The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-19

an iron railing. When he arrived on
the stage floor his wrath was beyond
expression.
At first he declared he would not
play. Then he said he would cut the
programme His manager argued and
the audience waited. Finally he be-
came sufficiently pacif1ed to open his
programme He was in a. condition to
demand almost anything of an audi
ence, and when no wild uproar fol-
lowed the conclusion of the sonata, he
was almost frantic.
Again he threatened to cut the pro-
gramme, and again his manager ar
gued with him. He finally consented to
play the programme through as it was
printed, and contented himself with
spending the short intermissions ravlng
over what he termed q slight to his
sonata" He was still In terrible hu-
NOR at the conclusion of the. pro-
gramme, although it had been plainly
proven to him that the audience appre-
ciated his art thoroughly.
How can people have energy when
they sit in so warm house. he said
as he paced the floor of the dressing
room. They can have no life, they
cannot go wild over art. Bah, have
no patience with people who want to
be hot all the time"
WAS the house hot?' asked the
manager mildly. q
''Ach Colt, was it hot?" and the great
pianist stopped in his pace against
time and looked at his business asso-
ciate. while a look, half sarcasm and
half commiSeration spread over his fea-
lures. mo, it was not hot. 1t was
cold. See, cough because of the cold
1 caught 1 thought 1 should freeze.
Was it hot? Ach Colt, no; but 1 still
have buckets of water here under my
arms
At this juncture the accommodating
manager attempted to introduce a news
paper man. The pianist did not ac-
knowledge the Introduction but caught
at the word newspaper, while commits
GRAFTON disappeared entirely from MS
countenance and sarcasm alone re-
NAMED
Il am such a young artist I care so
very much for newspapers" he said.
MY career is just started, and I must
say please write something nice about
me- If the papers do not praise me l
may not succeed, you know. Colt, it
is a good joke, is it not" and he broke
into a laugh as he started to again pace
the floor.
Presently he stopped short again.
what care I for critics and newspa-
pers," he said almost fiercely. They
can affect me not one bit. I am a great
artist and if critics have the under
standing they can come and worship
me- That is all they can do. That is
all anybody can do. 1 am to be worship
ped 1 am an artist"
Many of the ladies of the Topeka
Music club came back on the stage to
meet De Pachmann. He deigned to
leave the dressing room and walk among
them, but continued to give expression
to his grievance.
MY blessed sonata" he exclaimed
from time to time. And how did you
take it. Tap. tap, tap, with your hands,
just so. Ach Colt"
When De Pachmann and his manager
reached the hotel after the concert the
pianist explained that he wanted bowl
of bread and milk at once. The clerk
told him that it could not be procured
in the hotel as the dining room was
closed This started the genius again.
"Gott, what is it 1 hear he almost
screamed. This a Christian country
and no bread for the hungry"
A bell boy was quickly dispatched to
a neighboring restaurant and the de-
sired bread and milk secured. This the
pianist ate in bed, and after the repast,
to the great satisfaction of his manager,
he fell asleep.