New-York tribune., 1896-01-19
AMERICANS ABROAD.
SOME MUSICAL TYPES.
THE COWBOY VIOLINIST.
"Well. I'll be jiggered. 1t beats blue blazes

Con-"
Then you found you didn't
well, should smile was the grim repy'
Cant play anyway
Then what are you trying for?
ooh because I'm a great blather.ng squaw or
n boiled idiot, that's why. never knew could
be so many sorts Of blanked fool before
We overheard this scrap Of conversation near the
steps OF the Berlin Conservatorium OF Music
fam.l.arly known as THE Con- 10 the studeats
and their friends and were Immediately inter-
esed in the picturesque individual called [. B
He carried a violin under his arm was dressed
in very careless fashion, and wore great soi'
wide -brnmed straw hat. 1t contTasted quite
agreoably with his straight, jet black mar ana
brown skin There a coppery t.nse IN ms
complexion and he hal the high cheek bones ana
heavy law we associate with the North American
Indian His eyes large and black ana ra'her
gloomy in expression
II was altogether a striking personan'y' anu we
were not at all surprised when we learned 'hat
G - meant cowboy. and that he had come our
of the far West \ good many people "ohue'eu
what nut II into his head come abroad and
study music until they heard him play. and then
the question was not always settled lot those WIN
persist in Judging from external appearances
The Germans regard the majority OF Americans
as being little. II not wholly. mad so you may
imagine the effect OF the Cow Boy upon them
They set him apart being creature peculiarly
unioue They had never come Upon his Ike before
for he was the first who had drited INTO 'he
Conservator.um or rather. marched In win the
cool tranquility OF the child who knows no Dis
tnction OF person. but places all the woFla upon
one grand plane of equality
What dd you come for" he had p'eh asKcd
upon his arrival
.~ro ,earn to plav the violin" ne replied; and
when they heard him draw the bow across the
strings they took him 'r.
The second time HIN he was standing
10 ~
some little fellows who were at pay
"Gon there YOU little devil: leave those children
alone. or I'll break your neck FOR YOU II there $
anything hate. It's a coward"
The bov didn't understand word OF English
but he d.d understand the scowl accomia"E'"S '"e
words and promptly reiroated.
When We knew G. II. better We beguied MIN
into telling bits OF his family history. Il was not
a difficult task He possessed all ;he iranKnesS
OF n child and when he found that 1t pleased us
to listen he talked quite freely
yes guess l have streak o Indian IN me-
and I'm Spanish. too" he said once. but more
than everything I'm an American.
Good for YOU" cried T.. who had been waving
the stars and Stripes ever snce leaving America.
IT'S poo sort Of a guy thatn 20 back on
his own country matter what 1t is. but ia
be a p.nk-cycd fool not to be proud % America
Its the greatest place in the world.
Then he was led 10 speak Of his music
80 YOU wan,er know when took 1t up? Well,
| can't tell YOU | guess II came along with my
seeirg and breathing | tried almost everything
before got hold OF a violin. Great JehoshaphaN
II was Ike going Heaven TO get that could
hardly eat or sleep for week afterwards"
1t would be impossible TO describe the peculiar
fascination OF his personality and conversation
That ugly copper-colored face OF his would 100"
almost beautiful times. and his great black eyes
would glow and flash with hight. and his hik' j;
was always interarieI with slang phrases, ana
l
II was almost always interesting. 1t was lovely
TO hear him speak ot his mother. No such woman
had ever lived before or ever would live again
IT'S all her work my coming here. don't be
ueve I'd a had the grit. IL be right no" chasing
cattle over the plains, or sitting by campfire
rlaylng for the boys. II she hadn't said II was
possble for me to study music abroad. When she
leaves here I'm going. too. But hope we can
both live long enough for to show her that
deserve her faith Ia mo fon bet il amt every
fellow that can have such mother
For a lonx while We dcl.ca'ciy RETAINED from
saving much about books to The Cow Boy. what
could he know OF literature. brought up on the
omen plain. with cattle hcrdng to occupy him hy
dav and the compan.onship of the stars through
the night? We knew that h. received the scar on
his upper lp from be ng thrown from a horse
while chasing mad bull through the chaparriL
and we also knew that he priaed himself on his
daring horsemanship. But one day Dee came In
magazines
Great gee. Is ,ha, The Century, Le, mc take
a peep. do
''Do you read the magazines
DO l? Wen. / gucss-whcn get tho chance"
And then quick lightning. Maybe you think
| haven't read anything. What DO You suppose
an English woman asked me one day II Ia ever
heard Of Shakespeare, Think OF H. said she'd been
afraid TO ever mention a quotation! Well don't
know much about books. that's a fact Horses ana
cattle are more IN my lnc' phi ! cou.i" h'lp
reading a little when my mother kept The books
lying around. Oh by-the-byc. I've struck the r!Snt
i name for the pension whc'c III slIyWS., lpu
know .t's the most Internal set OF people for
grurnbling about things that ! ever knew. They
are kicking from morning until night. 80 call X
the bronco Pension.
It was ions while before we could persuade
the Cow Boy 10 bring his violin and play Tor US
But one evening he came Owe. with II tucked
lovingly under his arm:
Now don't think can play. I'm only Just
beginning 10 learn. I'm IN tho infan- class he
sad as he opened the case and took out the In
II was not a Cremona nor did il even belong TO
a less distinguished school OF good volins. II
simply a crude new i lnsirumnnt ,, OF oiuhalIy I
contrast He had forgotten TO taHe on his nat
II smpy pushed TO the GacT c,o Si hs mead y
his brown face. We could see him, in the m nj $
eye. careering wildly over the PLAIN coeI iasso
reconcile him with the gentle calling o! mus clan
But what a change when he touched the strings
hut The artist Technical skill ne did not possess
That could only he acqur red after years of study
'Jt II cannot be described 1t was the soul speaking
delivering It's S t to the Yoa r. h Is an
panment. but presently her hands dropped softly
"P.ay on Why don't YOU play ony' he cried
ii can't see the notes" she replied grop!ng for
her handkerchief.