Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-02-14
KARL BERGER'S PUPIL

K ARL BERGER s PUPIL
Karl Bcrgcr went to Milan al
just the right time. 1t had hecomC
quite the fashion to run down the
Italian method of instrumental in
struction. and to cXtol the method
of their Northern compeerS. Karl
Berger came. His name sounded
like Il Germans, and he played
music like 4 master, and that was
all that was needed. Pupils tlncked
to him, and he set his own prices
Even the city itself, through its
governors. agreed TO place three
pupils with him annually, at its
own expense, as long us he should
remain there. This was triumph
enough to turn the head of Il much
older man. and Karl himself was
Only three and twenty years Old
He sat in his room one night about
two weeks after his arrival, smoll-
ing his big pipe with china bowl,
and congraIulating himself. Here
WAS success indeed!
He wondered what his old teachs
er, the Herr KapcllmeiSter, would
say to his success. He looked
around the room, furnished lis com;
tortably us most III the city, and
felt a grim satisfaction in knowing
that the plebeian Karl Berger was
taking his case in thcsvery chamber
where Cesar BorSia had once slept.
HIS WAS Il nobility rs high aShiS
ancient predecessor, he said to
himself. and lie laughed grimly, foS
the Young Swede had but little res
spect for nobility, and he often
spoke Of Ills ancestors, the Berget
.IarlS and Vikings. rs thieves aud
cuttlroatS. 4:
While he sat muSing, lazily watclT
ing the smoke curling mp toward
the blotcled and crrmblcd. almost
obiitc1ated l'reScoeS of the vaulted
ceiling above, Il servant brought in
n note to "IlI Maestro Berger"
The City of Milan informed his OK
ccllcncy. the Maestro. that the last
of the three pupils had been chosen,
and the pupil, The Contcss;l Lucia
Vinella. would attend him whenev.
er the Maestro world be pleas" i D
,....~;,~-- s;."or nri'.c.' n.
Scowl"d and shrugged his sli0nldrHS.
He had already. III the short time
he had been in Milan, heard sever
al 'contcSsaS' play. and he had not
been ravorably impressed by their
genius, and, indeed. it must be adj
United that tile ladies in question
had a greater desire to sec the
handsome foreigner than to MAKE
any progress in music. He had
forgotten tlatthe three pupils were
too poor to pay for their tuition
and were therefore given their mu-
steal education by the charity Of
the city. However, he sent back
an answer that he would give the
contessa her first lcsSonat 3 O'Clock
the next afternoon, and then he
took up Ills violin, and the contessa
and Milan and success and the
liapcllmcister passed from his
mind. Willie The music scared in
tremulOus vibrations through tile
room.
The next day everything went
wrong. He had veto learn the
patience necessary for q teacher,
and the countless mistakes of his
pupils, the iarrlng diScorls and the
seeming stupidity rendered him
nearly furious. AT 3 o'clock the
charity pupil, ContesSa Lucia. WAS
usllelcd into his presence, followed
by an old woman, her escort. The
contessa did not look very aristo-
cratic in her dress. Everything
she had on was cheap. In fact,
except that her dress was neater
and more tasteiully arranged, it
was aboutthc same as the servants.
The maestro was walking up and
down the room with an ominouS
trown on his face. He wheeled
around and looked at her.
"WeIl, Signora, what do you
wish!" he said, GROSSLY.
81 have come for my lesson, Sig
nor" she replied, timidly.
He looked at his tablets.
You are either too early or too
late. There is ConteSsa Vinell;l
who comes now. But if she does
not coule-"
clam the contessa, signor," and
she proceeded to unwrap her violin
from its green covering. while the
servant hobbled to the nearest
clair.
"Yon came to amuse yourself in
a dilettante way on tile VIOLIN"
Il came To learn 10 pay, Macs
tro; to be able to teach music some
day. Who knows9" and she
laughed Il little nervously.
"ConteSsas don't teach music y
he said, scorntully. sit isonly poor
plebeians who did that. Let me
hear you play" She nestled the
violin on her shoulder caressinely,
and obediently commenced. The
air was simple, a pleasant lullaby,
in minor key, soft and sad, which
had been sung by many Roman
mothers to their children. One OF
those airs, which, like the German
Lleder, one finds among the people
its author and origin lost i'll antiqui
a. ,..t ,,,.,,l,,rt infr tro,o r.. ,,n I, ns