Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-07-23
DEATH DANCED FOR HIM.
How the First Waltz King In His Youth
Outwitted tho King of Terrors-A Quaint
Tale of the Elder Strauss.

How the First Waltz King In His Youth
Outwitfed tho King of Terrors-A Quaint
Tale of the Elder strauss.
Strauss, the Waltz King, is dead
said the newspapers a few days ago,
and straightway there were pictures,
indiherently good, Of the man whose
notes had set thousands upon thod-
sands OF dainty feet to gliding many,
I-any times the world AROUND, and eui-
| torialS and accounts OF his life and his
| achievements. But here is a copy CT
| a newspaper, big-sheeted and yellow
from age Old PhiladelpniaLs renaem-
tber when the journal WAS popular and
lean Courier. The date is December
70, 1919. On page 8 is an article head
ed Strauss and Death Tnis be-
gins: The recent decease of the cele-
| brated composer, Strauss, has put all
waltzoom i'll mourning
Then there must nave been another
waltz king" There was, and he was
the father OF the maker of The Blue
Danube" But you will wish TO know
what Mr.. McMakin's paper has to tell
of the Strauss who died in 1919. 1t
says:
THE recent decease Of the celebrated
composer Strauss has put all waltZdom
in mourning and called forth anecdotes
OF his history Illustrative Of his won
derful genius and powers. One of these
we dnd in a contemporary He who
has turned more heads than all the
philosophers, sacred and profane, that
have ever written-Strauss, the waltz
maker is dead. (This sounds very
modern, somehow, doesn't it?) Strauss
was a man OF remarkable genius, and
not only developed the powers OF the
German dance in an unprecedented de-
bree, but influenced the whole of mod
ern music. Composers of no mean
note, although not of the first class,
were known to visit Vienna to get
themes for new operas from Strauss
new waltzes. His decease reminds us
of capital story with appeared in
some German paper shortly after the
cholera of 3d. We heard it from d
clever Viennese musician, and wish
that we could give it with the spirit Of
his side-splitting recital. Here it is
as we remember it.
when the cholera was at its
height Death knocked one morning on
the panel of Strauss chamber, having
an old woman by his side whom he
had picked up next door.
"'Come, Strauss said the grim Sher-
if who collects Natures debts, you
must go along with me-
With you'll! exclaimed the terrified
musician. No, l can't; l won't. l am
only thirty years Old. Spare me lit
tie longer.
"'No, Strauss, you must come.
Don't keep me waiting. | have an i'm
mensity to do these stirring times
Oh, can't so! l am making 3d.
600 thalers a year. You can't be so
hardhearted as to take away from
Vienna man only thirty years old,
8 But consider, Death, what the En-
with 10000 thalers a year,.
along, Strauss; come along!'
"'None of this nonsense. Hard
hearted. Don't you see through my
ribs that have no heart at all? Come
peror will think of you, and how the
whole court will vote you a bore if
they get no new waltzes next winter!
" Pshaw, for your Emperor; Ill car
~ him off if he says much, | should
like to see him put Death out Of fash
ion.'
well, then, since I must go, let me
play one more waltz before l leave my
darling instrument, pleaded the poor
trembler.
$50 you may, 3. see that it is
good one,' answere .)eath, cooking his
ear like a connoiss I.
strauss played the waltz, Death
marking the measure, compiacently,
and saying, when it was through, with
a patronizing air:
Pretty well, Strauss! You may
play another.
Strauss began in a more spirited
strain. Death kept time with hand
and foot; the old woman kept time,
also, until, unable to resist the more
than magical impulse, he threw his
arms about her, and round and round
spun Death and the Old woman. Fas-
ter and faster played Strauss; faster
and faster whirled Death and the cid
woman. Strauss, playing for the lit
tie remnant Of his life, showed no signs
of WEAKNESS, but Death was getting eX-
hausted and giddy.
"'Stop, Straussi stopn he cried.
Strauss only put on a crescendo.
Strauss! Strauss! I can't stop myself
if you don't stop, Step! Stop
"'Wul you give me clear if / stop?'
asks Strauss.
u can't do-that,' says Death,
gasp,ng out his words.
"'Then you shall waltz on answers
Strauss, exulting in his power to create
a soul under the ribs of Death.
at last Death, beaten out, says, still
whirling like dervish: Ill-makev-a
bargain with-you-ou-
What is it?' replies Strauss, play
ing yet more furiously.
"'You - shall = live = for-years-
longer = if = -will-pay -me-in-
stead-of-y our-life -the-lives-of-
50,000-cther- peo-ee-ple each We
ar-ea-r.'
"'Doner cries Strauss.
SO ever since $4,000 people each
year have killed themselves dancing
Strauss waltzes! philadelphia North
American.