Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-10-16
EVENING SHORT STORY.
CLASSICAL MUSIC.

The reception parlOf OF the. DOarulnS
house was almost full and the hostess
came up to the pianist with one OF her
most sugary smiles.
do play for us, Mr.. Concord" she
~entreated.
A bored look was i'll concealed behind
his answering smile. 1t might have
been the merriment of an undertaken
approaching a bit of choice funeral
humor. y
What would you like me to play?"
he asked.
Wont you play one of BeethoveH's
sonatas?" gushed a slim young thing
zeal by, with a celestial roll of her
Eyes.
Il do so adore Chopin!" sighed an
other. She pronounced it Chopin.
He amt in it with List. Spiel off n
of them rapsophies or phrapsodies Of
his. They're stunnin'," suggested the
young nan whose tie showed violent
contrasts in color.
81 would so like to hear something
dreamy and far away by Schumann,"
muttered a hungry-looking enthusiast
in polka dots, adjusting her p~ince-nez.
so you all var something class
ical?" asked the musician, with the pa
tent look of a professional martyr.
by all means classical-nothing
popular, of course" urged the fright
ened hostess.
A murmur of condemnation of popu-
lar music spread among the would-be
listeners led by the young man with
the riotous neckwear.
We amt no cheap crowd" he as
serted, conclusively.
An expression of grim resolve came
into the musicians face. He would
dish out classical music until they cried
for help.
A few introductory chords announced
the beginning of one of Bach's most
complicated fugues. His fingers scurried
over the piano, slurred, slid along,
drummed. poked, pounded.
Without giving them time to breathe
he rushed off into one of Chopin's
studies. From there he drifted into q
Beethoven sonata, and was just about
to begin the second movement when
he cast a side glance at his audience.
The hostess, the slim young thing
and the Chopin enthusiast were ardent
ly examining a photograph album.
Through the din of his own creation he
heard such EXPLANATIONS as "Ain't he
grand" "He takes a lovely photo
graph" "Ain't she took nice?" while
they were turning the album leaves.
The young man whose tie was n
shrieking discord in colors kept open
ing and shutting his eyes in an effort to
Danish a strange sleepy sensation that
was gripping him hard. The devotee
of List was carefully examining the
potted house plants in the bay window.
His only appreciative listener was the
clearinghouse cat. who rubbed up1oVL~
hard on the pedals.
The light that never shone on land or
sea kindled in the classic orbs of the
parlor Paderewski. This was the crowd
that had thrown a monstrous classical
bluff! Beethoven, Chopin and List, in
deed! He struck a few final chords sim
ply to satisfy his own ear.
A wild outburst of applause greeted
him.
"You play divinely," murmured the
slim young thing with the %enraptured
look of one who feeds on classical selec-
tions.
cts just too exquisite for anything"
ventured she of the polka dots.
He's got them other fellers skinned
a mile," remarked the gentleman with
the spasmodic tie.
You certainly do play with wonderful
expression" purred the hostess.
The pianist was experiencing a mar
row choking sensation in his throat.
He showed his wonderful s%elf-control
by limiting that sensation to his own
throat.
Little Amy, the daughter Of the
hostess, came toddling up and asked
him to play a popular air that was be-
ing murdered by every a~ble-bodied Ital-
lar organ grinder in town.
Eyes, do play it Just to please the
chee-ild.' said the hostess.
When the popular notes sounded in
the same old popular way, the slim
young thing looked as if she had tapped
a keg of the elixir of life, the Chopin en-
thusiast began to waltz with the young
man who went in for ultra unusual pat
terms in neckwear, the List devotee
was keeping time with both hands and
feet, while little Amy clapped aloud in
open, childish delight.
The martyr look on the pianist be-
came more deeply imprinted.
I'm the star duffer of the entire out
fit for having been persuaded to throw
pearls" he YEARLY growled as the List
devotee shrieked the words of the
popular song he was playing into his
ears.