The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-07-26
IheSymphony

since the little theater had been
built was there such an audience.
The manager was beside himself
with excitement, but the people be-
fore the curtain did not confuse him
half as much as those behind.
The weekly prizes of 81, 50, and SIS
were always contested for eagerly by
the people of the Latin quarter,
whose patronage the house solicited.
and more especially this Friday
night it seemed. The manager knew
why such an unusual number ell
bowed and pushed each other in their
eagerness to get near the door
The winners of the coveted dollars
would not squander them this week.
Instead, they would send them direct
ly to the homeland, where relatives
and friends were in terror and suf-
fering.
the manager to his assistant, well
have to thin them out. See what
kind OF a turn each one does and
take the best; get the funniest ey-
cry time. The people have cried
enough this week-they're paying to
be amused tonight, so be careful not
to get any weeping-willow acts.
Hustle up, now! I'll look after the
seating. The law allows us to squeeze
in 100 more"
The assistant hurried behind the
scenes and began sorting the per-
formers. 1t was no easy task, and
many were the threats and curses as
one after another was refused a
chance to go on. He had almost fin
ished his selection when he came to
swarthy little man In the costume
of a Sicilian peasant.
"Hullo!" said the assistant What
do you do. Speak up?"
ME playa de plan" said the little
man. moving his fingers over an
imaginary instrument. ME playa
good Ye-es."
mo pianists," said the assistant,
moving on People no like. Get the
hook. Understand"
'But-me playa nice. Me no getta
da hook. Me maka da plan to talk"
mo doubt you can make It walk,
but l can't let you try. Next"
The little man turned away, NUT
tering as his fellows had done, and
the curtain went up for the first per-
former
There was something wrong with
the audience that night. 1t was ex-
tremely critical and hard to please.
he 3D1y FOL Got a
cleyerest trickster was only family APP
plauded.
Its funny" said the manager as he
and his assistant met in the rear OF
the hall. What ails them? That last
song was well done and mighty
catchy. Why don't they clap?"
q don't know" said the other,
gloomily. "At the rate they're turn
ing em down the whole bunch could
have gone on. What! l told that
| fellow to Keep off"
The little man in Slcilian costume
was 4tanding in the middle OF the
stage. He looked a bit of old Italy
with his curly locks and long gold
earrings 81 come to play to you OF
| the homeland" he said in his native
| tongue. Il have the music that can
make you see it as 1t lies in the sun
| light. 1t will make you see the sea,
the olive groves and the clear blue
sky Listenl"
The audience grew suddenly still
as he seated himself at the piano and
| struck a few soft chords. Then the
! notes began to weave themselves In
to story, and as the musician I'M
folded 1t to his listeners his face
grew rapt and was beautiful.
When he stopped, the crowd broke
into a frenzy of applause. Men sobbed
and women screamed.
"Whatll he do next?" asked the
manager. The man is a wizard.
That's flnei He's playing the Italian
National air Hurry up. Bowley, and
throw the pictures of the king and
queen on the screen before they stop
singing The roof1l fall with their
| noise"
When the lights were turned on
again the excitement had spent Itself
little, the man who had caused 1t all
was gone. A reporter for one OF the
dailies came hurrying up and seized
the manager by the arm.
How'd you get him. Davy?" he
asked. Where is he? ! want to in
terview him Quick, before he es-
capes!"
He's gone already" said the man.
ager. 81 wanted to see him, too. He's
Just the man for the place"
1 The reporter stopped him. do you
mean to say you don't know who he
was?" he cried. "He was Lorenzo.
the great composer"
81 was thinking some of hiring him
at is per-" he said. The next minute
he added thoughtfully; What do you
suppose made him do 1t? He must
have had reason"
Hurryitig homeward was the little
man in peasants costume.
Ss;Ahf they. understood" he unused.
ii knew they.could. They loved 1t for
itself alone, not because |, the great
Lorenzo, played It. No other but the
Italian could have appreciated 1t as
they did. To the English-bah--it
would have had to be explained In
cold worlds so that they might follow.
What care If | get no gold beyond
the beggarly first prize, perhaps? Ap-
ureciation is more than applause or
money to a man who loves his art as
a.