The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-06-29
LIST AS AN IDOL
The Great Musician Was Petted
by English Royalty.
A SOUVENIR OF THE MASTER.

The Singular Mennento That Was Sa-
eredly and Secretly Treasured by .
Cold, Rigid and Rather Disasrsesbls
Old EnsIishwomsn.
when I was very small boy In
deed" writes Ford M. Hueffer In Har-
per's, when I wore green velveteen
clothes, red stockings and long golden
curls. thus displaying to an unsympa-
thetic world the fact Of my pre-ka'
phaelite origin, was taken one day
to very large hall. In front of US
was wooden platform draped all
in red. Upon the platform was a
grand piano.
'In front Of me the first row of the
stalls had been taken away. and in
place Of them there had been put three
gilded armchairs, before which was
a table covered with profusion Of
flowers that dropped and trailed to the
ground. Suddenly there was applause
"a considerable amount Of applause.
A lady and gentleman were coming
from under the dark entry that led to
the artists room. They were the
Prince and Princess of Wales. There
was no doubt about that even for
small boy like myself.
"And then there was more applause.
What applause! 1t volleyed. 1t rolled
round the hall. All were on their feet
People climbed on to their chairs.
they waved hands. they waved pro-
grams, they waved hats, they shouted,
for in the dark entrance there had ap-
peared. white and shining. a head
with brown and sphinxlike features
and white and long hair and the eter-
nal wonderful smile.
"They advanced. these three, amid
those tremendous shouts and enthusi-
asm-the two royal personages lead
ing the master. one holding each hand.
They approached the gilded armchairs
Immediately in front Of me, and the
prince and princess indicated to the
master that he was to sit between
them at the table covered with flowers.
HE made little pantomimes Of mod
esty. he drew his hands through their
grasp. he walked quickly away from
the armchairs. and because was just
behind them he suddenly removed me
from my seat and left me standing un
der all the eyes. solitary in the aisle OF
the center Of the hall, while he sal
down. do not think I was frightened
by the eyes. but know l was terribly
frightened by that great brown. aqui
line face. with the piercing glance ant
the mirthless, distant, inscrutabl'
smile.
"And Immediately just beside mi
there began what appeared to be
gentle and courtly wrestling match. 4
gentleman Of the royal suit approach
ed the master. He refused to move
The prince approached the master. III
sat indomitably still. Then the prin
cess came and. taking him by the hand
drew him almost by force out of m.
stall. for II was my stall. after all
"And when he was once upon hi
feet. as If to clinch the matter, she sud
denly sat down In II herself, and wit
sudden touch of good feeling sh
took me by the hand-the small sol
tary boy with the golden curls and tn
red stockings-and sat me upon he
lap. l. alas. have no trace of the dat
on which l sat in queens lap. for
was all 50 very long ago; the king
dead. the master is long since deaf
the hall itself IL pulled down and ba
utterly disappeared.
81 had distant relative--Oddl
enough an English one, not Gel
man-who married an official of th
court of Weimar and became a lady |
waiting ON the grand duchess. As ia
as I know, there was nothing sing,
larly sentimental about this lad.
When ! knew her she was cold. rigi
and rather disagreeable. She had a
! ways about her peculiar and dis;
, greeable odor. and when she died
few years ago 1t was discovered thu
, she wore round her neck a sachet. an
} In this sachet was a half smoked ciga
? "This was a relic of Franz List. II
Q had begun 10 smoke II many years b.
fore at dinner which she had give
D and, he having put II down untinishe'
she had at once seized upon it and ha
3 worn II upon her person ever sine
0 This sounds inexplicable and incred
BILE, but there It is"
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