The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-13
Miss Jessie Waller. Who Is Considered
One of Topeka's Best Violinists.

This she drew across the stalk as she
kept time to the rhythm within her
heart And from her lips came
humming: "Some day I'm going to
play beautifully on a real violin. I'm
going to, I'm going to-
So absorbed she did not feel the
heat Was not conscious Of her sur
rOundingS except for the low musical
hum of the insect melody around her
blending strangely into the theme run
ming in her mind.
For to the little girl the world was
| full of harmony and music. There was
the song of the birds, and a tune that
the rain played as it beat upon the
roof when she awoke early in the
morning, and there was the minor note
Of the wind, or the joyous staccato
of the skates when she played on the
! ice
And there was the music of the or
gan at the church. But best of all
was the music which came laughing
or sobbing from the pretty red box
with it's graceful curves when her ia
| ther or uncle would draw a curious
stick across it. Even before she could
talk she, a tiny thing, would sit in the
/ long black case in the evenings while
one of the men drew the bow across
the strings of the instrument. And her
big brown eyes would grow even big
ger with wonder and pleasure.
AS she stood. rocking back and
! forth, her eyes were closed. She did
not see one of the neighbors passing
by and look at her with a smile And
she did not know until long afterwards
that the neighbor had described the
scene to her father. But she did know
that one Christmas when she was not
more than years old, her father
| bought her a small violin. 1t was
| cheap instrument, but today she would
not part with it for any price. 1t
hangs in the Waller home at Gil Fill
more street
The little girl referred to is now
Miss Jessie Waller, whose violin solos
are one of the features of the services
at the First Christian church. She
also plays with the Sunday school or
chestra. She is considered one of the
best -violinists in Topeka. She is the
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. T. c. Wal
Ter Her father is barber at 613
Quincy street
Hard Work and Ambition.
The young womans career has been
interesting. 1T has been one of am
bition talent and hard work. She was
reared in Carbonate. Her father and
uncle play the violin and from them
came the taste for that music she
began taking lessons when little glri
from a local teacher at Carbonate. To
| catch the earliest train so as to get
here take her lesson and get back
home early she had to get up at )
O'Clock in the morning and wait in the
cold depot. She practiced ceaSelessly,
but found time to o homework and
also keep up with her school lessons
She tied for highest honors in the
Carbonate high school.
1t will be remembered that she &C
cou1panied the Santa Fe Concert com
pany on its trip to the coast in 1910. She
is reaping the reward of her efforts
Her tones are wonderful and her tech
nioue is way above the average even for
a professional But she is as modest
as talented. She has plenty OF genius
and Temperament but her temperament
and genius are not ingTown- She as
cribes nearly all of her success to the
training of Prof Petrowitsch Kissing
with whom she studied in Topeka, and
her tone power partly to the fact that
she was something of an athlete as a
girl and developed unusual strength IT
wrists and hands and fingers. all OF
which contribute to the making of good
tones on violin
Whatever am I owe nearly all to
Professor Kissing" said Miss Waller
this afternoon. He was so patient
with me and gave me so much en-
couragemant-
NV home was at Carbonate. in fact
T have lived in Topeka only four years
Carbonate people tell of seeing me one
summer day playing on corn-sta Il
violin You see my father and uncle
pla vad the violin and I always wished
to play on one J remember no. pleased
7 was when father bought me one foI
| Christmas when I was a little girl.
| always carried the case under my arm
instead of by the handle because had
seen a picture of an artist carrying the
| case that way and thought for a Ions
time that was the only proper way
Now when / hear a real artist PLAY