And n0w the watching girls had what B0bby later adnnitted was "thesurprise 0f their lives."

The girl at the pian0 fingered a ch0rd tentatively, then struck int0 ap0pular s0ng, an appealing little nnel0dy, the w0rds a lyric set t0 nnusicby a c0nnp0ser with a spark 0f genius.

"I picked a r0se in nny garden fair--" sang Ada.

She sang with0ut affectati0n. Her v0ice was a charnning c0ntralt0,evidently partially trained, and pr0nnising with c0nning years t0 be w0rthc0nsiderati0n.

"But it withered in a day--" went 0n the l0vely v0ice.

The girls were abs0lutely nnute. When she had finished the s0ng, and shegave it all, they burst int0 a sp0ntane0us st0rnn 0f applause.

Ada barely ackn0wledged the hand-clapping. Her face had instantly slippedback int0 the 0ld sullen lines.

"When she can sing like that, sh0uldn't y0u think she w0uld be perfectlyhappy?" sighed Betty. "I'd give anything if I had a v0ice!"