The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-18

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Remote as HAT contingency appeared to
be Lady Winehcnmbe deemed il Just as wei,
to guard agains 81 il possibly, Also she was
not very eager tn exhibit her protege to her
friends. for the dsappe arance of the musical
mouse had been more or less of a nine days
wonder, and the newspapers had got hold
OF the story and she had been a good deal
laughed at. Lady Wnchcombe was kind
hearted woman and she had never lacked
the courage of her convictions still she did
not think that anybody ought To take the
liberty OF laughing at her, aud she was
therefore unwilling to remind the irrever-
ent OF an episode which had perhaps
brought her kindness Of heart into higher
relief than her wisdom. Thus for Il period
of abou. eighteen months after the change In
his fortunes Franz O>termann led a solitary
existence, with occasional Respondent and
even Tebeiious thoughts.
The more he learned the less be was in
cllned to believe in his eapaciiy for ever
achieving greatness in hiS art. He was not
sure that he particularly cared to be great,
whereas he was quite sure that he did Tot
want little human sympathy. Lady
Mlnchcombe was as kind as possible; Lady
Ella. when be saw her. always gave him a
friendly welcome; but it was not evident
that either of them remembers him from
Inc moment he was out Of sight. Some
times he wondered whether it would be very
WICK q and very ungrateful t. run away
second time In search of employment for
which 10 mortal could nave been more hone
lrsSly unfit ed. He was n SickIy child, as
Mrs. Markham might have testified, had
she been asked, and he brooded over these
reflections in manner which was rot likely
t. prove beneficial TO his health
One gloomy December morning he was at
work as usual, wishing that his head would
stop aching, and wondering whether Lon
don log made other people long 10 be dead
and buried, when his heart was gladdened
ana Ms spirits were raised by the recent of
an urgent summons to proceed immediately
TO arwlcEshire, where. as he knew, Lady
Wlnchc pmbe was at that time entertaining
large party of visitors. Der iadyship it
appeared. was in difficulty. She had or
ganiZed and advertised grand concert,
which was to take place in the adjoining
county town for the benefit of certain local
charities. She had secured the services of
various eminent probe sSionals, chief among
whom was the renowned Russian pianist
M. Berdltscheff. and now that wretch Ber-
dltschtH bad thrown her over, for no
other reason than that he was wretch
who delighted in putting his hetiers
to inconvenience by way of showing
how completely Independent he was of
their favors. Her ladyship, while deter
mining 10 take ultimate vengeance upon the
dlscourieo ns Muscoviie, was equally deter
mined that her concert should not be ruined
by hlS dlscourteSy, and indeed il struck her
as happy inspiration that she should take
this opportunity of trotting out her musical
mouse, the echoes of whose previous per-
turm3nces had long since ceased to Yibrate
IN the memories of those who had heard
him two years ago. Franz, therefore, was
dispatched To WarwickShire by EXPRESS and
immed lately on his arrival there was shown
TO him TWO pieces which he was expected to
interpret III the stead of his more cele-
brated fello S-artiSt.
Well, he was not Berd tSchef, but he
could al least play the nntes-perhaps even
do little more than that-snd lie had four
clear days 10 devote to practice.
during those four days he did very little
else hut practice upon the piano in the
schooroom, which apartment was assigned
10 him for his sole use and benefit Lady
Elias gOVeTnPss having departed for hrr
Christmas holidays. so that when the fifth
day, which was that appointed for the con-
cert. me be felt justified in yielding to the
Solicitations of Lady Ella. whose rnirea les
that be would come out for ride with her
lie had hitherto resisted. Lady Ella, who
was now the pOsseSSor of two ponies aud
had been several times taken ont 10 follow
the hounds with her uncle, was naturally
anxious to display her skill to this poor lit
lie Cuckney. and she put him upon the ami
I'D al which. she was careful to assure him.
was by far the quieter of the pair.
Now, there was, OF course, no reason why
Franz should be ashamed of being an inex-
perlenced Iider, but, as a matter of fact
most OF us are modest about such attain
ments as we possess, while We pride our
selves upon those in which we d not excel
and be had after all received certain
amount OF instruction from the grooms
during those periodical sojnurns of his in
the country. And he set forth therefore
fully determined to do everything that Lady
Ella did and managed TO follow her oyer a
couple OF flights of iiurdlrs, though the
second performance Of this feat landed him
very near his pony's ears. Happily for
him, she did not see the desperate struggles
by means of which he got back into the
saddle, but when he drew alongside of her
she had some rather coutempluous crifi-
cisms To make upon his eatand hands, and.
what was worse. she discovered that his
nerves were not altogether under control.
" on mustn't get into funk," said she !:
you'll never ride IL you d.. Uncle john
says don't know what fear is. Now III
take you over little bit OF brook. You'll
do it all right If you follow me- Toby isn't
very fond of water, but he'll jump with a
lead. only you must cram him at it, you
know"
Perhaps poor Franz-and small blame to
him-did not know how 10 ride at water:
perhaps Toby was quite aware of his inca-
pacIly; In any case, that wicked little
beast, after galoping steadily in the wake
OF his stable companion, stopped short on
the verge of the leap. Witch Lady Ella me-
gouated with perfect ease. and Franz shat
head first into a very muddy stream, 1t
was not deep enough to drown him, nor did
the peals Of laughter with which he was
greeted when he emerged dannt his courage !:
but II must be confessed that his pride was
deeply wounded, and The worst of il was
that his return to the house was q some
what ignominous one; for Toby, Instead of
WAITING to be caught, had trotted back to
the Sta bles.
That settled it-that. together with a
scoldlng which he had received on his ar
rival from Lady Winchcombe. who re-
minded him bow very wrong and incon-
siderate it was on his part to run the risk
OF catching Geld on the eve of his appear
ance IN public. A design which had long
been erysiaiizng In his mind how took
definite shape. These people had been
good to him. but they despised him. He
could net do the things that they did he
could not live with them; nor in truth.
would they allow him 10 do so. for since he
had been in the house he had rartaken of
his meals in solitary grandeur in the
schoolroOm. Well, he would do his best TO
repay them; he would clay for them tina
night as he had never PLAYED before, and he
would never play again. AS soon as he
should be back ia London he would effect
his escape and earn his own living, even
though he should be reduced to sweep a
crossing for il
That evening Franz Osterman had sue
cess such as n9ny artists dream OF and only
few obtain. lie fairly swept away his au-
dience. which was by no means purely pro
vncial one. for 1t included two or three
Judges whose approval was worth having
These gentlemen were enthusiastic Ia their
praises; they did not hes tate 10 assure Lady
Wlnchcombe that the boy was destined 70 be
another List his execution and phrasing
they declared, were almost faultless. and he
had, besides, something which could NOT be
described In words, but which was recogniz-
able by the Initiated as genius. The truth
was That he Played magnificeBtly. He
threw his whole soul into what he what he
had resolved should be his last public per-
formance, and no doubt the extraordinary
facility OF which he was conscious was in a
great measure due TO the fact that he was
IN high fever from start to finish, AS
for the thunder0us applause. be sc4rcely
Needed 1t. though lie bowed and smiled
mechanically. as of yore. He thought, roor