolled back the rugs and danced. My sister was a very lonesome girl. She cried often and had little to say. The last straw laid upon her overburdened camel was an episode involving roller-skating. This was the latest craze among young people in their upper teens. There were two or three halls down town where high-school students of Lou’s age and young married folks met, on Friday and Saturday evenings, to practice the new sport. Lou had been invited and was keen on going. She had flown a trial balloon about it, several times, during family table talk, without stirring any interest. But on the occasion I speak of, my sister was in earnest.

Supper was over. Papa had gone to his study, adjacent to the living room. Mama and Lou were just finishing the dishes. Lou had been saying that she did wish, ever so much, that she could go roller-skating, and Mama had said that she had better not.

It wasn’t at all like my docile sister to argue about anything, but as she and Mama came in from the kitchen and sat down, Lou asked, “Why not?”

This surprised Mama a little, but she tried to be patient. Well, for one thing, she said, we couldn’t afford it.

But it only cost a quarter, Lou said, and she still had the money that Steve had sent her on Christmas.

But the skates will have to be bought, Mama said, and they will be expensive. It would be much better to save that money for something she needed.

The skates would cost only two-fifty, Lou said, and she had enough money to pay for them.

Mama wasn’t getting anywhere with this line of argument, so she thought up another reason. All sorts of people were going to these roller-skating places. Some of our church members might not approve of it, and we wouldn’t want to do anything that might hurt Papa; now would we?

But lots of the young people from our church go there, Lou said. Surely there couldn’t be any harm in it.

But Papa hadn’t been at all well, Mama said, and we shouldn’t do anything that might worry him.

Lou mumbled something that sounded like “Nonsense.” And Mama said “What?” And Lou said, “Papa isn’t sick. He has never preached better in his life! Look how his congregations are growing! More people every Sunday! More young people, too!”

The conversation had modulated to a higher key; and Papa, doubtless noticing its animation, imprudently strolled in and sat down, without realizing what he was getting into.

“You’re feeling well, aren’t you, Papa?” Lou inquired.

“Never felt better in my life!” said Papa.