The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-02-27
ELFIlRIDA,

ground ratreat each with his instrument
under Ma arm, The leader moved here and
there, whispering 70 lhIs one, calling that
ONES attention " particular passage, aud
speaking, half aloud, over tho heads Of tho
othefa, 70 one who aat behind
There was more stir than usual among tho
orchestra members, and ono would know,
without consulting tho play bill, that tho
music Of tho peca was an Important part IN
the programme
The second bell sounded The voices we're
hushed, and tho instruments taken IN hand,
The conductor appeared, "A young, genIeel
loolhng man Noddlng lightly " the leader,
he stepped u his place Of honor then, like a
field maehal reviewed hls troupe Aatladed
smlla iltted over his face-then suddenly II
darkenod Way back there among the ylo-
lina he had dlaeerned an empty chair
"Who Ia missing there behlndF ha asked,
Many heads turned quickly "llahermannl
llaharnannlN was tho anaWer
'Ah, he shall he punished for thlsN
Then cane tho thIrd signal lta vibrations
had not dlel away when a little, insignificant
looking man rushed 10 the empty place, pulled
hla violin from ~ cover, placed hia notes In
order, oil with feyerlsh awliiness,
The conductor raped, looked 10 tho right,
10 the loft thon straight Aiead, His lified
arm sank and with thunderous roll Of
drums tho overture began,
The ata conner must nave been running,
Tor he breathed short, and fakes of melting
snow atil olung ~ hia coat lle held his ylO'
lin upright upon his knee, aud stretched hln
head far forward W tee hla nOtas,
~ Tho end OF tho first act part Of tho audi
enoe went out, but tho orchestra remained In
full numbers
"llabermannr said the conductor, "come
this wayT
The ono addressed looked up uncertain
Had ho heen oalledi
The conlra-barslat, a large, rough, but good
natured mnn, shook him by tho arm, "C0me,
old mnrmot, cant you hearr
flo Understood then "MRrm1t' could only
mean him, Stumbling, for ho was very short
sighted, over several things In hIa way, he
stood before bis master, who looked down
upon him lmperlously
My man, you have the privilege Of tho
unpunotual, Contest What have you been
ab0utf
Like q whipped dog tho man looked up NJ
the speaker, but hIa face remained cold aud
erpreslonleaa
NCan you not speakT
"perhapa ho II In aomo love affair." tho
mlrthful ylolonoellist could not refrain from
saying
"You will bo kind enough 10 keep your
foolish humor 10 yourself, said tho oonduo-
tor. "And y0u-old man-of course you viii
pay tho ordinary penalty. II this happens
again, shall obtain your dismissal through
tho director You know very we'll you arc
not wanted horo-only tolerated, Enoughl'
with q grand gesture ho turned away, aud
tho old man stumbled back 10 hli place
A strange figure was this llabounann,
Small aud thin, his face Of an ash gray hue
surrounded by brlstly gray beard, and
brIHtly gray hair stood up dollantly oyor hls
head His eyes were coae drawn together by
hla near aightednoN His trousers we're too
short aud hiN coat too long, both Of uncertain
agea When out OF DOORS 10 thIa outlt was
added an old cylindor hat, aud long knit
scarf that was wound many timog round his
neck, and the long onda either hung down In
front or were blown baok, ilagllllo, by tho
wind. His form was we'll known by oyory
boy ON tho Gtrotta through which ho passed. In
going 10 aud from tho theatre,
Tho second act began, Tho stage repro
fentod aceno Of oriental splondor that ai'
tonlahed even accustomed theatre goora, and
the musicians, usually indifferent from long
familiarity with such things, might have boon
noon stretching up thoiI heads here and thorc,
In tho pauhos, 70 GOT bo,tor viowt Of the extra
magnlicenoN Only llabormaun showed not
tho leaat curiosity, ho mechanically moved
his bow back and forth, apd, when not busy,
stared, with his cloio knit eyes, ~ the music
before him.
In tho long pause tho hall was soon do
sorted save by some aged people and a lcw
pairs 0f lovers who wor0 cozily happy IN box
conorA llahormannA companions vanished
to tho undor world again. They all passed
him, and each had some nonsense TO drop,
lle wan tho soapegoat on whom was turned
all their good and bad humor They wcro,
In tho main, good hearted mon, having not
tho least thought Of doing him harm, but
they never know II 10 DO, or thought II could
be, different. lObormann hinisot had never
protested. Only by shadowy drawing OF
the face that took tho place Of u smile did lao
show tlyt thoir hcotoring was noticed.
Tho last ono 70 30 by wag tho contrg.baG'
iat ClNpping hia hand ON tho old mans
Ohoudcr, he eaidi
"Comc, Papa llahCmann, your cup OF
ohIcoory win bv cold"
IL had boon Hubornunnh custom 10 taRo n
cup Qt coffee IN tho long pauso-thc only 70.
freshment no allowed hmsolf iu tho theatre,
"lhnnks,' said hc, mot Tonight, ! took
ono At homo"
Ho certainly spoke falsely tlcn, Tor no had
eaton nothing tho whole day but half rcll
tho other half waa sill In his pocket Ho
wished for nothing thOn but 10 ho alone Ho
Thought "lA she asleop-tho refreshing scop
that brings tho elck tohoalthi 0if II could
DO sol But tho physician that day nId ho
had no hope Of hor recovery Sho might 1.-Two
weeks or months, and sho might 20 today or
tomorrow. There was nothing certain nbout
those lung dlsonsoA IlB daughtcr--bs
Ellrloda-nnd dyngl Sho who was tho
osaoneo Of bis thoughts and feelings, she who
was his lilo--going from him toroyorl No II
could not bel 10 must not Dol God would
not allow itp
For twonty y.four years Nicodomus uabor.
mann had boon second yiolinlst In tho Y
thoatro orchestra Ho belonged, In meas.
ure, 70 tho establishment ag did the Chnnde.
HUF ulnt nunR llOln tnus eullluk lile "nd
also camo from tho snmo theatre. She had
boon table girl In thc restaurant whero hC
took hIs roifeo IN the intormimion How he
had found courage TO ask the important qucs.
tion OF tho quiet, pcnaant by no meeno
young person, was theme that raekod the
brains OF his colleagues for long tlno, But
no had done II, aud succeeded II was cor.
toinly no fierce passion which they expert.
onced; but they understood oaoh other, and
thoIr marriage had been happier than many
No called love matches Two yoniB they lived
together, quiet and contonted, then his wlfo
| died In child bed
Nicodomus became still moro quiet and do
joctcd. llo lived only for his child Whata
wonderful girl sho wasl Her form was
dainty and whts ns n porcelain figure; hor
hair was Gnc, soft, and glossy lleppm glass;