The Indianapolis journal., 1885-01-03

will nefer learn to play. | know at once when
| spik to somebody vedder he understands me or
not, vedder find response in his soul"
Catharine had seated herself in an easy chair,
facing him. and she listened with rapt attention.
My sounding board is all atremble with your
music yet" she said 'it is as if felt it vibrat-
ing"
"Brafor' he exclaimed triumphant illumina-
ton breaking over his countenance; we shall
conquer yet-ve shall conquer yet"
There was something so soul-searching in the
look he gave her that she blushed, though she
did not finch from his gaze.
Music" he began, 'is a language, and it is
meant to express thoughts andemotions. 1t is
not an accomplishment except in SO far as speak
ing is an accomplishment 1t is an art only in
the sense that poetry is an art. mean or silly
soul can no more make good music than it can
make good poetry The soul expresses it's high
er range of thought and feeling in music, be-
cause that range of feeling lies
beyond the reach of words. If you haf
neffer thought loftily or felt deeply, you
should not attempt to play. You haf no need of
music, and music has 70 need of you. Ii you
feel certain exhilaration from melodous noises
buy music hand organ. But you may
say read the poets, aldough / cannot make
poetry-why, den, should not play good music,
even dough / cannot make it, Dare you are
right But you do not read the poets unless you
haf arrived at dat degree of intelligence dat you
can express deir thought and sympathize with
it. Now, de question is, vat kind of music do
you understand and sympathize with? Not
Schubert, should say-den We must go step
lower"
NO, no. / beg of you," the girl exclaimed, ris-
ing impulsively. TRY me once more. Or, you
play the Impromptu' to me, and let me try if l
understand your Interpretation
He took his seat at the piano and played the
'Impromptu" with magnificent skill. He ac-
centuated every transition of feeling for her
benefit, nodded his head to her, leaned over to
her and flung back his name of hair with an
abandonment to the moments delight, which in
any one but him would have been ridiculous
But Catharine was becoming wildly impressed
with the fact that her music teacher was an un-
usual character. And it did not occur to her that
his peculiarities were laughable. He had actually
furnished her with the key to the unsuspected
realm of which he had spoken, and she was al
ready getting gimpses of that beauty and light
which he had declared to be beyond the reach of
earth-clogged souls. When, at the end of the
hour he bowed himself to the ground and with
elaborate Teutonic gestures backed out into the
vestibule, she felt a kind of emptiness surround
ing her, as if he had taken part of the daylight
with him. She surprised her family by spend
ing several hours during the afternoon at her
nd 10
adorers.
Mr.. Van Tassall was retired Knickerbocker
OF fifty or thereabouts. do not know exactly
what he had retired from, but whatever it was
it must have been remunerative, for it had left
him with large income and twinge of the
gout Mr. Van Tassell had never had to start
in the world, as the saying is, for he had been
superbly started before he was born. All he had
to do apparently, was to lend his eminent name
to enterprises which Immediately made haste to
blossom into dividends Such an occupation
makes man smooth rotund and amiable and
Mr.. Van Tassell was all these things except
on his gouty days. when his shining qualities
suffered an eclipse.
"Ain't you rather OVERRIDING this music busi-
end of two weeks, during which she had de-
prived Mr.. Romilly of the light Of her coun-
tenance.
1T was you, papa whoinsisted upon my keep
ing up my music" she answered, with sweet
flial submission.
''Yes; but had no idea You would go to such
lengths. You carry it too far. my dear; you
carry it too far. just wanted you to learn to
play a few pieces moderately well. ! don't want
you to become professional"
"But if the thing is worth doing at all, it is
worth doing very we'll"
"Yes, but with moderation. wish you would
neglect the thing now, for change, and give
your musical monkey vacation"
Papa" retorted Catharine, an angry blush
spriuging to der face, II must beg of you to re-
frain from using such expressions in my pres
ence. Mr.. Greifenstett is the grandest man I
have ever known"
Mr. Van Tassell put down his newspaper and
stared at his daughter with vague alarm.
1.-THE grandest man you have known, ehl" he
queried with undisguised astonishnent
Eyes. papa"
"Then all can say is that he is an arrant i'm
poS1or' w Ay uo you suppoSo ouSdReu Alms
Not because of his grandeur, surely. No, my
DEAR I engaged him because he looked more
like q fool than any man l had known
''That shows lack of penetration on your part
papa-not deception on his
Mr.. Van Tassell raised the paper before his
face and sat deeply absorbed, though he did not
read. Then he arose with loudly creaking boots
ordered his carriage and drove to very unfash-
ionable side street, where. in response to his
ring, slatternly domestic opened the door for
him.
us Mr. Gripenfelt at homer he asked.
who, did you say2'
There was such tremendous rumbling of a
piano overhead that it was difficult TO make ones
self heard.
Mr. Gripenfelt," shouted Mr.. Van Tassell.
'Oh, the Dutch music master; yes, he is most