Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
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AS soon as finish school l expect
to teach"
'Teaeh!" Papa Mertz almost shout
ed, unit such a woice2 Neferl Who
said anything about money? You gif
me your voice to train, dat is better
as money"
And so Adele became his pupil, find
ing him an exacting master, but one
whose unself1sh interest she could not
doubt. He would not consent to her
singing In public. NO" he said, when
the question arose. "Your voice is your
grand gift; you must keep it yet lid
die longer to yourself"
At length the day came when he said
he could teach her no more.
"You know all, and more, as 1. You
must go on Europe for de flemish, de
style. No one can gif you tempera-
ment Dat you have. But de flemish,
de style-you must go on Europe"
The matter Of money stood In the
way of the plan. Adele had none, and
the professor had no more than was
necessary for his own frugal needs.
Money had never loomed big on his
horizon, but now he wanted 1t more
than he had ever wanted anything In
his life. Even the intensity of his early
longing for a brilliant career was less
than his desire that Adele should reach
her fulf1lIment.
Always dose who half de chenius
half nod de money. Ach, Colt" he
complained, beating his forehead in per-
plexity.
He did for Adele what he never
would have done for himself. He ar
ranged a benefit concert, and went
about with a subscription list, carry
Ing it from one moneyed man to an
other, with quiet persistency that
refused to take no for an answer. And
he won.
He permitted Adele to give her voice
generously at the benefit concert, and,
while he knew her step was only on
the threshold Of success, for the mo-
ment he let himself be exhilarated by
the plaudits she received, adding his
own sign Of approval.
"My schild, you have done great"
he said, which was more to Adele than
all other praise and appreciation.
Since then more than ten years had
vanished. During their passing Adele
made a rapid ascent of the ladder.
Papa MertZ quietly and uncomplain-
ingly slipped down into obscurity. He
had never INDUCED in pyrotechnics to
keep himself before the public, and
when swifter feet began to pass him
by he made no resistance or outcry.
'I am old and new teachers hat
come" he said; "but 1 hat Won great
work done. Il is Adele"
His great work" spent the ten years
abroad, but the glory Of her fame and
name came across the waters. She
repaid, as wholly as money can repay,
her debt to Papa Merit, with a sum
that enabled him to live without fear
Of want. Time and distance had their
inevitable effect Of lessening her
thought OF him, though even in her
eventful life she never forgot him en-
tirely. This she proved when, upon
her return to America, she came to sing
in her native place, and at once re-
membere6 the old musician.
This was why he was seated In re-
luctant state In the box, concealing
himself as much as possible behind its
draperies. At his feet was a basket
brought for Adele. He was not s,1re
he should dare present them to her
He feared she might be too grand for
his humble offering. He did not notice
the sights or sounds attending the as
sembling Of vast audience. His ears
and eyes were for the stage alone, and
he tried to fancy how Adele would look
when she stood behind the footlights.
His room was filed with pictures of
her. Many he had bought, and some
she had sent, but 1t was the living.
breathing, singing Adele he wanted, not
her pictured pFesentment
At last she came. Papa Mertz was
impatient Of the loud applause which
swept up to the stage to greet her. He
wanted to hear her sing. He wanted
to hear for himself, and to be sure
that her voice had fulfilled its promise.
He listened, almost fearfully, for her
first notes. When they poured from
her round, full throet-notes that
were deep and rich and smooth, and
filled with the magic, Zach, Gott," he
sighed, In content, leaning back rest
fully In his chair, lost in the flood of
glorious melody, and rejoicing in the
gift of one who held the power he had
missed.
Adele's eyes searched the box sew
eral times before she discovered Papa
Mertz, half hidden In its shadows.
When she found him, she sang to and
for him, with all her heart and soul
and mind. All that she was she owed
TO him she felt. The realization of
what he had done swept over her In a
great wave OF gratitude. She could
not knew that to him she represented
his great achievement.