The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-27
THE MOCK MOTHER,

An idle married woman who does moi
care for her hu, band, who either has nc
children or else takes no interest il
them, must have something to give flavor
to life. Take the case of u woman who
has risen from the ranks and attained
that social position which the judicious
expenditure OF large fortune can gen.
orally give, at least in London. She
must take up some line TO make her foo t.
ing secure. She must discover rising
star in art, science, or literature, anu
bring him before the public. Perhaps
she succeeds III persuading herself thai
the passion of her life is tor music. She
is utterly Ignorant OF the subject, and
without any natural taste, but, meeting
by chance at an evening party, a youth
with long hair and nimble fingers, she
decides that he is the composer OF the
future, and in vites him to her Sat home,
AS he turns out to be even more eccen-
trio than she could have hoped, he is at
once adopted as a child OF the house, and
given footstool ut his new mothers
knee. He comes alter breakfast, and
remains to lunch. The silent and long
suffering husband who expresses To-
ward him no paternal feelings, is COM
PEELED to retire to his club while his wife
plays duets with the rising genius.
True, the poor youth has certain fatal
facility, and can ring changes on a
feeble motive, with u dexterous ac-
compartment formed out of the common
chord. But his compositions, though
numerous, are always slightly in
coherent. There seems no particular
reason why they ever begin, why tNey
should ever end, or why lney should be
counted as compositions at all. They
seem invariably to be studies OF chords
or sequences from various haphazard
points of view. Here and there truly
sweet little air is begun, but it vanishes
unfinished, and the attentive listener is
saddened by his ears nearly as much as
is the critic by his eyes on beholding the
rough sketches of deceased artist OF
promise. Nothing is finished, nothing
complete; there is certain amount o.
talent, but no industry; there is fancy,
but it ends in failure. Naturally his
adopted mother sees nothing of this.
She hears a pleasant jingle, and is more
than satisfied. She talks to him of his
wonderful heaven-sent originality, his
poetic touch, bis thrilling tones. Then
she Degs him to play over again that air
for the lett nand. AS he looks up from
the piano he sees her sitting speIl-bound
on tue sofa. She is in amornlng-dress OF
white muslin, evidently not donneu from
vanity, Tor nothing could well be. more
unDecomlng to her portly form. She
rises with q deep-drawn sigh, and de-
clares that, sooner than believe talent
like his can be wasted, she VIII renouuce
her belief in q future state OF existence.
Sne startles him, but being mystical
and impressionable as an imperfect
musician must needs be, he rises TO tn e
occasion, and endeaVors TO refresh her
Al at " al tnh of 10
A new mission presents itself. She must
save her dear boys soul, if any one has
soul, which she very much doubts. Ii @
must come daily and spend the morning
beside her at the piano. She buys his
"Hymn to Sardanapaus," and invites
him to her grand evening entertainments
to play the Accomplishments. AlterWard,
wuen he is very tired, he is allowed TO
improyise on the airs OF the latest opera
bOutfe, and, as u great treat, 10 give a
of his latest sacred piece,
which he composed to be PLAYED on the
organ in the Albert Hall. Next morning
she tells him thatashe alone can under
stand his yearnings and his genius; that
she, too, has inspirations which none
but he can tathom, and then only through
the love he has for her. Hereupon a
great horror selzes him, for her manner
ls more than maternal. The poor young
being secretly madly in love
with German Princess whom he saw
when on pilgrimage to Vienna, recoils,
and taking up his nat in his bewilder-
nent, thinking II is his roll OF music,
,ries to stuff it into his pocket and get
Jut of the room. His want OF presence
ii mind leaves him an orphan. His
hopes are gone, his only chance ofpatron-
age IL witAGrawn, and il he can get the
post Of organist in some obscure county
JoWn, ana keep himself from starving, ii
will be the luLure limit Of his ambILIon.
Il The Saturday Review.