The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-04-25
he Pd8edy
of Toto
.ll.a
s. ELLIS Parker BUTLER

NV HEN Kubelefsky had visited
W every part Of the ship and con-
vineed himself that it had been de-
serted, and that only Toto remained 10
keep him eoznpaag, he seated hilnssif
on one az tie steamer chairs that had
mot been swept overheard during the
gale and gazed9 out over the sea.
tits bad, badi he said, more to HIM
self than to Toto, and then his ire
pressible optimism asserted itself and
he added; But things are not astbad
as they might be"
Tt was indeed bad. To be adrift IN
1nid-Atlantic on an abandoned steam
.er, It was terrible. 1t was donner-
blitzlich! And the ship all mussed up
and broken by the storm! But on
the other hand. there were endless
quantities of food, the ship did not
seem to be sinking, there was still
Toto, and there was still his violin.
Things were really not as bad as
they might be.
All the world knew Kubelefsly, the
magician of the Wis ln. All America
remembers his hair, his art, his &C.
centricities, his triumphs, and his
Toto His tour was one grand ova-
tion, one round of teams, cheers and
KISSES Musical womRnhood knelt in
rapture before his hair, tllrob5ed with
his art, but, above all, talked about his
Toto. But every genius has his eccen-
tricifies, and Kubeiefsl1y would not be
Kubelefsky without his Toto Some
said he affected Toto for her advertis-
ing value, but we who knew him best
did him no such injustice. He loved
her. He loved her only as those great
souls that are set high above the world
by their surprising genius can love
that which IS loWly and soulless and
animal
How KubelefslSy and Toto happened
to be overlooked when the ship was
abandoned cannot pretend to say.
Kubelefslzy had been unutterably sick;
sick as only the great genius can be,
and as he always was when the sea
was rough, and they may have left
him. thinking him dead. But Toto had
not been seasick. She was q splen-
did sailor. All cats are.
companion, almost lover, and in the
weary weeks that followed the storm
she was Kubelefsky's refuge from sol
itude. She was his audience, his
plaudit, his appreciator, and apprecia-
tion is demanded by genius Genius
lives on appreciation. For weeks, as
the derelict foated on the summer sea,
Kubelefsky lived on Toto's apprecia-
tion and canned goods. It is such
occasions as these that bring out the
noblest qualities. They are, as the
advertisements Of certain iniments
say, good for man and beast"
Things were truly not as bad as
they might be. KubelefsIy had his
violin and he had Toto, and he drew
great solace from each. When he
pressed his chin against the vibrant
wood of the violin and drew the living
bow over its speaking strings, he for
got the world in an ecstasy Of joy,
and when he glanced down at Toto,
sitting sedately and watching his eyes
for the smallest token of love, his soul
was filled with contentment,
They had always been good friends,
had Toto and Kubelefsl1y, but they
become more than that as week fol
lowed week. In all his walIkings to
and fro she followed at his heels, and
when he paused she would rub against
his shins and purr with delight. He
talked to her as one would talk to a
ssweetheart. He fondled her, and held
her in his arms, and when he was
weary after playing a dthcult rhap-
ssody, he would bury his hot face in her
soft fur and gain new strength.
Sometimes he would vainly specu
late whether he loved his violin OF
Toto the better, but he quickly put
such thoughts aside, for why should
he think of distressing possibilities
He lived for his violin, but Toto lived
for him.
It was an odd eompanionship, thes'
three; Toto, with her dove-coloret
coat the VIOLIN IN its rich reddisl
brown, and Kubelefslly, with long "a
ven locks. These three alone in th'
midst Of the boundless, desOlate ocean
It was the 18th Of August that thu
first break came to mar the happiness
of the trio, and it was a violin strinl
that broke. AS the sickening snap
Of the string interrupted the obligat'
that Kubelefsky was executing, h
paused and tears rolled down hi
cheeks.
Poor thingl Poor thingl" he nun
INJURED, as he stroked the mutilated VIC
1in, and Toto, seeing his grief, cam
and iaid her head gently on his fooi
Thanks Toto, sweetheart" " he said
you teach me to endure to be brave
70 be q man, and he dashed aside tn
tears.
IT was soul-trying to play with on
string missing. but Kubeiefsly was
wizard, and none but he would hav
known the loss, 50 sweet were .th
tones be drew from the remaiain
strings But the loss had taught him
geHson, and he used the violin less an
gevo Toto more attention.