The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-02-11
KARL BERGER'S PUPIL.
By G., A. COPELAND.

AANL DElUEHO FULL.
By G. A. COPELAND.
Karl Berger went to Milan at just tn
night time. 1t had become quite tn
fashion to run down the Italian methot
of instrumental instruction, and to cXto
the method Of their Northern compcers
Karl Berger came. His name sounde,
like aGermau's, and he played music Xix
a master, aud that was all that wa
needed. Pupils lockcd to him, and h,
set his W prices. Even the city itself
through its governors. agreed to plac
three pupils with him annually, at il
w expense, as long as he should remain
there. This was triumph enough t,
turn the head of a much older man, ant
Karl himself was only three and twent,
years old. He sat in his room one nigh
about two weeks after his arrival, smok
ing his big pipe with china bowl, ant
congratulated himself. Here was sue
cess indeed!
He wondered what his old teacher
the Herr Kapellmeister, would say to hi
success. He looked around the room
furnished as comfortably as most in tn,
city, and felt & grim satisfaction in know
ing that the plebeian Karl Berger wa
taking his ease in the very chamber wher'
Caesar Borgia had once slept. His Wa:
nobility as high as his ancient pre-
decessor, he SAID to himself, and h'
laughed grimly, for the young Swed'
had but little respect for nobility, and h
often spoke of his ancestors, the Bcrgc,
Jaris and Vikings, as thieves and cut
Threats.
While he sat musing, lazily watching
the smoke curling up toward the blotch
ed and crumbled, almost obliteratet
frescoes of the vaulted ceiling above, a
servant brought in a note to ''Ill Maestro
Berger" The City of Milan informed
his excellency, the Maestro, that the las
, of the three pupils had been chosen, anG
the pupil, the Contessa Lucia Ninella
would attend him whenever the Maestro
would be pleased to receive her. Signol
Berger scowled and shrugged hi:
shoulders. He had already. in the short
time he had been in Milan, heard severa
'''contessas" play, and he had not been
favorably impressed by their genius, and,
indeed. it must be admitted that the
l. dies in question had a greater desire tc
see the handsome foreigner than to make
any progress in music. He had forgot,
ten that the three pupils were too poor
to pay for their tuition and were there.
fore given their musical education by
the charity Of the city. However, he
sent back an answer that he would give
the contessa her first lesson at 3 o'clock
the next afternoon, and then he took up
his violin, and the conteSsa and Milan
and success and the Kapellmcister
passed from his mind, while the music
scared in tremulous vibrations through
the room.
The next day everything went wrong.
He had yet to learn the patience neces-
sary for g teacher, and the countless mis-
takes of his pupils, the Earring discords
and the seeming stupidity rendered him
nearly furious. At 3 o'clock the charity
pupil, Contessa Lucia, was ushered into
his presence, followed by an old woman,
her escort. The contcssa did not look
very aristocratic in her dress. Every
thing size had on was ciIcar. In fact,
except that her dress was neatcr and
more tastefully arranged, it was aboIt
the same as the servants. The maestro
was walking up and down the room with
all ominous frown on his face. He
wheeled around and looked at her.
"Well, Signora, what do you wish2"
he said, Grossly.
Il have come for my lesson, Signor,''
she replied, timidly. .
He looked at his tablets.
''You are either too early or too
late. There is a Contcssa Ninclla who
comes now. But if she does not come
81 am the contessa. signor," and
she proceeded to unwrap
her violin from its green
covering. while the servant hobbled TO
the nearest chair.
"You came to amusc yourself in a
dilettante way on the violin"
II came to learn to play, Maestro; to
be able to teach music some day. Who
knowsl" and she laughed a lite nery-
ously.
"Contessas don't teach music" he
said, scornfully. 1T is only poor plebci-
ans who do that. Let me- hear you play
She nestled the violin on her shoulder
caressingly, anC obcdiently commenced.
The air was simple, a pleasant lullaby, in
a minor key. soft and sad, which had
been sung by many Roman mothers to
their children. One OF those airs. which,
like the German Lieder, one finds among
the people, its author and origin lost in
antiquity. yet everlasting from its pathos
and tenderness. The violin was fit to
be Its Interpreter, an old Cremona almost
black with age. The music foated out
from the five quivcring strings. The girl,
her eyes almost closed and her head bent
forward, stood erect, playing. The old
servant sat listlcsSly, caught by the music
swsying to and fro, as if rocking some
child, dead fifty years ago. Karl Berger
stood frowning III the shadow of a cur.
tain. What right had a contessa. a
young girl, to play like that? What right
had she to a :iol;n which was so much
better than his? The soft repeated
strains came 10 an end, and the girl
turned proudly toward him.
at is q wrctched piece, wretchedly
played" he said, GROSSLY. You will
never make an artistic of yourself. 1t
lacks soul, it lacks rhythm, it lacks
everything"
These peiulant words words which
the honest Kari Berger was ashamed of
even while he uttered thcm-struck the
young girl like a blow. Her face,
proud and happy at her successful rem
Gering of the simple peasant air, fell
suddenly at this harsh verdict. and. girl
like, she burst in,o sobs and left the
room. while the servant stared stolidly
at the fierce foreigner, and then rose and
hobblcd after the girl.
Karl Berger felt ashamed Of himself
and his sudden fit of anger. He took
up his own violin, but it sounded harsh.
He was cold and courteous to the pupils
who came that afternoon, but he was
glad when the day was over. They were
lighting the lampsin the courtyard below
when he looked ont. He watched the
servants as they put the lamps in their
places, and after they had left he stood
at the window looking abseutly down On
the empty courtyard beneath, when he
saw a figure coming slowly across the
yard. He stepped out on the balcony
and called to her, for he recognized the
escort of the Contessa Lucia. When the
woman had come up he asked her:
"Where does the Contessa Vinc!la
live p
"In this house, signor, with a relative.
The contcssa has no other friends and
she lives here, but not in idleness, sig
nor! She is too proud for that! She
takes care of the house, and works like
a servant. She has no friends but me;
I was her nurse. She is too proud to 60
with others in the house. Even her rela-
tives do not patronlze her, and the SER
wants are always very polite to her, and
always obey her, but behind her back
they laugh at her here, and call her the
'contessa-o of all-work,' and the 'contessa
cook Her grandfather, the Count
Vinella, had taught her music. and she
worked so hard ut it that she might earn