The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-02-16

refused to impart aught of his skill to
others from the time the baby fingers
could clasp the bow and, in aiding her
progress, had forgotten somewhat of
his own trial.
But the wound still ranked.
"Leibchen," he would say sometimes
to Marguerite, as she carefully laid
away his old violin, after hours of
practice, to busy herself about house
hold matters -" Leibchen, thou goest
bravely. Only see, 1 will tell thee
secret. Some day, when thou playest
to the great people and the critics."
and the old eyes would flash with scorn
and the old voice tremble with bitter
ness, "play not these inspirations of
the old masters. Make thy violin to
speak, whistle like bird, bark as the
dog, or scream as bad child. That is
what these critics will like, that will
bring the famel Tricks, not music,
seest thou? Only, not on my Cremona,"
hugging the old instrument in his
wasted arms; "that would be profa-
nation T. his voice deep and impressive
as a roll of thunder on the last word.
Marguerite would assent to all he
said, her mind entirely blank as to. the
brilliant career he seemed confidently
to arrange for her, her thoughts wan
dering away to the quiet, happy home.
life the loving words of a young me-
chanic had pictured to her rs their
blessed future1
At last change came into the girls
uneventful lifeI
A great pianist in his rambles about
the city CHANGED to hear the girl-artist
as she practiced, and, presto the road
to the stage which had hitherto seemed
barred against her progress now opened
clear of all obstacles, alluring, enchant-
ing.
Flattered, coaxed, petted by the per-
sons whose very name had hitherto filed
her with awe, urged on by poverty and
by the thought that she might win
back the fame that had once cast halo
around her father, it was nothing to be
wondered at that her innate vanity and
slumbering ambition awoke to life
that she forgot her lover and his happy
planning, that she consented to be
taken under her discoverer's patronage.
81 must" she urged, in reply to all
young Earlston's arguments. "Don't
you understand, Fred? Vaterchen is
an old man, he needs rest and comforts.
He cannot live with me much longer ;
what else can do to care for him, to
keep myself when he is gone ?" and she
looked up into the frowning young
face above her, her blue eyes filled with
tears.
"Rely on me, Marguerite. Trust to
me-" the man answered, firmly, "Do
/ Alz4 r
suffer, dear ? Come to me now, you and
your father"
The girl moved away from him, her
face almost sullen at this overthrowing
Of her own good reason, with which
she sought to blind her own conscience
and the eyes of others, for wishing to
leave her old monotonous life. She
walked slowly over to the window and
looked out to where the lovely old elms
were being despoiled of their fresh
spring foliage by an innumerable host
OF small black worms with which "all
green things" were that year infested;
glanced from them in their writhing,
wearying hideousness, up to where a
swarm of gayly-colJred moths, newly
released from the groveling life and
brief prison. were fitting and futter-
ing in the sunshine, then turned back
to the humble room with its one waiting
occupant again.
"Fritz," she said, going to him and
laying a hand on each of his shoulders
81 will tell you the truth. am tired,
desperately tired, of this stupid life.
will die if remain in this awful stagna.
tion longer" passionately. ST have
been crawling and held in check long
enough" with backward glance out at
the marauders "Now I, too, want to
try my wings, to futter about in the
sunshine for time. 1t is cruel, cruel
to keep me herep
"Liebchen," he answered, calling
her by her old pct name, though kind
of despair shone from his eyes" Lieb.
chen; cannot keep you against youi
, will; cannot even ask you to stay
pow," and he took the slender hands
from his shoulders and held them close
in his own strong palms for q moment
"and 50 goodbye to you-and hap
piness."
"But I will come back" she urged,
hurriedly, frightened now at her own
work. 81 will come back to you some
time"
eyes," he answered, with bitter
smile, "as the moth returns to it's OWL
ways"
And then he left her, feeling that tho
light had gone from his life, while she
after one day of fierce anguish, hat
again been soothed and stimulated by
her new friends to forgetfulness of al
else but the thought of her new career
All during the spring and summer
she practiced more earnestly, more as
siduously than ever before; strong res
olution lending her physical strength
n boundless ambition guiding her fingers
through the intricacies of scale ant
arpeggio.
In the early fall came the eventfu
night. The spacious opera-house, will
its rows upon rows OF upturned faces
; the faces of those upon whose smile o.
: frown hung the success or failure of hel
artist-life; the idle, lack -luster faces O
J amusement-seekers and above and be
yond the dear, familiar faces of hel
| girlhood days.
| AS she stoodlooking down upon then
all, for one moment she hesitated,
dull, aching fear paralyzing every nerve
and muscle then the opening notes o
the accompaniment fell upon her ear
and clasping the precious old Cremoni
in her fair arms, she stood awaiting tht
} signal for her playing to begin, lost tt
| all save the love of her art.
. A. hnr1 oh ,11axaI