The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-06-14
THE WORLD BETWEEN THEM,

Colberg had nightingale. She was
Paulein Epp. Every body listened and
50 did the birds. when she sang. Aud
Max Epp was very proud of his moth
erless child. .,
Max Epp was a razor-n,aker and
poor.
~ When Paulein was old enough she
became waiting maid in the inn at
Colberg. A party of tourists came
along In the company was Herr Eel
lem or the Imperial opera house.
Landlord Coblein-a cousin of Eel
leln's-asked Paulein to sing for the
gentlemen. Fellcin was charmed. He
offered to take Paulein with him and
= have her voice cultivated.
Max Epp was poor; Paulcin pleaded;
the father gave his consent!
Paulein went away with Herr Eel
lein. promising to come and get her
father when she became Il great
singer
}. Working on razors, talking of Pau
lein and dreaming of living in luxury
occupied Max Epp for the next few
years. The papers came into Goldberg
occasionally and those who could read
found much praise accorded Herr Fell
lein for having discovered Il new canta-
trice. Her debut was predicted; her
debut was later announced; her
triumph was chronicled.
From the day of her departure Pau
lein wrote weekly to her clear old
papa" At first they were laboriously
printed epistles. Then as the uncouth
country lass acquired intelligence the
letters were written, but they were
less frequent. AS time passed they
became wonders of fine penmanship,
but lessoned in mum bers and in length.
They were written upon crested, per-
tuned note heads, with sealed envel-
opes, but they came rarely. The more
the papers teemed with Paulein's sue
cesses the less often came the letters
to old Max. Finally the papers alone
told the still-doring parent that he had
daughter.
Old Max, so long as he heard regu-
larly from Paulein. built palaces with
his fancy and predicted how he was to
ride in his carriage. But when Pau
lein became noted the letters fell off
and their loss was of more moment to
poor old Max than was the gain of
fame to his child.
Max Epp's poverty aud illiteracy
placed him low in the social scale. AS
a razor-maker he was very obscure,
but as the father of Paulein Epp, the
famous opera singer, he had eminence.
The promise of his child (Which he
never forgot to mention) that when
she became successful he should live
wit Ii her had much to do with his dig
nitied reception at the inn in Goldberg,
for the landlord, who had been instru-
mental in getting the girl with Herr
Fellein, thought Max Epp good for
much more beer than he could pay for.
The frequenters felt the father of the
celebrated Paulein entitled to more IL
oations than he could always handle
with ease. AS time wore on, about
the only thing which kept Panlein's
promise alive in her old fathers breast
were the reiterated reminders from his
bibulous associates at the inn that he
was "soon to he the great man in
Frankfort and have his own carriage
and servants" =.
This sounded very pleasant to the
old razOr-maker's ears, and still moro
80 as he surrendered his sobriety to
the importunings Of his companions.
Permit this word of explanation.
Paulein ceased to write to her father
because Landlord Coblein wrote his
cousin, Herr Fellein, hat old Max Epp
was drinking himself TO DEATH" and
Fellein read such portions of Coblein'S
letters to the humilia,ed and grieved
prima donna as appertained to her ia
Their.
Completely wrecked by the thou
sands of toasts he had joined in the
success of his child, old Max awoke
one morning to find himself penniless,
deserted and in durance for petty
offense. When he was brought before
the magistrate not one of his former
friends came to his rescue.
"Are you guilty, Max Epp?"
II must be, else I'd not he here"
Because you are the father of Pau
lein Epp dismiss you"
Such an acquittal was unsatisfactory
to old Max.
Il should suffer punishment if l am
guilty." he said, leaning on the rail
before the magistrate. "Overlook
nothing because of her. I have lived
among you these fifty years. Ny Pau
lein is no more of Goldberg. She is of
the world. God gave her wonderful
voice that she might fly over yonder
hills and out across the universe. COL
berg is no more to her. Be not pa
tient with me on her account. She
would not praise you. She has forgot
ten Colberg, and you, and me. am
no longer able to care for myself.
am old and unable to work. have |
no home. She has risen, 7 have fallen.
She will go higher, but cannot go |
much lower. L pray you let me be
sent to the beggaly and pass my days
in peace for the little good l have
BEEN"
So they sent Max Epp to the aims
house. There he puttered about, do
ing odd chores, growing more feeble,
more forgetful, more useless.
Landlord Coblein neglected to write
of Max any more. The subject was
too common place.
One day rich coach drew up in
front of the old Epp cottage and
dashing lady alighted.
81 want to see DaDa"