The herald., 1896-02-09

"a Excuse me-" sa d Paderewski, when we
were comfortably seated. ''you said some
thing about Southern Californ being your
Spain. thought it was your Italy,"
"Yes; some people call this part of the
country the Italy of America though I
d on't know why. The tradition. history,
7nguage and architecture of the early
days, all point tow iids Span. Even o r
skies and our air remind one OF Alda II ia
and not of Piedmont or Lombardy. You
ought to come and settle here, when you
are tired of your triumphs. II is the air of
liberty we breathe here. Madame Mod
jeska found that out long ago, and after
retiring she will live here on her ranch, az
did the Emperor Diocletial, planting cab.
baGes."
"Yes perhaps you are right said Pad
erewski, musingly. His eye had faraway
look, and he spoke almost to himself.
"Yes; it would be perhaps the best thing,
if | could come out and live here. l could
be quiet and could compose, and then
could write on the gate OF my house
Ile terrarum mihi praeter om-is
Angu'us Iiitt."
The interviewer kad rather curiously
at him. Here was man. apparently occu-
pied with music alone. yet quoting Horace.
He has not forgotten his classic studies.
"'Angulus ridet' why, everything laughs
here. 1t is the country of sunshine aud of
joy. Come! stay here" was the remark of
The HERALD representative.
mot now, not now; but do you know who
is coming TO Southern California;"
Sienkiewicz, the great novelist, was
asked.
Yes; he will be here this year. Ma
dame Modjeska has prevailed UPON him to
come here instead of going to ITALY. You
know, he is not in very good health"
This is news, indeed. The greatest living
novelist before whom Tolstoy, Ibsen, Dau.
det and all others, for that matter, pale is
coming to visit the shores of the Pacific.
He will not be stranger here. Henry
Seukiewicz visited California at the time
Madame Modjeska first appeared in San
Francisco. He was at that time only a
young journalist, but is now famous far
and vide
Truly, Poland is now The Arcadia of mu-
sic, arts and literature From that coun-
try come now the great singers, Reszke
brothers, Mierzwinski, Sembrich- Kocha,l-
ska, the "wonder' children. Koczalski and
Huberman, the great pianist, Paderewski,
the great actress, Modjeska, the great
painters, Mateyko (now dead), Brandt,
Semiradzki, Chemouski, and the great
novelist, Sieukiewicz. II seems that
through the loss of her independence, Po-
land has gained in other respects.
Paderewski OWNED what was going on
in the mind of the interviewer, for he said
az olo Ietically:
"IOu know that the fiery spirit OF the ma
tive can not spend itself in any other way.
We are yet the descendants of tho same
men ofiron under whose warcry the Qsman-
lis trembled more that once. We are the
50 of those litans who planted so often
their banners on tue walls of Moscow, and
we are the chldred of those giants who
during their orious days boasted that il
even the Heaven wonid fall they would
keep it on the point of their bayonets.
Now those days arc past, we are no longer
the bulwark OF Christendom: divided
among the three greatest powers of El-
rope, we have our national spirit subdued.
Yet the spirit Of our naughty nation exists,
il expresses itself only ia Il different man
ner instead of war, we have now music.
song, poetry, arts. The world conquered
us. but now we are conquering the world. IS
surely enough you are doing your bet
to c,nller ,"is world" was The response.
&c d knows, noI for myself answered
Panercwski. "What | am doing, | do for
the glory of Poland" and then came again
the same flash in the eyes of the great
pianist and his pale, almost transparent
face flashed. The soul spoke in the liquid
orbs of the little man. He seemed giant.
His servant then stood immobile, notion
less, there was not only the fidelity of a
dog in his eyes, something else was shining
there, too.
Come tomorrow afternoon at half-past 6
oclock,'' said Paderewski, land have a
dinner with me, in my Car. We will be all
alone, and then we can talk more. Will
you Gomez"
"Yes, will" and then the interviewer
went out, from the light of genius into the
night of darkness.
1t was nearly midnight.
Nj. DE LoPATEcxI.