The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-11

him to go home TO his mother and tell
her that she had an ass for a son. Toni,
at the first rap from the bow. which did
not hurt him in the least, howled ter
rincany, and rushing off home TO his
mother, told her. between HIS sobs,
narrowing tale of how Hermann had
beaten him most cruelty with the violin
bow. However Nine. Marcel could not
find a scratch on him 10 corroborate
TonPs sensational tale. and fatty refused
to believe him. In spite Of TOMS pro-
tests, he was sent back to Hermanns
lodging for his music book and the little
violin which Nine. Marcel had asked
Hermann TO provide for the boy. He
returned home. carrying both music and
violin, those instruments of torture. and
seriously considered studying tailoring
after all, as two of the Clery boys were
doing. But Clery made hts boys work,
and Toni had great hopes that Hermann
would never be able to get any work out
OF him.
Little Denise, who was soft-hearted, had
seen him coming and going in his pur-
suit Of an artistic career, and her heart
was touched at the spectacle of TOMS
unhappiness. When he came home that
second day, Denise was sitting on the
bench under the acacia tree and was
knitting industriously. Denise bad all
the virtues which Toni lacked AS Toni
approached. his head hanging sullenly
down, Denise held out her hand and In
It was little piece Of stale tart. This
frightened Toni up. and. sitting down
by Denise. he told her a moving story
OF the cruelties he had suffered at Her
manns hands. adding several atrocities
TO the original ones.
Poor, poor Toni! I feel so sorry for
you"
You ought to" replied Toni, deeply
touched by his own eloquence. and be-
ginning to cry THAT man viii beat me
TO death some day, know he will, and
I hope he viii, too. because then even
my mother will be sorry she sent me to
learn the fiddle. O-o-o-ohi'
Mile Duyal interrupted this tender
scene by coming out and calling TO Toni:
you good-for-nothing little boy. why
don't you go home and practice the vio-
lin and mind your mother? Oh, I war
rant Nine. Marcel will see trouble with
you"
Toni concluded that when he married
Denise he would see as little as possible
OF his aunt-in-law az we'll as his father
| in-law
/ He went back the next day. and many
days after. For weeks and months hon
est Hermann strove with the boy, but
Toni simply would not learn the violin
However. a strange thing happened-he
found he could talk to Hermann. and
was not afraid OF him. and Hermann
discovered that this lazy. idle. dirty,
bright-eyed, insinuatlng urchin. who had
no ear for music, had some strangely
| compauionable qualities. Toni even grew
/ intimate enough with Hermann 10 tell
him about Jacques. and actually was
courageous enough 10 ihow that redoubt-
able warrior to his fr.snd He told Her
mann also OF his friendship with horses.
and said to him:
do you know. feel as II you were
horse-a great big sorrel cart-horse :"
/ Hermann threw back his head. and
| opened his mouth and laughed at this
And am not the least afraid Of YOU 4"
| continued Toni. and that is very queer.
because I am afraid Of people. except
Paul verney."
And l shall tell you" said hermann,
laughing and twisting his hands in the
/ boys shock Of black hair. what think
you are ilke7 A monkey-exeept that
you have not sense enough 10 learn to
dance. as a monkey does"
/ Toni was delighted at this Then he
said quite graveiy:
do you know, M. Hermann, of any
business a boy can learn that will give
him all he wants to eat, and plenty OF
time to amuse himself. and not make him
work, and support him."
"Oh. yes" said Hermann. Marry a
young lady with a large fortune That
gives a man enough to do, but yet it is
not called work.
Il already made up my mind TO that. ="
said Toni seriously. Il am going-now
don't tell anybody this-I am going TO
marry little Denise Duval and we are
going 10 live part of the time with Mile.
Duval and eat cakes, and the rest of the
time with my mother and eat candies. -
Hobo" laughed Hermann, who had
a great, big, joyous laugh. what a clever
arrangement-and Mile. Duval has agreed
TO this, and her niece, and your mother?'
MY mother Will agree 20 anything I
say. and Mile, Duval viii agree to any
thing Denise says. but I have not asked
Denise yet-she is so young, you know,
she doesn't understand anything about
these things, but l shall marry her Just
the same. If 1 ever have a wife, I mean
that she shall be nice. and clean, and
good. and stay at home and work hard.
Women ought to work hard, you know,
N. Hermann"
Hermann shouted out again-hls roar
ing laugh.
You are, after all, not such a little
idiot as I supposed" he said. Mile. De-
Mise will no doubt work and keep Won
in idleness. Now play your scale, and
then Toni played his scale-a terrible
scale, that began and ended nowhere
and which caused Hermann TO grind his
teeth. He caught Toni and shook him.
Play that scale again. you rascal!'' he
roared. and Toni played it worse than
before.
''Oh, my Cod" cried Hermann. .to
think Of teaching you the violin Nigh,
Just as well try to teach one of the
horses in the riding-school-I am sure
! I/