Wichita eagle., 1890-02-21
E,LFREIDA.


lights fared up brightly, the audienc
streamed into tie th eatre and the member
of the orchestra canee up from their under
ground retreat, each with his instrumen
Iln6er his arm. The leader moved here an,
there, whispering to this one, calling tina
ones attention to a p articutar passage, an,
speaking, half aloud, over the heads of tn
others, 10 one who sat sehind.
There was more stir I han usual among tb,
orchestra members, one would know
without consulting the play bill, that th,
music of the piece was an important part il
the programme.
The second bell sounded Thevoice were
hushed, and the instrrrne nts taken in hand.
The conductor appeared, "a yong, gentee
looking man. Nodding LIGHTLY To the header
he stepped to his place OF honor, then, like &
field marshal, reviewed h stroUpn. Asatisfied
smile fitted over his face then Suddenly il
darlened. Way back t. ere among the VIC
Inns he had discer1,ed rlpty chair.
.'TFho Is missing there i,ehindg" he asked.
Many heads turned quiz :Sly. ''Habermann!
Habermanni" was the ans wer.
''AIl, he shall be punish ed for this..''
Then came the third sif1 aal. lis vibrations
had not died away wheu a. little, insignificant
looking man rushed TO faes empty place pulled
mis- violin from its cover placed his notes in
order, all with feverish .sEa fitness.
The conductor raped, lc oked to the right,
TO the left, then straight q head His lifted
arm sank, and with a tn underous roll of
drums the overture began.
} The late conner must haV been running,
"a T he breathed short, and flakes of melting
snt still clung TO his coat. He held his vic
lin 1 pright upon his knee, and stretched his
head far forward to see his notes.
AIT. ne end of tie first act part of the audi-
ence we ut out, but the orchestra remained in
full mum oers-
this ways
The one addressed looked up uncertain.
Had he been called2
The contraA bassist, q large, rough, but good
pat,rred man, S, hook him by ti he arm. Come,
old marInot; cal 1T you hear?'
He understood then. Mari notrcould only
mean him. Stunl ling, fer he WIS very short
sighted, over several things in his way, he
stood before his master, who looked down
upon him imperioIsly.
s'Afy msul, you have the IriEilege OF the
nnpunctuai Contest What haze you been
nbautf"
Hike whipped dog the man lookedarpat
the speaker, but his face remained COLI and
expressionleS.
Scan you notspeais"
"PerbapS be. is in some love afTair;o' the
n,irthfuI violon cellist could not refrain from
saving.
''You will be kind enough to keep your
foolish humor to yourself, " said the conduc-
tor 'And you-old man--of course you viii
pay the ordinary penalty. If this Happens
again, l shall obtain your dismissal through
the director. YouIlnow very well you are
not wanted here-oniy tolerated. Enough."
With a grand gesture he tuunedaway, and
the old man stumbled back to his place.
A strange figure was this Haiermann.
Small and thin, his face Of an ash gray hue
surrounded by brisGy gray beard, and
bristly gray hair stood up Gciiantly over his
head. His ewes were close drawn together by
his near sightedness. His trousers were too
short and his coat too long, both Of uncertain
ages. When out OF doors, TO thisoutit was
added au old cylinder hat, and long knit
scarf that was wound many times round his
neck, and the long ends either hung down in
front or were blown back, hagiike, by the
wind His form WAS well known by every
boy on the streets through wtachGne passed in
going to and from the theatre.
The second act began. The stage, repre-
sented q scene of oriental sphendor that as
tonished even accustomed theatre goeas. And
The musicians, usually Indifferent, fnom long
familiarity with such things, might have been
seen stretching up their headshsreapd there,
in the pauses, TO get better views of tfsese1tra
magnificence. Only Habermann showed not
the least curiosity. He mechanicaiJy Jy"Ipoved |
his bow back and forth, and, when not busy,
stared, with his close knit.eyes, at'the music |
before him.
In the long pause the hall was soon de |
serted save by some agcd people and few |
pairs Of lovers who were-co2lly happy in box |
corners. Erbermann's companions vanished |
10 the under world again. They al passed |
him, and each had some rorsease TO drop
He was tho scapegoat on whom was turned |
all their good and bad huBlor. They were |
in the main, good hearted men, having not /
the least thought of doing him harm, but |
they never knew it to bc, or thought it could !
be, different. Habernlaan himself had never
protested. Only by a shadowy drawing of |
the face that took the piaoe-of a smile did he |
show that their hectoring WIS noticed.
The last one to 60 by was the contra bass
ist. ClappinS his hand on the old mans
shoulder, he said:
"Come, Papa Habcrmnnn, your cup of
chiccory will be cold"
Il had been Habermann's custom to take
cup Of coffee in the long psuse-the only re-
frsshment he allowed hl,nself in the theatre
'Thanils,' said he, mot tonight. / took
one at home"
be certainly spoke falsely then. for lie had
eaten nothing the whole day but hall roll;
tie other half was still in his pocket. lie
wished for nothing then but to be alone. He
thought, is she asleep-the refreshing sleep
that byings the sick to health. o if II could
be sol But the physician that day said he
had 10 hope OF her recovery. She might live
weeks or months, sud she might so today or
tomorrow. There was nothing certain about
these lung diseases. His daughter-his
Eirieda-and dying! Sne who was the
essence of his thoughts sad feelings she who
was his lfe-golng from him forever! No it
could not be! 1t must not be! God would
not allow i'll"
For twenty-four wears Nicoiemns Hsb,,.
mann had been second violinist in the Y
theatre orchestra He belonged. IN a meas
ure 70 the establishment as did the cba,de-
her that hnng from the ceiling Ills ysa,a
also came from the seme thestre She had I
been table girl In tie restaurant where he
TOOK his coffee II the intermission How Ia
had found courage TO ask the important ope--
ton OF the quiet, pleasant, by no means
young person. was theme that racksa tn.
brains OF his colleagues for a long time But
he had done it, and spcceeded It was Ger
tsiniy no fierce passion which they expert
eSceo; but they understood each other. ana
saear marriage had been happier than many