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

Of himself if he could help it. What was
the use of his learning to work. anyhow?
When he married Denise, as he fully IN
tended to do. they could live over Mile.
Duvals shop and eat cakes and tarts
for dinner and candles for breakfast and
supper. There was the bench under the
acacia tree close by Mile. DuvaTs shop.
and Toni expected to spend his adult life
sitting on that bench. in the summer
time. with Denise and eating cakes, and
in the winter time sitting in his mothers
warm kitchen licking candy kettles.
1t was a very grave matter to select a
trade for Toni Nine. Marcel had as
pirations for him which were not shared.
however, by anybody else; for all the
persons with whom she talked concern
ing TOMS future were quite brutal. so
his poor mother thought and recommed-
ed putting the boy 10 doing hard work
for which his strong little legs and arms
and back well fitted him. But Nine.
Marcel secretly yearned to see her Toni
a gentleman, though at the same time
she had not the courage TO advance this
proposition in any way. So she thought
as a compromise between a trade and
profession she would make Toni a
musician-a violinist, in short
When this was preached to Toni he OBJ
jected to it. as he did to every sugges-
ton that he should do anything except
amuse himself, talk with Jacques and
hang around the horses at the cavalry
barracks. His mother. however. for once
showed some determination, and Toni,
finding that he absolutely had to learn
to work. begged and prayed that he
might be allowed 10 work about the one
livery stable in the town OF Bienville.
Toni really did not think he would mind
feeding and currying horses. he loved
them so mueh-almost as much as JAG
CUES and Paul Verney-and, like Jacques,
they were interested lsteners-more in
terested than most of the people he
knew. Nine Marcel would by no means
consent to this. and urged on Toni the
advantage of playing first violin in the
orchestra Of the theater, Ike Hermann.
the yellow-haired Swiss, who was first
violinist at the Bienville theater.
do you call that work." asked Toni
Indignantly, as If ne were already a
captain Of industry-"sitting there and
fddling for amusement? Why, mamma.
that isn't work at all-it's Just amuse-
ment."
Then why do you object to it?" asked
Nine. Marcel helplessly.
Because It Is not work." replied Toni.
boldly when 1 work. I want 10 work
currying horses or something"
But have you no ambition?'' cried poor
Nine, Marcel. do you want TO be
mere hostler?''
Toni's mind had not projected itself
very far. He knew that he would have
TO serve his time in the army, and it had
occurred TO him that he would certainly
be put in the cavalry. and he said as
much 10 his mother. But Nine Marcel.
who could not persuade herself that Toni
was not an innocent and guileless crea-
ture. could not endure the thought Of
turning him loose IN a stable, to bear the
kicks and cuffs, the Jokes and jeers. OF
a lot of rough stablemen.
She asked Toni If he would be willing
70 learn the trade of a tailor Clery. the
tailor lived opposite then. and was
very respectable man, who made a good
living for his family. But Toni hastily
objected to this-he was afraid OF the
five Clery boys.
SO Nine. Marcel and Toni kept going
around in a circle for many days and
weeks. Finally Nine. Marcel one morn
ing, taking Toni by his hand, having
washed him clean for once, and dressed
him in his best Sunday suit, carried him
of TO see NJ. Hermann, the Swiss, IN re-
! gard TO converting Toni into q second
Sarasate or Ysaye Hermann lived in
two little rooms at the top Of a rickety
old tenement and TOMS heart sank as
| he climbed the stairs, holding on tightly
/ to his mothers hand He did not like
Hermann's looks-a big, blue-eyed Swiss,
who imagined that he resembied Lohen-
! grin and Siegfried and dressed the part
as we'll as he was able by cultivating
head OF long curly blond hair and a huge
/ blond beard.
Nine. Marcel explained, as mothers are
/ apt TO do under similar circumstances,
/ that. finding Toni totally unified for
anything else. she had determined to
make musician of him. Hermann smiled.
There was nothing OF the artistic tempera-
ment visible in that tousled head Of
black hair, those bright, dark eyes which
changed their expression as quickly as
the little river under the stone bridge
changed its look on an April day of sun
and rain. And Toni had hard, muscular
little hands. which did not seem to Her
mann as II they could ever WELD the
magic bow. Toni himself looked sulky.
He had no mind TO be a fiddler and did
not mean to learn. However, his mother
arranged that he should go the next day
to take his first lesson, and then they
went down stairs Toni Gathering ahead.
| He rushed of to the cavalry barracks
at the other end OF the town. It was the
time for feeding the hundreds of horses
in the long rows Of stalls, and Toni had
a few happy moments. crawling IN and
out as the troopers would let him, quite
| regardless of the Sunday suit Oh. If he
could only live with horses all the time
instead of people! Now that Paul Yer
ney was gone, he felt that 1t was use
/ less for him to try TO have a talking
| friend. But horses could understand per-
fectly well. and he could find much great
er companionship in a horse than in a
fiddle.
He firmly resolved not to go next morn
| ing 10 take his music lesson If he could
possibly help it; but when the time cams
he could not help it. and he started of.
at snail's pace, for Hermann's lodging.
Hermann, leaning out OF his window, saw
Toni come slouching along. looking as If
he were going TO his execution. He
scowled at Hermann, leaning out Of the
window Few small boys love lessons
on the violin. which is a difficult instru-
ment. but well worth giving ones days
and nights to, thought Hermann. When