Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-07-30
lmmens n1ud.pdadIes. The troits vas


"Abrahamek" I cried out, though you
had no other talent whatever, you are at
all events an admirable driver! What +
pity have DO carriage and horses Of my
own
II be heard any com mpliment, he was not .
discnnCerted by it in the least; for be .
merely nodded his curly head to me, with /
a proudly dignifed salute Of recognition /
On the Sunday following | found to- /
tally different Abrahamek outside the .
city. at one of the suburban villages. 1t
was in IA tavern where some peasants We're
having a dance. This time ! saw none OF
the serious calm of the painter, none of
the wild gaycty of the wedding jester,
none of the grand Style of the fast driver.
AbrahlmeS was evidently suffering from
some profound melancholy. Not mus
Gle moved in his fICe--t was rigid rs mar
BILE There was no pcrceptihle trembling
of his cvrlids vet MS tears were falling
continually: not always streaming, how
ever, down his wau cheeks They also
dripLed, bitter dOlo-uuS. and as If mingled
with harmony, from the surface OF the
cymbal> bc.Urc which he was seated, and
which he kept tdpp ng with two little
drum icks covered with greasy leather.
tapping sometimes gently, IN CareSslng
way-aS If coaXiEg a petted child; then.
again, strongly, furiously. as il punlshing
some scolding wife with good drubbing.
The other instruments were shrleklng,
rumbling meaning around him, ike
menagerle before feeding time; and the
heavily booted peasants jumped about un-
Couthly in the dance, and peasant-women
with them. in one great whlrl of petuCoat.
and plated hair And all this in cloud
of dust, smelling of garlic, brandy, and
new sheepsk!n.
Abrahamek was wholly unimpressed by
Il: with set lips and glistening eyet, he
noted nothing except the melancholy tones
which the plaintlve Cymbals were sending
through his very soul. He was at that
moment au artist: and God knows what
celestial harmonies he was hearing in his
dreams \ supernatural harmony as
suredly. for his face was lighted as by
radiance from above. The deuce"
sad To myself. "Abrahamek a musician
too, And what soul Of fire he has in
that apparently insignificant little body of
his"
My Abrahamek thus continued to paint,
to drive to compose farcical rhymes. 10
play music and my clothes were not forth
coming ] had no choice but to cali IL
person on Abrahamek, ami see how mat
| ters Were progressing.
The pretty little house he occupied, and
N which he had opened his tailor's- s-shop,
| belonged to him 1t had come to him As
aart Of his wifes dowry He himself had
| begun life as poor Talmudic scholar;
| and he still preferred to hold scholastic
! disquisltions with his old fellow students
! than TO make froCkcOats and uniforms.
I inn
! cross legged on big table, and sewing
/ away with furious zeal
"You see I'm working at it, he cried:
| ~to morrow I'll have 1t all ready"
| We'll, should say 1t was high time"
~iIign time! Why, have not got the coat
| already done? Neigele, where is that
| coat? | want to let you see it. Neigele"
| was curious to see this mans wife.
| She came in. A brunette of medium
height. quite plump, with features adora-
| bly sauve as those of the wife of Ahas
erus. whose witchery proved mighty
! enough to bring wretched Haman to the
scaffold She wore little jacket of red
! fire velvet, lined and trimmed with black
| rabbit fur. and Jewish diadem of gold
! sparkling with jewels, whose brilliancy
and color could not vie with the dazzling
| splendor of her eyes and the satiny fresh
| ness of her complexion. Her round white
arms as they protruded from the soft,
! fur, seemed chiseled out of Greek marble
| She saluted me with q mischiC. Gus smile,
! and walked directly 10 her husband.
What do you want now" she began, in
a quick impatient tone, like little queen
! disturbed in the midst of some highly i'm
| pOrtant occupation.
coat"
She went for it. unfOlded it before me
with an air of Satifact.on, and exclaimed
with "A triumphant smile.
There's work for YOU, eh' That's the
| way that wretch can work when he wants
to; but. good God, when does he want to,
| He devotcs himself to painting, poetry. TO
music. SO many fine arts which never bring
US in so much as a crust of bread! We
might be able to ride in our own carriage
| If he wished, but"
Has man need of horses and of car
riages>" said Abrahamek. If God>1esired
that man should be driven in a carriage,
without legs
"Now you hear him" cries Veigele in eX-
aSperatiOn. putting her arms akimbO, with
her little flats propped npon her rounded
hips under the fnr-l;ned Jacket That is
the way lie is, All day long he goes about
like a man in a s-eam. talk king about fol
lies Of some kind. each worse than the
other. suppose ou-rht to keep his store
and sew for him: but God knows | won't
do il. I've enough 10 do TO look after the
house. Gou will have your suit, young
master, even if have TO beat Abrahamek
like an nss TO keep him at work"
She gave HIM Violent thump in the
back with her little fist. and ran ont with
great futtering of petticoats.
Pretty woman" remarked.
Yes, she is pretty, that is true" re-
Piled Abrahamek. speaking as II TO him
sell
sle seems very intelligent
"Sfe is very Intelligent"
"BGt bai tempered. sh'"
"That depends bow ono looks ht the
question" said Abrahamk. AS 4 genera,
ruia it isnot worth while 90 attach much
inpoT, suce to what women say. nor worth
while to bear than amy iiI.wili for it. But
! With her Il is different, She oaH not be re-
iT=oa consideration. And. you know,
wen o man allows himself to he Ill
treated by n woman, tnat woman must be
worth the trouble Of It. VeigeIe il
worth it,
Then you nre quite content with you
Wife,
why should / not be content' Who is
happy in this worlds Only the man who is
| content with his lot And she is a good
wife! Even Count Skarbek always kisses
her hands; well, why should he not kiss
them: She has pair Of little hands as
soft as velvet and as white as ermine.
| How the man ever managed to WOO and
wed such little love of wife, can not
| imagine; but as | left Abrahamek's 5 house,
l could not help rejecting that this greatly
and varlously gifted artist was also q
/ philosopher! He absolutely represented
the X aus type Of Jewish Socrates. Any
how, with such a Nantippe as that, felt
should be quite happy myself.
do not know to what further brilliant
] u. Lr.