The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-02-25
|. BERGER'S PUPIL.
by G, A. copELAND.

BY G. A. COPELAND.
,rger went to Milan at just the
le. 1t had become quite the
o run down the Italian method
mental instruction, and to extol
lod of their Northern compeers.
rger car1es His name sounded
rman's, and he played music like
+, aaa tkat was all that was
Pupils ileesel TO him, and he
lwn prices. Even the city itself,
its governors, agreed to place
upils with him annually, at its
pense, as long as he should remain
This was triumph enough to
le head of much older man, and
imself was only three and twenty
old. He sat in his room one night
two weeks after his arrival, smok-
is big pipe with china bowl, and
ratulated himself. Here was sue
indeed
He wondered what his old teacher,
e Herr Kapellmeister, would say to his
lcccss. He looked around tho room,
FINISHED as comfortably as most in the
ity, and felt grim satisfaction in know
ag that the plebeian Karl Berger was
aking his ease in the very chamber where
,Tsar Botgia had once slept. IIis,kwas
nobility as high as his ancient pre-
lecessor be SAID to himself, and he
aughed grimly, for the young Swede
lad but little respect for nobility, and he
Pften spoke of his ancestors, the Berger
farls and Vikings, as thieves and cut
iAroats.
While he sat musingr} laEilyswatching
he sL,oke curling updowafd the blotch-
I'd and crumbled almost obliterated
frescoes of the vaulted ceuing above,
brought in note to ''Ill Maestro
Berger" The City of Milan informed
his excellency, the Maestro, that the last
of the three pupils had been CHOSEN, and
the pupil, the Contessa Lucia Vinella,
would attend him whenever the Maestro
would be pleased to receive her Signor
Berger scowled and shrugged his
shoulders. He had alfeady. ii the short
time he had been in Milan. heard several
"contessas" play, and he had not been
'avorably Impressed by their genius, and,
indeed it must be admitted that the
aides In question had a greater desire to
&c the handsome foreigner than to make
ly progress in music. He had forgot
n that the three pupils were too poor
pay for their tuition and We're there
re given their musical education by
charity OF the city. However. he
MT back an answer that he would give
e contessa her first lesson at 3 O'Clock
@ next afternhon ana then he took up
violin, and tIIe contessa and Milan
L success and the Kapellmeister
ssed from his mind, whilo the music
ared in tremulous vibrations through
room.
The next day everything went wrong.
, had yet 10 learn the patience neces-
ry for 2 teacher, and the countless mis-
kes of his pupils, the jar,ing discords
d the seeming stupidity rendered him
Early furious. At o'clock the charity
upil, Contessa Lucia, was ushered into
is presence, followed by an old woman,
or escort. The contessa did not look
cry aristocratic in her dress. Every
thing she had on was cheap In fact,
except that her dress was neater and
more iastefully arranged, il was about
the same as the servants. The maestro
was walking up and down the room with
an ominous frown on his face. He
wheeled around and looked at her
well, Signora, what do you wish2n
he said, Grossly.
II have come for my lesson, Signor,"
she replied, timidly.
He looked at his tablets.
''You are either too early or too
late. Thcre is a Contessa Vinella who
comes now. But if she does not come"
~ am tho eontessa, signor," and
she proceeded to unwrap
her violin from its green
covering, while the servant hobbled to
the nearest chair.
''You came to amuse yourself in
dilettante way on the violin"
~ came tc learn 10 pay Maestro; to
be able to teach music some day. Who
knowsN and she laughed little nery-
pusly.