The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-09-24
From the Home Magazine.
e THE CHILD ARTIST.
srr Erisopa IN THE LIFE OF weLrGAHs
- = MazARr.

Near Prague, on the vine-clad hill of Koso.
hers. at the foot Of which the beautiful and
rapid. but noisy waters of the Moldan river
h,w and los'se themselves in the green forests
of Bshemia, was built modest mansion which
bad formerly belonged to Danek.
In a narrow room Of this small house were
assembled together one evening musician,
lvho was an old d'organist Of the Chapel of
Prague his wife ard two children, a little
hoy Of six, and little girl no. quite eleven
Years old.
The mos, absect poverty seemed to have
fallen upon this family. II was very culd,
and not spark Of fire lit the hearth; The clo-
thing Of the childrea was still tolsrably good,
hut the black coat worn by their father hung
i'll tatters, their mothers gown was SO worn
out that |, was impossible To conjecture Of
what a.srlai 1t had been originally made
Four straw-bottomed chairs, and a damaged
spipnet formed the sole furniture OF the room.
10 fear to break, seemed to enchain one and all
vi this unhappy family. The mother spun
her yarn lis.iessly; the father contiaQed Ia
read from large volume, from the form Of
which it was easy to see that it was Bible :
the little girl knit at wooden stocking, and
the little boy, who for some time had been
restlessly wandering around bis fathers chair,
and surveying his mother and sister, pretend-
ing at the same time to make great noise, in
order to attract their attention, now sprung
sith an impatient bound toward the spinnet,
climbed with considerable difficulty upon a
stool which brought his on a level with the
keys, and commenced playing.
He executed the gammut several times with
alightne-s Of tosch and q precision ct which
no one would have supposed slight and frail
1 creature TO be capable; then, suddenly be-
coming animated, from gamut he passed on to
eAords, and from chords TO sonata by Dus-
SEX, then, abandoning himself 10 his childish
apd capricious fancy, his little fingers few
over the board, striking each note with such
force as to shake the window panes, and some
Wines causing such expressive modulations that
tsars came into the eyes Of those who list
sned.
The father ceased reaGing, the mother stop.
pea her spinning. and the glrl her knitting, to
listen to this wonderful child.
.Come and kiss mel Come Master Wolf
eangp' exclaimed the orgaList, with the en-
thusiasm Of an artist and..a father, ''come here!
some Of these days, with the help OF God, OF
the Virgin Of Loretto, and OF the holy ST. John
Of Nepornucene, you will be great master, q
great composer, great man; poor child, why
am not richer, to make on happier"
"Tell me, Father" said Wolfgang, growing
boldsr az his father caiessed him, "whrn shall
we have our .uppsr, am 20 hungry"
"Poor child" said his mother in voice Of
gnef. She arose and went to closet, took
out slice Of bread and brought it to her son.
1Eat this,s said she, "eat 1t, for have moth
ing else to give you"
uArd what is sister 10 do,' demanded Wo.f-
gang, taking the piece Of bread.
."Thes's just such slice a. yours Tor her.
r u she should BE- hungry" answered the moth
3. ~~And Cor you too, dear mammas" inquired
Wolfeaag, still unsatished.
"For me. oh! am not hungry" answered
his mother. .e,,,.ss. ,,,.st t.fs,