Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-09-12


small comfort he could offer her. Her
father looked upon these absences with
suspicion, and once when she stayed
away a few moments longer than she
intended he broke out upon her return
with storm of angry words which
claimed that she had secretly visited
the restaurant to arrange some now
humiliation for him. That night he
stopped playing again in the midst of
number, but Guilia, fearful, stopped,
too. He eyed her, cunningly, and took
up the accompaniment again.
Night after night, after that, he tried
this plan. At first it rather pleased
him to have her stop playing when he
did. All" he would say; you have
not arranged with these dogs here to
applaud you tonight after my music has
stopped You are afraid to play on for
fear they will express their scorn of
your poor tinllling."
"No. father" she would answer,
gently; II do not play, because | know
that no one cares to hear me. 1t is the
full tones of your guitar shat they wish
to hear.
But she could not paclfN nm.
BY and by, when the wild look had
grown almost habitual with him, he
tired Of these tactics. lie was angry
when she stopped playing because he
did. lie wanted her to let him enjoy
the triumph of her defeat. When she
stopped he would hiss Keep on! keep
on! All! you are afraid. You win not
L. .,~f - J. aft
! am right" But Guilia knew what
the result would be il she kept on, and
would not play. For whole week this
continued, the old man growing uglier
every night.
Finally day came when nc kept her
in state of terror constantly. All day
he walked up and down muttcring TO
himself. Just before the time came for
them to start he wheeled toward her
suddenly and demanded, almost in a
scream:
"Will you play alone to-night?'
II cannot play without you, father
the people do not want to hear me, -
she replied.
1--WE shall Sec" he shouted back,
1--WE shall see whether my daughter
will longer disobey me-
They walked to the restaurant in 81
lence. Their first three numbers went
off smoothly. The fourth was LA
Palermo an arrangement prepared by
the old man himself, and with an i'm
mcnsely difficult mandolin part. They
began it as usual; then the old mau
stopped. Guilia had feared this, and
She turned her eyes quickly to him
with an appealing glance. lie had
dropped his hands until his guitar lay
across his knees, and was flHnbling
with something which he kept under
the cloth OF the table at which they
were sitting. She paid no attention tc
this, but looked straight into his eyes.
please, please, play, father she
entreated.
When he answered her his eyes were
red as fire and his face was as yellow
rs parchment. His voice was thicl
and husky whisper, so low that she
could scarcely hear. An expression O
cunning hatred and triumph played il
the wrinkles around his lips.
Play? will not play. Look down
See what l have in my hand, and yo}
play
She looked down, and pcepinr from
the folds of the tablecloth was thc
end of a pistol barrel with its blacl
little bore pointed straight at her body
She started back in ama2cment anc
fright. She realized now what tn,
wild look meant. Her father had gon,
quite mad. Her hpSpartcd.
Don't scream" he Kissed. zone
sound from your lips, and | shall fire
Not n word. But play! play! Nov
we shall see! Now we shall see. You
have thwartcd nIc long enough. To
night you have not plotted with tn,
people here to give you applause tina
YOU do not deserve. Play alone an,
VIC shall see how they viii hiss yo,
and scorn you"
'Fathcr, dear father" she began.
Not a word. not a syllable, Play!"
The old mans face plainly showed
that he had reached point in his in
sanity where he would carry ont hi
desperate intention to its desperate end
Guilia, after an unhappy glance abou
her which no ono noticed, began t,
play. lIcr nervous fingers lost a note
mo Mistakes" came intensely from
The old man. NO INTAKES on you
life"
lie went on with the music, he
heart beating almost as fast as he
fingers flew.
Play! Play!" he constantly Kissed
From trcmolo to staccato, from plan
issimo to fortissimo the music changed
while all the time Guilia's heart wa
shrinking with fear and breaking wiz
grief, When She came to the passag
where the clackinR of the castanct
comes, when the piece is played by a.
orchestra, he whispered, close in he
ear:
Louder! No Sinking now; wan
TO show that your best, alone, is no
good enough for them.'
And louder, she twanged She strings
At last she approached the end of tn
piece, occasionally as she looked me
mentarily from the notes which lay be
fore her on the table. She caught
glimpse Of that wicked, black littl
l.. I, .I(,&1