The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-02-11
Karl Berger ran his hands through his

again, and | will promise to be fairer.'
The next afternoon The girl came in.
1T was very silly of me, Maestro, 20
run away like that she said; "but l
want so much to be a good artistic, and
when you told me | could not
"Don't talk about it, please" inter
ruptcd Karl; 81 was cross and tired, and,
if you must know it, Jealous" and he
smiled grimly. Eyes, jealous, that you
could play better than l."
Lucia flushed with delight.
''If you mean that-but no. You are
laughing at me-"
II mean what 1 said replied Karl,
detcrmincdly. 81 can teach You tech
nique, perhaps; afterthat YOU have moth
ing to learn
So it was settled.
One day, during the lesson, Karl said
abruptly:
Would YOU like also to study at
night? Ny evenings are all my own"
The girl laughed with pleasure and
cried: ''Oh, Mastcro, you are so kind"
SO, after the work was done. Lucia
would come in with Marcia, her old
nurse, and after the lesson Karl would
| pick up his own violin and play. One
night he stopped suddenly and said to
her:
II wish YOU would not call me Macs.
tro. | am not a master in music. | am
only 4 sham. and some day they will
find it out. l am not much older than
YOU and don't play any better. l want
| you to think of me as a fellow student,
not as a teacher
"What shall l call you, then?" Lucia
asked shyly.
"kall."
"That is a prettynamc," said Lucia.
cit was my iather's," and he went on
to speak Of his Northern home, of the
! snow.storm when all the family died but
himself, and how he was found famished
! and sensclcss, with his violin Rugged to
his breast. And Lncia sat still and
! drank in every word. Then she told him
of her W home and her past history.
Each night after they laid their music
aside they would sit and talk, and Mar
cia would sit and slumber quietly in her
chair.
OUOu llIC OpSlo oSIooh "HN
often the three would sit back in some
little box which had been placed at
Karl's disposal, and listen to the grand
creations of the masters. A happy time
for both. Karl was all gcntleness to the
little contcssa, and the grim young
Norseman commenced to find himself
making jokes to amusc her. He to make
jokcs-who had hitherto gone through
life in his sober, solemn way-to make
jokes! 1t was surprising indeed. They
called each other Karl and Lucia, and
sometimes brother and sister. So things
went on, till suddenly Marcia fell sick.
Lucia stayed by her bedside Sc
much as her work would allow. Tha
lessons must cease till Marcia grew bet
ter, for she had no other chaperonc, and
of course it was impossible for her to go
without one. The days seemed to drag
slowly aleng, and the night-watching
Logan to tell on her. She grew paler
and went about sad and musing.
As for Karl, the first time that Lucia
missed her lesson he became rather angry.
''She thinks she has learned every
thing, perhaps, and is through with me-"
he muttcrcd.
He tried to feel injured and Danish her
from his mind, and for awhile he thought
he had succeeded. When the long even
ing came and he found himself alone, he
became restless and uneasy, and imagined
himself only anxious that nothing might
have happened to Lucia. lie took up
his violin, but soon put it aside. and
then he went out to the opera.housc.
The prima donna was out of voice and
the orchestra vile. Coming home he
met one of the servants.
'.Where is Marcia Z" he asked.
every sick, signor."
So that was it. He went gloomily up
stairs and went straight to the mirror
and began to apostrophize his image.
Maestro Berger, you are an ass" he
said quietly. "lIowever poor she may
be, she is still contessa and YOU are only
Karl Berger" and he took up his
violin and commenced to play. But
with all his self. restraint he found the
days merry long and tircsome.
One night Lucia sat alone in the room
when she heard Karl's violin. lie was
telling his story of love, unconsciously,
to the one from whom he intended to
hide it. AS the girl sat there in the
darkness, holding Marcia's hand, she felt
strangely happy and quiet. Suddenly
Marcia opened her eyes.
"Lucia," she said, II am ever so much
better"
The proud ~contessa bent over and
kissed the wrinkled face of the servant
and said, gravely:
"That is well; but you must sleep,
Marcia, and not talk"
''Play for me, Cara" said the old wo-
man, drowsily.
And Karl Berger heard suddenly from
Marcia'S room the answer to his violin's
confession. Swcetly and softly it came
to him at first, but 500 it swclled out
into full volume. 1t told all to him that
was necessary. And when the girl ceased
playing and sank back in her chair,
blushing rosily red, there we've two peo-
pic in the house who were perfectly
happy.
When Lucia awoke the next morning
and found Marcia better and the heavens
and the birds in harmony with her happy E.
mood, the first thing she did was to Hiss
her violin, and when she had dressed and
was coming down the stairs, singing like
q lark, she saw at the foot Karl Berger,
his face flushed and looking very happy,
indeed.
"Tell me, little Lucia" he said, eager
ly, didn't the violin speak truly2"
don't know what she said, for l
didn't hear it: but | do know that Milan
was surprised to hear that very winter
that one of its contessas had married q