The Jennings daily record., 1902-04-02
r1OZART AND THE rlAJOR.

Copyrights, 1909.
~ Daily Story Publishing Company.


Music and liquor! The Major loved
them both; was something OF q con- 4
noisseur in both: and was keenly sus-
ceptible to the influence OF both. So,
when he actually resolvsu to adopt
small colored boy, his friends were
outraged. but not surprised; they only
felt unable to decide whether the
proceeding was to be attributed to the
Majors pocketfask or to the boys
banjo, while the Major cursed the
whole neighborhood in good. set terms.
and went after hts protege.
Whats the boys name!" he de-
manded when all other particulars had
been settled to the mutual satisfaction
of himself and the child's father.
"Well, Majah." was the somewhat
astonishing response, II don 5es
'zackly know
The Majors temper uncertain, and
his vocabulary ready.
Then you're q durn fool" he replied
with promptness and irritation.
well, Majah, you see, 'twuz is way
Wen dat chile wuz bawn, me n M'rier
lowed we wuz gwine to call him TO
you; an we wuz gwine to hab a great
big crussenin', soon's 1t got SOS he
cud war a frock 'dout emmy naik er
sleeves, dat yo' ma gin him. But
vile we wuz a-wattin', M'rier, she up
an jine de Baptis, an one day, wen
sez. 'M'rier. aim 1t mos warm 'nuff
fe' de crussenin'?' M'rier. she say,
sorter short-lak, dat dee ain gwine be
no crussenin'. Dat crussonin's infum
baptizzum, n dee ain no sech ting
ez infum baptizzum.' Dee AIM SEE 1:
'how'n the name O. Cord dat chile
gwine to get named, den? An M'rter
say. We Jess gwine call HIM Moses
right erlong. Dat bein's how he'd bin
kinder drawed out'n de water by bein'
kep' fun infum babtixzum, de preacher
lowed he mus be call Moses Well.
sub, jess pintedly rah'd'n pitched. I
sutney skeered M'rier. l lowed dat
boy wuzn't gwine to be named no sech
ting; an he ain, mum. he ain. Mrier.
she call him Nose, Jess TO- pure owda-
ciousness; but me an de res jess call
him sonny. An dat's huccome don
jess 'zackly know his name"
At the termination OF this remark
able narrative. the man stolidly await
ed the usual string of expletives. But
the Major stood silent, deep in medi-
tation A happy conceit had occurred
to him and he was lost IA admiration
OF its neatness and his cleverness.
1.-The boys name shall be Mozart
Mendelssohn," he said, with an unc-
tuous relish of his own good thing;
"Moz-art Mendels-sohn," he repeated.
adapting the pronunciation to the slow
| mind Of his hearer; then Maria can
| keep on calling him Nose, and you
| can keep on calling him sonny, and by
the Lord Harry! Adam himself couldn' I
do better than that
So Mozart Mendelssohn It was; and
If ever small boy deserved great
name, this one did. Pitiably crippled
| and misshapen the little follow was;
but genius looked out of his dark,
bright eyes, and spoke through his
slender, ebony fingers. After a few
preliminary trials, he could handle any
instrument with a skill and expression
rarely attained by months of practice;
| and, aleng this line, the limit OF the
| Majors generosity was the limit of hti
purse
Seated on the wide stone step OF the
west veranda. while the Major rocked
to and fro above him, with a min
julep or toddy at his side, Mozar
would fill the air with soothing melo-
dy, until his watchful eye took not'
that the last drop had disappeared
down the Majors capacious throat
Then, and not till then. with claspet
hands around his crooked knee, ant
eyes fixed firmly on the distant land
scape, would Mozart say, Il bleve
cud play fiddle"
.Swell, blank my eyes!" the Majo
would roar, "a fiddle! and it's just ik
your derned impudence to think
ought to get you one. A fiddle! &c
up off that rock and go to the kitchen
before 1 break every bone in you
body" And the Major would stalk il
the house, raging; while Mozart woul,
walk off around the corner. II blew
1 cud play it," he would say as h
disappeared. And, in less than
month, he would be playing Thereon
to the Majors intense delight and tn
neighborhood's intense disapproval.
There was but one drawback to tn
Majors enjoyment; Mozart could nc
play before strangers. In vain was b
brought before expectant guests; fut'
violin. cornet or banjo, 1t was all th
same; his trembling fingers refuse
their office, and his frightened appea
-