The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-03-06
THAT WORN PAPER
Teacher of Music Tells Pupil Of
His Greatest Interests HI
Life.
BY ELLA M. BANGS.

DfoIdh fumOTeSque, He BH1nCcCi up u
meet the intent gaze of a young girl
animated, vivid as tropical flower il
her darn beauty. She was leaning for
ward. with glowing cheeks, and RET
lips parted, and from that moment thu
young violinist was conscious of NJ
one else in all the vast audience
Who she was he knew not, and she
was lost to sight as the program ended
Eagerly he looked forward to the mex
concert, and yes-she was there. Agar
ne realized only that one presence ant
through the following days the thought
OF her was the deep undercurrent be
meath whatever else might occupy hin
at the moment.
Suddenly one evening as he sal
alone In his little room, something
seemed to say, What OF the promise
to your father"
The young man started up. Had the
words been spoken? Had he beer
dreaming? That promise to. his father
and all else had faded into insignifi
SAhSO anu DlS ldlutIy ny luS, udC
begged from him the promise to de
vote his life to the cause which had
taken them from Germany, their ia
therland, to England, and later to
America. Now, to bring back his in
terest. he took from his desk worn
paper, and spreading it out before him
sat with elbows on the desk and
hands ruffiing his blond hair as he
read the long familiar story. The facts
were that years ago the great-grand
father, for some service rendered the
emperor, had been presented with a
violin made by the Incompatible
Stradivarius and inlaid in the wood
of its back was his name, Ludwig Won
Hartmann. This priceless treasure
had in time passed to the son, another
Ludwig, who, being of wild, adven
turous nature, found himself at Ger
tain time in such straits that he had
pawned the violin intending later tc
redeem 1t. When that day came the
violin was not to be found.
Sobered, the son spent his life in
the vain search and, dying, besought
his son-Rudolph' father-to continue
the work. While Rudolph was boy
something gave his father reason to
believe that the violin had been car
ried to London. Thither father and
son went, remaining until clew was
found leading them to New York.
Once more father and son had tax
en- up life In strange country, but
within a year of their arrival Hart.
man the elder had died, leaving Ru
dolph to carry on the search alone
Aside from the value of the instru
ment there was legend in the family
that success and good fortune would
come only with the return of the VIC
lin to its rightful owner.
Striving to shut out the newer in
terest, Rudolph set about making in
quiries, haunting music stores, pawn
shops, dealers in antiques, and every
place where there seemed a POSSIBLE
ity of finding trace of the lost Strad
ivarius.
One evening as Rudolph sat alone
he heard knock at his door, and an
swering was confronted by a middle
aged man with an air of prosperity
who said questioningy;
This is Prof. Rudolph Hartmann
81 am Rudolph Hartman"
The stranger presented his card
giving the name Phineas West, and
a moment later made known his er
rand Il have come to ask If you
will take my daughter for a pupil or
the violin"
"a child-a beginner"
Well" the man smiled slightly
81 suppose she is young lady tc
others. She is still child to me-"
The matter was arranged, and 8
few days later Rudolph was making
his way toward the home of his pros
pective pupil He knew Phineas
West only as one Of New York's
many minor millionaires, and he as
far from finding fault with the fac
that he wished him to teach his
daughter.
He had waited a few moments ii
the deliberately appointed music room
when the portieres parted and Jaque
line West entered.
Was he dreaming? For a moment
the young teacher believed he mus
be, for she who was coming towart
him was the girl who. had lived in his
thoughts from the day he had frs
seen her
Going up to him, she gave him hel
hand. Il want to thank you, Profes
sor Hartman, for consenting to take
me for a pupil"
Rudolph pulled himself together a.
he returned Perhaps 1t Is l wht
should express the thanks You have
taken lessons-yes?"
"A few"
LET me hear you play"
The girl took up her violin, an,
without notes began to play. She dit
not play we'll and her teache
watched her moment in perplexity
He, with quick intuition, guessed
and rightly that she had purposel,
not done her best, and immediatel.
master OF the situation, he sail
gravely:
'"You can do better than that, Mis-
West Play that again, please
Recognizing a new tone In hi
voice, the girls face flushed. She re
garded him a moment half defiantl
before she bent again over her Wolff
and did her best.
Bravo! What did | say? Ant
still you think | can teach you?"
Indeed yes. | want to do better