The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-18
MAX EPP'S DAUGHTER

Epp was very proud of his motherless
child.
Max Epp was razor maker and poor.
When Paulein was old enough, she be-
came waiting maid in the inn at Colberg.
A party of tourists came along. In the
company was Herr Fellein of the Imperial
Opera House. Landlord Cobelin cousin
of Fellein, asked PauIein to sing for the
gentlemen. Fellein was charmed. He
offered to take Paulein with him and have
her voice cultivated.
+ Paulein went away with Herr Fellein
promising to come and get her father
when she became a great singer.
Working on razors, talking of Paulein
and dreaming of living in luxury occupied
Max Epp for the next few years.
The papers came into Colberg OCCASION
ally, and those who could read found much
praise accorded Herr Fellien for having
discovered new cantatrice.
From the day of her departure Paulein
wrote weekly to her dear old papa" At
first they were laboriously printed epistles.
Then, as the uncouth country lass ac-
quired intelligence the letters were writ
ten, but they were less frequent.
AS time passed they became wonders of
fine penmanship, but lessened in number
and in length They were written upon
crested, perfumed noteheads, with sealed
envelopes, but they came rarely. Finally
the papers alone told the still doting par
ent that he had a daughter.
Max Epp's poverty and illiteracy placed
him low in the social scale. AS razor
maker he was very obscure, but as the IA
Their of Paulein Epp, the famous opera
singer, he had eminence.
The promise of his child-which he
never forgot to meHtion-that when she
became successful he should live with her
had much to do with his dignified recep-
ton at the inn in Goldberg, for the land
lord, who had been Instrumental in get
ting 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 Ilba-
tions than he could always handle with
ease.
AS time wore on, about the only thing
| which kept Paulein's promise alive in her
old fathers breast were the reiterated re-
minders from his bibulous associates at
! the inn that he was ''soon to be the great
man in Frankfort and have his own car
rage and servants. -
This sounded very pleasant to the old
razor makers ears, and still more SO as he
! surrendered his sobriety to the Emporium
| ings of his companions
Permit this word of explanation. Pau
! 1ein ceased to write to her father because
! Landlord Coblein wrote his cousin, Herr
| Fellein, that old Max was drinking him.
self to death, - and Fellein read such por-
lions of Coblein's letters to the hu1niliat-
ed and grieved prima donna as apper-
tanned to her father.
Completely wrecked by the thousands
of toasts he had joined in the success of
his child, old Max awoke one morning to
fad himself penniless deserted and in
| durance for petty offense.
When he was brought before the magis
trate, not one of his former friends came
to his rescue.
Are you guilty, Max Epp?'
Il must be- else I'd not be here"
Because you are the father of Paulein
Epp dismiss you"
Il should suffer punishment If I am
guilty" he said, leaning over the rail be-
fore the magistrate, Overlook nothing
because of her. l have lived among you
these SO years My Paulein is no more of
! Colberg. She is of the world.
God gave her a wonderful voice that
| she might fly over yonder hills and out
across the universe. Goldberg is no more
! to her Be not patient with me on her ac-
count. She would not praise you. She
has forgotten Colberg, and you and me.
Il am no longer able to care for myself.
I am old and unable to work. l have no
home She has risen; [ have fallen. She
Will go higher, but 1 cannot go much low
! er. pray you let me be sent to the beg
gary and pass my days in peace for the
little good l have seen. -
So they sent Max Epp to the almshouse.
There he puttered about, doing odd chores,
growing more feeble, more forgetful more
useless.
One day rich coach drew up in front
of the old Epp cottage and dashing lady
alighted.
Il want TO see D3Da -
"Who may you be, fair LADY," asked
the occupant, a gardener named Kranz.
Il am Paulein Epp. Where is my ia
ther?''
The gardener bowed humbly and point
ed across the valley to the white building
SO we'll remembered by Paulein in her
childhood and associated with horror and
hopeessness-th almshouse!
''What! The beggaryl My father, Max
Epp, pauper! My God! Quick, driver,
quick!'
When she entered the whitewashed
doorway and asked to see Max Epp, they
conducted her into the low ceilinged wing
to the side of bed whereon lay an ENACT
ated, white haired imbecile, swathed in
homespun, toying with a broken razor,
his first love.
On her knees fell the famous vocalist,
sobbing as if her heart would break.
Again and again she called his name, ca
ressed and kissed him and wept upon his
sunken breast
But the CLASSY eyes only glared, and a
smile of sickening vacancy was all the rec
ognition she received. The shattered old
man simply gazed out the window, across
the hills, toward Frankfort.
Was he thinking of the elegant home
she promised him? Was he picturing that
gorgeous carriage he was to have ridden
in and those obsequious servants who were
to have attended him:
Perhaps. But he ratified the broken
razor, grinned and jabbered and tried to
move his paralyzed limbs, oblivious of the
richly clad, elegant woman who knelt be-
side him and fondled him with pathetic
tenderness
That evening when the glorious night
ingale stepped before the vast audience in
the nrerea house Fran I tLi- Hi ~, n