The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-12-08
The Professor.
(BOSton Journal. }
"Well, let 'er go, Professor!'

The fiddle goes up to the double
chin; it cuddles there in the fatty
folds of his neck. His large mouth
works from side TO side; his little,
sharp eyes, almost hidden behind the
fat cfeases of his cheeks, peer gravely
at the bridge of the fiddle; the fat,
chubby, left hand keys and strums the
strings; the fat, chubby right hand
draws the bow tentatively across the
strings. The Professor is tuning up.
His four hearers look on with adj
miration. The Professor is the orna-
ment of the group. The host pours
beer from the tin can. The Professor
puts down the fiddle. The others lift
their glasses.
"Well, here's go, Professor" says
one. "Here's go, Professor" echo
the others. The Professor bows-and
drinks last-talent has been acknowl-
edged. He picks up the eddie.
"What'll 1 play, boys?''
His voice is rich and husky: rich
from much drinking of beer, husky
from calling of figures at dances
Swing your partners!" "Balance and
turn.'
"What'll play?'
"Oh, any old thing! Give US All
Coons Look Alike to Me-
He plays tune briskly; and not badly,
he hints back to study and knowledge
of music; but the Professor does not
hint Intentionally: his eyes are fixed
on his empty glass. The tune ends
with flourish. Applause. His glass
is filled. He drinks, he plays again.
More applause. More beer.
Pipes and cigars are burning now.
Their blue-gray smoke blurs the
single gas-jet. When the fiddle is
still there is talk. There are Rabel-
asian jests about the Professors latest
jag, latest amour, latest scrap, nor are
their own like diversions forgotten.
Rabelasiau jests and Rabelalsian
laughter. And more beer, always
more beer. One by one they rush the
CANAL save the Professor; talent is
acknowledged.
They are bachlors, lodging house
|
butcher, gas filter. The Professor is
the Professor, leader of the Climax
quartet, which is heard at many dances
O those dances! o the tales of them
Dances to which the admission for f.:
couple, "lady and gent" it quartz
where the gent has something OF
the hip-where there are frequent ex
hibtons Of improvised pugilism-
glorious affairs, as the drinkers no,
. agree.
The more the Professor drinks tn
better he plays. And now somethin
happens which annoys him, as he ha
been annoyed before, and the Pro
t fessor is weakly indignant; it is nc
e fair, he argues, surely when a man
: drunk he should forget, should forge
i Something snaps in his drink-maze
e brain; dulled impressions of othe
8 things intrude in the sordid drink rio
in his brain. AS though he looked {
= twilight through blurred window o
a misty landscape, he now remember
himself as he was years ago, see
gropingly the company he kept yeal
y ago, hears duly the music he playe
0 years ago, when he-even he,-tt
e beer-fattened Professor-set out I
n conquer the world.
e And he tries hard to remember thu
d music, he tries hard to play it. TT
l. tones merge into sad, little, momen
&c airy professionalism or three ga
, small voices wall, idle, futile voices
which soon stop crying.
=, Like unto his hands, his neck, h
u whole body, the soul of the Profess,
i is fat. Movement fatigues it.
y His soul cannot attain even un,
e sorrow, it is too fat to climb.
5, But he weeps foolishly and gentl
st ''Why the Professors cryingr'
n "What's the matter, Professor %
His head sinks lower and lower;
sways to one side.
d "Professor's loaded.''
g event off quick tonight
N They pick him up and lay him {
is the bed.
''But I tell you, the Professors g
right"
Talent has been acknowledged.
. The Professor snOres stentoriously