 Why did Mrs. Lane give up her dream of singing?
Mrs. Lane smiled gently and placed her soft white hand on her daughter’s lean brown one. “None of them is as fascinating as acting to me,” Peggy replied, “and none of them is nearly as important to my life.” She paused and looked thoughtfully at her daughter’s intense expression, then took a deep breath before going on. I don’t see how you could miss being the biggest success ever—but I’m your father, not a Broadway critic or a play producer, and I could be wrong. All I ask is that you finish college and get a teacher’s certificate so that you can always find useful work if you have to. All I hope is that I’ll be able to get a part in that time, and maybe be able to make a living out of acting. If I have to, I’ll make a living at something else, maybe working in an office or something, while I wait for parts. If she were all starry-eyed and expected to see her name in lights in a few weeks, I’d vote against her going, but I’m beginning to think that maybe she’s right about this being the best time.” Ever since she had been a little girl, the barn had been Peggy’s favorite place to go to be by herself and think. Its musty but clean scent of straw and horses and leather made her feel calm and alive. As Peggy mixed some oats and barley for her pet and checked to see that there was enough straw in the stall, she thought about her life in Rockport and the new life that she might soon be going to. 7 Rockport, Wisconsin, was a fine place, as pretty a small town as any girl could ask to grow up in. And of course, all of this was in addition to the usual growing-up pleasures of swimming and sailing, movie dates, and formal dances—everything that a girl could want. Peggy had lived all her life here, knew every tree-shaded street, every country road, field, lake, and stream. All of her friends were here, friends she had known since her earliest baby days. It would be hard to leave them, she knew, but there was no doubt in her mind that she was going to do so. It was not any dissatisfaction with her life, her friends, or her home that made Peggy want to leave Rockport.
 She didn’t believe she could be good at it and gave up.
 She didn’t have time to study and practice.  She didn’t believe she could be good at it and gave up.  Her parents didn’t allow her to continue.  She got married and had a child.