St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-11-05

imp raiment and fearless demeanor,
came in and took possession of an
adjacent table
Suddenly like delayed and multi
piled echo of my own whistling,
came in soft hum from one of the
girls the notes of the doctors tragi-
cally assorted strain of music.
The doctor and l exchanged
glances. The girl stopped humming.
"Amazing!" 1 said to the doctor.
'Millocker composed the piece she's
talking about. Milloeker never killed
a wife in Paris. Nor would he steal
bodily from another Perhaps the
thing has been interpolated by the
local producer. 1t doesn't sound
quite like Millocker, anyhow. must
see about this"
Where are you going? ?"
"To the Actors club or a dozen
other places, until find Harry Crit
fiths. He's one of the comedians in
the company at the - theatre, and
he has leading part in that piece
tomorrow night. He'll know where
that tune came from"
L
club, telling stories over a mutton
chop and a bottle of champagne.
When the opportunity came l drew
him aside.
II have bet with a man about a
certain air in the new piece. He
says it's in the original score, and
say it's introduced, because l don't
think Millocker did it. This is it,"
and l whistled it.
"Quite right, my boy. It's not in
the original. Miss Elton's part was
so small that she refused to play it
until the manager agreed to let her
fatten it up. So Weinmann COM
posed that and put"
"And this Weinmann." interrupe-
ed ABRUPTLY. What do you know
about him? Who is he"
Hes Gustav Weinmann, the new
musical director. l don't know any
thing about him. He's not been long
in this country. The manager found
him in some small place in Germany
last summer"
How old is he? Where does he
live?"
Somewhere in forty, l should say.
Idon't know where he stays. If you
want TO see him. why don't you
come to the theatre when he's there?"
Good idea. Thanks. good night -
Meanwhile there was nothing to
do but go to bed.
All the way home the tune rang in
my head. l whistled it softly as l
began to undress, until l heard the
81 ~ he
down stairs. Few of us ever touched
that superannuated instrument.
The only ones who ever did so intelli-
gently were Schaaf and the profess
sor. The latter was wont to visit
the piano at any hour of the night.
We all were used to his way, and we
liked the subdued melodies, the
dreamy caprices, the vague, trenb-
ling harmonies that stole through
the silent house.
Suddenly the musical mmonings
of the player assumed a familiar as
pect-that of the tune which l had
been singing in my own brain for the
past hour.
Then it occurred to me that the
professor, being a second violin play
>,
would doubtless know more about
the antecedents of the new musical
director than Grifflths had been able
to tell me. This was the more prob
able as the professor himself had
come from Germany.
descended the stairs softly, trav-
ersed the hallway, and, looking
through the open door. beheld the
professor at the piano.
The professors face was uplifted
and calm. Rapture and pain-so
often mutual companions-were de-
picted upon it. hesitated to break
the spell which he had woven for
himself. After watching for some
seconds. however, 1 began quietly:
Professor"
The tune broke off with a jangling
discord, and the playei turned to
face me, smiling pleasantly.
pardon me-" l went on, advanc-
ing into the room and standing in
the moonshine that he might recog-
nize me; but was attracted by the
air you were playing They tell me
that it isn't Millocker's but was
composed by your new conductor at
the -"
The professor answered with
laugh: "Jal He get de honor of it.
Honor is seeap. He buy dat. 1t
doesn't matter"
"Ah then it isn't his own. And
he bought the tune? From whom ?"
Me"
"You?"
la. And hat many oder to gift
sheap, too"
But where did you get it ?'
II make it."
when ?"
Long go. l forget 1 hat make
so many. Dey go away from my
mindt an come again back long time
after"
Professor, what would you give
me to tell you where and when you
81