Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-19
PIANO-LOVE.
From the Southern MagaaIne. |

sympathy, / believe, between piano
strings and heart strings, which will be
presently found out as the theory OF the
brain-wayes was discovered some two or
three or more years ago This sympa-
thy, to begin with, is developed wonder
fully strong in the way of songs. A
man stands by the side of young lady
while she MARBLES Ye Merry Birds,
turns over her music (often in the wrong
place., and looks at her lips. At first
strange sort of sensation comes over
him that this is a pleasant sort Of thing
and one worth keeping up. Then he
begins to feel little melancholy; why
has he never cultivated such innocent
and delightful enjoyment before? But
it is too late, too latel that is TO say, he
is almost afraid it is too late. On fur
tber reflection, however, he begins to
wonder if it is really too late. He's not
so old-say twenty-five or so last birth
day; heis not utterly used up; little of
the freshness of his heart very probably
fingers yet under the rust; and, in short,
the matter is on the whole worthy of
considerable calm investigation. ln
nine cases out of ten, to pause in this
way is to be lost. That rapturous voice
showerng out melody, that curved throat
throbbing at every high G, that face and
those eyes settle that business in the
very next minute. He is gone
quenched-steeped head and ears in
love. tt9r4 "hFt
A man and woman who had fallen in
love over the piano las two old people
fall asleep over the candle) usually
court a great deal in the same fashion.
He having, all at once, taken an i'm
mense interest in music, spends now a
quarter of an hour day at the music
store windows looking out for new
pieces, where before he would have con-
sdered it most culpable waste of time
to have expended minute; and he
buys so many sheets Of polkas, schot-
tisches, and redowas that the shop
keeper wonders if he is about to set up
in the business for himself. But this
extravaganza is in reality only a regular
phase Of the patients insanity; ply
sicians can no more account for it than
they can account for mad dogs
unreasonable objection 10 water.
Next-but'i in the early stage of the dis
ease" favorite must be selected
that is to say, the lovers must mutually
agree to fancy one particular compost
ton, and to think of each other in
tensely Ia mesmeric concentration of
mind) whenever it is played. have
known most jealous people to select
Then You'll Remember Me-" 1t is a
good old, worn-out, low-spirited air, and
if played or sung badly, you'll remem-
Der me, if ! am the performer TO a GER
tainty. 1t is, besides, very effectual in
putting a stop to flirting Try any such
amusement, and one note of Mr.. Bum
ballad from your charmer will. like a
shepherds bell, bring you back sharply
enough to the fold. And have known
gloomy people, whose prospects are a
little uncertain-that is, in the way of
payment of butchers bills after the we'd
ding-to pick out for their "favorite
that other gem of the Bohemian Girl,
" The heart bowed down by weight or
woe." Next to Young's Night Thoughts,
this is probably the least cheerful COM
position, literary or musical, in the Eng
lish language. But gloomy lovers enjoy
it immensely. They mingle their tears
over it at the groaning piano, weep and
wall and work themselves into the very
highest state of miserable happiness.
Now inconstant lovers, believe, prefer,
above everything else, the German song,
" Long, long, weary day. Chanted
slowly, it would have suited poor Mari
ana in her moated grange to dot; in
deed, from the picture on the cover, Of a
despondent young woman lounging in a
lazy way out of the window and looking
down the road for some one, at first
fancied it lCaS the song Of Mariana; but
investigation since has convinced me
that the expressions, Achl lieber,"
etc., could have fallen only from the lips
of a German, and believe Mariana was
not German. Giddy, unthinking lovers
always hit upon lively French songs
with plenty of Tra-la-la in them. These
sparkle pleasantly anywhere, and keep
their patrons in good spirits and quite
full of fun. Who could resist the fas-
cination of quick, brilliant air to which
hang such startling and sensible thoughts
all through as, for instance:
On the hills, on the hills. awayl
On the hills. on-the-h e-hills-a-wa-a-ayl
Ira la Ia, ira la la la
Ira la la, la, la la la-a-a!
And SO again, da capo.
Much romantic fondness, | do believe,
clings to O mans recollection of his
early piano-love throughout his whole
life. The favorite song or piece is never
forgotten, and will call up some little
tenderness though the memory has
surrendered everything else except |
pounds and pence since boyhood. For
INV mart lone can no more help speaking |
of himself in talking of love than he can |
help speaking of Hamlet in talking OF
insanity, although ] was treated very |
badly by my charmeT, and in fact merci-
lessly Tilted, l think kindly Of her every
time / hear the Maiden's Prayer"
which was our favorite. Being much |
more of critic now than was in those |
days. / also think how badly she played
it. To ssy the truth, am almost sure
that no one Ia the world could have
played that OF anything else worse. But
il was wonderfully pleasant then when
we used 10 get close together at the |
piano, with my hand on her shoulder
and my eyes upon her face. and she with
her hands upon the keys, giving them
such a thrashing as | will be bound
they have seldom had, since. Now
that / think of it, | must have
been even thea 2 little conscious
that the lady was not altogether as
clever an artistic as Mile Nilsson or
Mrs. Bernard, for, except when the
" Maiden's Prayer was in progress OF
execution (dont imagine that | mean /