Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-07
Because Of a Piano.

ITNIO nation in the world has as much
" trouble in marrying its daughters
as the Jewish nation. If a non-Jewish girl
does not want or has not the opportu-
nifty 10 marry there is another outlet
for her-to spend her life in a convent.
or she can live a life of single blessed
ness But that is not the case with us
Jews We are very much Crieved and
almost ashamed if one of our girls re-
mains single. The term AN old maid is
scaTeCrow for us. and therefore we are
willing to give away everything in order
to marry off our grown-up daughters"
Thus spoke my friend Weinblatt in
reply to my question regarding his fam
lily affairs. When l asked why he was
so pessimistically inclined he continued:
II presume that you are aware. friend.
of all the misery father has to suffer
from children nowadays. On account of
them we must always be ready to make
compromises and TO approve of things
which are not in accordance with our
own wishes. And IL among your chill
dren are two or three girls who have
passed already the sweet sixteen period
then the demands OF the Moloch fashion
Will almost ruin you. A few weeks ago
my oldest daughter came TO me with a
new proposition: / should buy her
piano for a dollar week., and my bet
ter half at once fell In with this idea,
stating that piano is a good attraction.
AT first l refused to comply with this
request. but little by little I was conquer
ed, and the whole space of my tiny
partor was given over to a piano. IT is
understood that was also compelled to
engage a piano teacher for my daughter
Well, our little rooms were always full
of music and we ate our herring and po-
tatoes with the accompaniment of mu-
steal tones.
A short while later a matchmaker
brought US a young man who. after a
few visits. became my daughters sutton
He used TO come TO us every evening,
and my daughter. OF course. was always
music. I noticed that many times the
young man would yawn while listening
10 my daughters playing, but he never
made any remarks Suddenly we began
TO notice that the young man did not
call as often as formerly. and that his
visits were getting shorter and shorter
Once he came when my daughter was
not at home, and | started to question
him as to why he came so seldom. After
a little hesitation he confessed that the
piano was the cause of It,
I come to your house after q hard
days work. he said, and wish to have
here little rest and an opportunity to
talk TO your daughter, my future wife
But she always treats me with "arias,"
with waltzes and with popular songs. A
business for me- Once in a while, WELL
iet her strum. but every evening?-I cam
not endure it, | am nervous already"
My daughter learned of the young
mans statement, and at once became Of
tended, seeing in II an affront to art.
From that day they started to quarrel
every time they met. The young man
was unable TO stand it any longer and
left our house without bidding us good
bye My daughters piano drove him
out OF our house for good"
When l heard my friends story I felt
very sorry for him. and / said to my
self: Il wonder how many more young
men his daughter will drive away with
her piano.