The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-02-21
THAT WORN PAPER
Teacher of Music Tells Pupil OF
His Greatest Interests in
Life.
BY ELLA M. BANGS.

NCOpyIBnt, 1918, Dy the MCCluTe ANeWS-
paper Syndicate.)
AS Rudolph Hartman drew his bow
through the concluding strains OF the
Dvorak Humoresque, he glanced up to
meet the intent gaze of young girl.
animated, vivid as tropical flower In
her dark beauty. She was leaning for
ward, with glowing cheeks. and red
lips parted, and from that moment the
young violinist was conscious OF no
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 next
concert, and yes-she was there. Again
he realized only that one presence and
through the following days the thought
OF her was the deep undercurrent be-
meath whatever else might occupy him
at the moment.
Suddenly one evening as he sat
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 been
dreaming? That promise to his father
and all else had faded into insignih-
; canoe and his father, dying. had
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 1t 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 q
violin made by the Incompatible
Stradivarius and inlaid in the woot
of its back was his name, Ludwig Vor
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 hat
pawned the violin intending later tC
redeem 1t. When that day came tbs
violin was not to be found.
Sobered, the son spent his life II
the vain search and, dying, besough
his son-Rudolph's father-to continue
the work. While Rudolph was a boz
something gave his father reason Il
believe that the violin had been car
ried to London. Thither father ant
son went, remaining until clew wal
found leading them to New York.
Once more father and son had tax
en- up life in a strange country, bu
Nhin 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 famil!
that success and good fortune woult
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 ever.
place where there seemed a possibil
ity of finding trace Of the lost Strad
ivarius.
One evening as Rudolph sat alon
he heard knock at his door. and an
swering was confronted by a middle
aged man with an air Of prosperity
who said questioningly:
This Is Prof. Rudolph Hartman
II am Rudolph Hartman"
The stranger presented d his car
giving the name Phineas West, an
a moment later made known his el
rand II have come to ask If 20
will take my daughter for a pupil o
the violin"
"A child-a beginner"
WELL" the man smiled slightly
81 suppose she Is young lady t
others. She is still child to me-"