Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-05-30
A ROYAL SYMPHONY.

fNcTNDOny who knew Mt DOubleDAs
agreed that it was entirely his own faul
that he had not achieved a distinguishe
position in the musical world His mus
cal gifts were beyond question. He was
perfect master of several instruments, hR
profound knowledge of the theOTetiCa
branch of his art and was in addition L
this a man of wide reading and some liter
AIRY power. But at the age of 10, he wa
engaged III IA desperate struggle for exist
enCe. The reason was not difficult To DIS
I cover. Mr. Duublcbass had sundTy views
about the nature of art and the duties ol
an artist. which, however sublime in
themselves, are conducive neither topper
sonal popularity nor peCuniary profit. He
had a constitutional horror Of hunting in
every shape, and an unfortunate fscllity
III hurting out his opinions in detiInCe of
conventionallty and prejudice Br these
means he had ruined one after another of
the chances life had brought him. He
had failed as professor at a well
known musical institution by "A rtmorse
less severity with which he kept his pu-
pills at the groundwork of their
studies before allowing then TO pro
Ceed to higher things. He had made
himself impossible As conductor by
his resulut" refusal to have anything TO do
with works which did not satisfy his high
standard of artist excellence He had lost
his post rs musical critic on one OF the
. London daiiies by his ferOciuus onslaught
, upon one or two distinguished amateurs.
In the natural course of things, therefore,
/ Mr.. Duuhlehass sank lower and lower in
the world until, meeting With bad health
. in addition tu his other reVerSes, he was
at last compelled to take second fiddle
/ in well known London orchestra, while
his daughte: Maggie-fOr by this time
. Mr.. Doubled ass was avidOwer-eXtraCted
what addition could be made TO their
sCanty means out OF q maiden lady lOdger
one wet DecembG evening the little
gentleman came hone rather later than
/ usual to his modest mansion in the neigh
/ burhOod of Park street, Camden Town.
/ Maggie was, as usual. waiting up for him,
and took from him his tiddle-case and
dripping overcna: owing To ctrcum-
stances beyond his control, Mr.. Double
/ bass had been cut without All umbrella.
: The old man tuned into the little front
/ parlOr, and without many remarks, fell
to work upon the fragment OF Dutch
/ cheese, the household loaf and the half
| pint Of beer spread out for his refresh
ment
Amy news. Maggie" he inquired pres
emily.
Yes. great news. father" said the girl,
looking up from her work; Al have had
visitor"
"FriendlyOr hostile'" asked Mr. Double
bass, who had a vivid recollection that the
water rates" had called a few days pre-
viUusly, and promised a repetition of his
visit shorty
A friend in gay tone. "He said he
had good news for you. and left this note,
with the message that you must be at
home tomorrow without fail" Mr..
DOublebass opened the note which his
daughter handed TO him, and read as fol
lows:
DEAR D.-Have you still got the sym
phUny by you. about which you spoke TO
me some weeks ago. If you have, | think
| cay ind an opening for ii, provided you
will be satisfied with a lO-pound note But
must see you about it at once. VIII call
at 10 a. IL. tomorrow. Yours,
"SOAPLEY SMART"
BLESS the man, what does he scent him
self like that for: Why. the very paper he
touches smells like BARRIERS shop Give
NE the tobacco, Mag" cried the old man,
tossing the note from him with a sniff
Hadn't better get the symphony, too,
fatherY" asked Maggie
BAH what does he know about the
symphony It's not the sort of stuff he
wants" said Mr. DOublebass, contemptu-
ously "However, suppose he must see
it. Just get it down. Maggie. and I'll see
that I is all in order before go TO bed"
Maggie had no difficulty in laying her
hands upon the precious Ms. in question,
which had been the companion of their
troubles for many years, and Mr. Double
bass solace under many trials. The girl
WAS, indeed, scarcely less interested in the
symphony than the old man himself, and
knew enough of her father to guess that,
in spite of his petulant tone, the prospect
of his work being given to the world at
last elated him not little
Punctually at 10 o clock the next morn
ing Mr.. Soapley Smart drove up to the
door. He was by no means a gentleman
of that type with which eminence in the
musical profession is commonly assO-
ciated. His clothes We're OF highly fash
ionable cut and material; he had an eye
glass in one eye; his hair, which was yell
low and sCanty, WAS cut short and parted
in the middle, and he wore a heavy mus
taChe and two little tufts of whisker. At
an early age of his musical career he had
achieved fame by the publication of Sc
duCtlVe waltz of a simple character, called
" "EGOuteZ moi and two or three intensely
pathetic ballads the best known of which
is The Angel and the Kiss Having an
extensive connection in fashionable cir
cles he had rapidly advanced into the
higher walks Of art. He was the habitual
of aristOcratiC amateurs, per
formed at smoking concerts, where even
royalty smoked cigars and played the
violin, conducted an orchestral society for
Of which title was the one
qualification. During the
last twelve months this talented gentle
man had on more than one occasion
shown friendly interest in Mr.. Double .
bass, and il was To him that the elder mu-
sician owed his seat in the orchestra
where lie now played. Mr.. Doublebass,
who, to tell the truth entertained pro
found contempt for SOapley Smart and all
his works. WAS quite at a loss to account /
for these acts Of friendship, though possi- ,
bly, if Miss Duublebass had chosen she /
might have enlightened her father on that /
point.
Il haven't many minutes to spare" said .
Mr.. Smart in his airy manner, rs he took .
a seat. Don't run away Miss Double
bass. may have to talk secrets, but .
nothing, | am sure, but what may trust
you with. Now, then, where is the mag
mum opus2"
Mr.. Doublebass handed the MS TO his
visitor
Rather bulky. isn't it," observed Mr.
smart poising the work in his hands. Il
nope it isn't too long, though that's a .
iefcct soon remedied. What's this," (the .
critic had rapidly turned over page or
wO). Allegro, 'Andante con mOto, .
ScknrZn Ihis lnnLs lk.a philharInnnic