Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-01
A BOLD AMERICAN GIRL.
She Burlesques List to His Face, ana
Breaks the Piano Stool and Strings.
From t6> Boston Herald.


From ths Boston Herald.
List was a strange compound OF strength
and weakness, but his strength was of the best,
and his weaknesses harmed no one but him.
self. An article on this subject, quote d from
Paris journal, may interest your readers,
and gives one a very amusing idea Of Liszt's
life in Rome during the pont'fcate OF Plus
TX:
1.-THE familiar card Of the Princess Y. made
one day q sudden sensation in social circles.
1t ran thus: Come and take an ice with me
idszt was the god Of the hour. Gossip was
busy with his friendship for Nine. de W. 1t
was said that the lady had exacted from the
celebrated pianist the legitimate ratlhcatlon
of their affection; that List, quite ayerse to
marriage, had interaesed between his friend
and himself the obstacle Of his sacred engage
ment to take holy orders. All wondered at
the solemn investment of the artist with cler-
ical vestments, and curiosity, not entirely di-
vested Of malice, waSexclted. we shall hear
Lisztn
cept the summons Of the PrincesgX. old Ro-
man patriarchs, the foreign colony, English,
Americana, the corps diplom tique, officers of
the pontincial army, many prelates and even
cardinals gathered in her salon. happy fer the
promised attraction, and promising them
selves the pleasure of hearing the illustrlous
pianist and new able. Eiszt appeared. The
long black robe became well his tall, thin fig
ure. He wore it without embarr assment,
with that weary and q little naughty express
sion which never really left him. He received
saluting them matestlcally, scarcely defEn-
log to open his lips, and producing
upon the spectators, especially the young
and and timid' feeling Of awe. They
bued with his pfcselse. The more courage
GUS brought him champagne and lemon ice,
but their hands tremb,ed While doing iG. One
Whispered as If in church. One feared TO
6ihtlrh n
advanced, and stin the master had not sp
pro9thed the grand Erard which stood open
for him. The Princess y. asst decided to
soicit him to play. The guests breathlessly
awdited the hoped Tor pleasure; they placed
theb5selven in the most favorable positions for
hearing. The dlserset murmur of conEersa-
tion stopped altogether. 1t was an hour OF
ectssy. But List bad nerve; he refused to
sissd IL ss femdsa P Sa that be Rad pis7ed
at the Cotonna Palace. Why should he not
'Liyzt, cold and immovable, answered
"1'he Princess was desperate. Her guests
had b cen tttnsht hsrs by false hope. In
| batame painf1l. A few charitable souls came
to the rescyAi preIate ihterfered. Thomas
S sg was s2s The srStsst wsea
duplicating ioahs. All EFFORTS failed. The
great spirit gemaiNed cold and he declined in
tone cqtaas aud ineistge. All seductions
I'm the mfGN Of the general dismay, a
| young lady, excited apd hritated like al the
| rest. rose and ad9ressed in these terms the
unfortunate ihsstfess Of the house, who sat
upou thorns: Dear Princess, the master has
refused Us the great happiness his presence
| made us hope for, We csnsot hear HE divine
harfnsnieS! Bet, since our friends EXPECT
music, will, although very unworthy, offer
my modest assistance. VIII cato the piano
| "The ssupefaction could not have been
greater II one had seeu the cppola of St. Pc
tsr's perform fandsngo. The bensmbea au
| d1ence watched curiously the young woman.
1t was an American, worry gay, very daring,
very Witty, wesl known for her eccentricities,
| but woman OF MUD and real talent, and so
yonng and pretty that no one coatd And fault
with her. She gracefully uRg'oved her hands,
| white sae Princess murfn tlFed her astoniehed
| thank rs, seized the arm of the first cavalier
/ who presented himself, aud went and seated
herself on the piano stool. This scene at
| tracted wondering attention. Fer awhile
everybody forgot Liszt for the beautiful eyes
OF her who took his place. With the preci-
sion OF an artistic. but the mischief of
child, she preluded brilliantly.
But the piece! Oh, the piece! II was
parody extra noisy of the most noisy COM
| position Of LIsZt. And what gave piquancy
to the thing was that the executante initiated
| exactly the method Of the MASTER The notes
| vibrated more and more under ner furious
attacks; they growled sogrily; the hands ran
| as II they were m ad over the electrified KEYS,
| Soon ii was not only the finger, but the fist
| which hammered the note, or perhaps the
| arm, and even she elbow struck The ivory In
| buTlesque chords.
THE American lady was no longer seated
| she played standing, her eyes raised to
| heaven, the head turned up, rolling her
| chances, either swoonlng or m addened. about
| the room. and shaking herself like an evil
| spirit. Finally. her hair, shaken a. if by a
| whirlwihd. escaped from the comb and fell In
a sheet abou. h;r shnulders. She interrupted
| her play. raising hees6lf With 3 gesture to =
| ward her forehead, exactly like the master.
then painting. exhausted, laid on with sill her
| force the last hoarse chords and let heraeH fall
| upon the piano stool, apparently half faiat-
| ing. The tabouret broke with a groan, and
| at h same moment some of the strings OF
the piano cracked Under tnis last pressure.
| Never shall forget the effect of this joke,
| doubtful as 1T was or the whole. The guests
| forgot all decorum. they writhed with laugh
| ter, they held their sides, they wept, The
| thing was SO unexpected, she was so drol,
| that no one could check the gayety OF this
| immense salon. The good Princess could only
| follow the tide. And the master? He grew
| wan, green, and RED by turns, and picked
| nervously 1T the buttons On his new casseck
| he threw wan4ersng glance upon the au-
| dience. No one dared TO fix his gaze upon
| him; they were all weA bred. but they laughed
aloud, although without malice or any inten-
ton OF being insulting or aggressive. Thus
| the Able was enabled to ga3n the door and
| lesson was severe, l admit but i. has borne
| Able Liszt protect himself too much from hi .
admirers. A gracious and well-timed PRAYER
has rarely feHnd him deaf"
I