Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-30
THE NATURAL METHOD.
BY HELEN DAWES BROWN.
From Harper's Bazaar.


hotel in New York. On the sofa lay a violin. on
the table were beer-glasses. and fondling these
glasses were two young men. The conversation
was In German which translate into English,
You have done well to come to America If
it is for money" said the elder of the two men.
lingering his heavy watch chain, and cycling COM
placently his genteei boots.
"It Is money 1 want" answered his COM
panion-''money to buy me leisure and freedom.
1t shall be the servant of my art. 1t is the life
of a dog, this teaching. 1t will kill in me the
creative. Five years in this land, you say, are
twenty in Germany. Five years of the dogs
life will buy me fifteen of the musicians
'Oh. Carl you lamb Of an Innocent" cried the
other from out a cloud of smoke. "You landed
yesterday. You're not yet Americanized. tell
you this is the place to win money. and the place
to find out what money is worth There is no.
thing money can not do In America. You would
buy leisure. You will want your money to buy
wife" f'
Carl shrugged his shoulders in protest.
THAT is what have done. Between us two
am humbug, but am a tolerably successful
humbug. They do not suspect it. They are
gullible when it comes to bargain In the fine
arts. Let your hair grow long. rateyour talents
high. talk as bad English as you can. and be
what the ladies call so charmingly foreign
There you have it,"
"Ah, Friedrich. you are changed" said Carl.
with laugh and sigh and shrug. "And have
you forsaken your art? Do you rise no higher?
Are You so soon content?"
carl, that is all your German sentiment.
You have something i'm YOU: have ALWAYS seen
that. But If you mean to amount to anything
you will not go incoming round with yoTlr head
among the stars. talking eternaliy about your
art You will find yourself in garret that Is
what art does for a man in America. You have
r mo fNi.
plain speech. You have come to give lessons
On the piano and violin. and to play when YOU
can. How much English do You know"
Enough to eat and drink and Sleep"
''9Ou could not tell laundering girl how to
hold her hands property"
Il could quickly learn, think. have the
English books"
THAT will not do. You must take a shorter
way. Let me Think
Carl walked over to the window and looked
curiously out on the foreign street scene. He
was weli-formed young fellow of TWENTY-FIVE.
with TeutOnic features and complexion His
hair was tossed back from square, broad fore
head His eyes were dark and deep-set. and
would have been melancholy as the traditional
artists, had not an occasional flash revealed
| that the boy. too. was still behind them.
Friedrich had called in his pipe to assist his
You have no objection to lying q little in
good cause! Or stay, there is no need of that
will tell you, young man, this Is your course
f1nd out an American music teacher. and take
lessons of him for few weeks. Pretend YOU
DO not know one note from another; make
every blunder conceivable. Then store up his
corrections, and will wager six weeks of that
Will give you more of the English YOU want
than six months of the dictionaries It is the
natural method, which they are all going crazy
over. Sauveur would advise you as | do Then
drop in when l am giving my iessons-I give
fifteen or twenty dayea lesson of a half hour
and catch what you can them
Carl frightened. There was flavor of adven-
ture about this scheme.
lit will be very good Joke on the music mas
ter" he said. HE will never guess that have
Played before lore - List. 1t will be very mischiev
ut will not hurt him." laughed Friedrich
| You would better look for him az soon as YOU
can must leave you now. / go to dine with
the Vandenhoppers. That is what l have
achieved"
The next day young German was walking
siowl y along shabby street and look
ing earnestly at each door he passed
Museek less-uns. museek less uns'' he muir
INJURED but no such sign had met his eye Ali
here at last is a window that contains the invi-
tation, Lessons on the Piano"
He rang the door-bell quickly, and made ready
his little speech. An elderly lady answered his
ring.
'.Goot-day. I come for museek less-uns."
said the young man. slowly.
The Old lady looked as if she thought him
dangerous, and held the door but part Way
open.
II hat greet luf off uuseek."
"POOr simple fellow" thought the old lady.
AFTER ALL he looks harmless Perhaps you'd
and distinctly. Then. calling up the narrow
stairs, she said, Emily, wish you'd come
down here-guick."
Carl looked about the little parlor sew
ing machine, cat, some plants, a slim-legged
piano. and two or three rocking chairs more
comfortable than beautiful-an OF these he no.
tlced with an increased sense of adventure. He
was swapping his fingers at the cat with the
feeling that with her at least he could make
himself understood II even warmed the vonn0
strangers heart that pussy met his advances in
friendly spirit. and, rubbing herself against
his legs. purred in excellent German Mean
while, the lady of the house stood guard in the
little entry, calling shrilly to Emily from time to
time.
Emily at length appeared She was a girl OF
twenty or Whereabouts. Her face was rather
fine than beautiful-ene Of the faces that do
the soul Justice, and perhaps in youth somewhat
more ehan Justice Her manner was reserved
but business-like. An extraordinary family
Carl thought, In which the mother goes behind
the door, and leaves the daughter to transact
the business. The father is plainly away teach
ing MS music. Carl made his fine European
bow, and remained standing until the y0un9
lady seated herself and said. calmly:
You wish to take music lessons, my mother
tells me-"
feS. Fraulean: haf gret luf for museek"
Are you beginner" said Emily, in a clear.
firm voice. '
II welsh to begeen," answered Carl. with a
quick gesture toward the piano.
''HOw many lessons a week do Won w1sh2n
asked Emily, taking out little notebook.
1.-TWO"
"Would Tuesday and Thursday be conven-
ient?"
Eyes, Fraulein."
The charge will be dollar lesson / am
Miss f. r. Lord. Your
Cari ListmanD, at your service Fraulein"
There seemed nothing further to cav. aud Carl
took his leave. He had not dared trust his
English to inquire about his future Instructor
Evidently the daughter was quite competent to
act for him.
Promptly on Tuesday Carl re-appeared at 7
Brick street. The thought of his music lesson
was not unmixed with the hope of seeing again
the pretty American daughter with her surpris
Ing foreign ways Once more the cautious
mother allowed him to enter; once more he
waited In the little parlor with the cat for com
pany. Presently Miss Emily entered. said Good
morning" and added, 'Shah we begin at once?"
Carl was German, and dazed-a young Ger
man. and delighted He sat down mechanically
M phif o Emil