Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-20
MAC SOME MUSICIAN.
He Discovered Lost Chord and Blew
Harmony into Paderewiski.


paoerewskf last week. He tell me he
cones to America this winter
"WeH. lie won't retorted Mac with
savage sheer, as he protuded his
massive Jaw Not so long as yours
II uly-James e MacDonald-is on the
same continent
'Ha, Ia. you joke. cried the musl-
clan. his feelings outraged. You do
not know the gr-r-eat Paderewskl
"Know him. yelled Mac. BY the
ragtlmes of Nero. sir, made him, took
him a kid off the streets and blew
music into hita; saved his life. And
tl,en only last winter at Paris, asked
him for two passes to the Moulin
Rouge. where he was tapping the
worries. and he threw me down cold.
That. gentlemen. for the gratitude OF
musician
The violinist stared wildly. Chico
Wilson. the retired bricklayer from
syracuse. gave him. the office.
"rrpll YOU now # was" reeounted
Mae. reaching for II piece OF corned
beef from the lunch counter. fie
German Emperor asked me to take
charge of the Royal German Band
plaved the bass horn. Had knack OF
tri1Ie and uuadruple tonguing that
struck the fancy of peasants and
mobiles. In odd hours. away from til
palaee. we would pick up what We
could along the streets.
"One morning | noticed a poor little
shaver gazing at me ionsingly. He
had only one suspender, but he wore
il artistically. Mac. | said, here s a
boy with the soul of music [ deter
mined to try him out. If | played n
Jig or anything common he'd hang his
head. hut if | give MIN something cias-
steal like Comm Thro' the Rye, big
tears stream down mis- dirty cheeks.
That WAS enough for me, SO l took
him ND and set him in the mouth of
NV bass horn. Knew he'd absorb
music that way quicker'n sending him
to school.
Day after day he'd sit there. his
long, red hair standing straight out
when I pressed the black keys and
blew hard He began to lose flesh
after awhile-was absorbing too fast,
got so weak / had L tie him in the
horn.
FINALLY he didn't show up at all, an
he'd heen away for about a week when
one morning his mother came rushing
up. Mr. Macdonald she begged for
the love O Heaven. hurry and see my
boy. tie calls for you night am day.
and I think he's dying,
"Ihey were only peasants con-
tinued Mac. lowering his voice to gem
tie tones. but that made no difference
with me when genius was concerned.
followed her to one Of the worst tene-
ment districts IN Berlin. Moment the
kid saw me. he began to cry. saying.
'Paderewski
That, | said to his parents. must
be his name forever afterward-pader
father; ewski. Observation-Disclosures
father, in honor Of me. His right
name was Emil Rump.
I'm two seconds he was out of bed
dancing over the earthern floor He
upset box of shoe polish. and. gentle
men, believe it or not, began to make
regular music notes with his feet-big
toe for full note second toe for half
and so on.
Inspired by his genius. I quickly
dashed five lines on the floor with a
piece of chalk. Paderewski swung his
heel. made a perfect cleft mark and.
wriggling over these, fell on the bed ex-
hausted. He had written the first bar of
'Lohengrin,'
II was sure now that I hadn't picked
dead one, and took Pad under my per-
manent care. We tramped all over Eu-
rope. jolly students, me footing tn
bills
Mac Numbered at the fiddler:
''Ybu'rp n musician 1 t:,t. il Yuurve
heard of the Lost Chord?' -
The other feebIy shook his head.
"A musician. men," howlcd Mac. land
never heard of the most sublime har-
mony that ever fell upon human ear
known even In the stone Age as the
Lost Chord'-struck only twice in the
history of the world, once by Salammbo
al the fall of Carthage. and again when
the Israelites We're crossing the Dele
the Red Sea-"
The fiddler cringed under MacDonald's
Mortified seowl.
"Well." declared Mac, hammerng his
fist on the bar. 80 struck it the third
time Tell you how it was. Late in
December had a fierce toothache. Was
mad with pain Paderewski got scared
at me an locked himself in his room.
Sat down on the piano stool and tried
to play something thatd quiet my
nerves.
Suddenly my tooth gave frightful
jump, my rage burst out and with Il
blind swoop | brought my heavy hand,
crash, down on the keys-broke seven
of EN- BY the Fates, gentlemen, never
knew how it happened, bat / struck out
a chord of music SO sublime and powerful
that it echoed in the room for more than
an hour-made me forget all about my
toothache.
Poor Pad came tearing out of his
room like lunatic threw his arms
around me and bawled:
Mac, he screamed, strike it again.
again, 1t was the Lost Chord"
IT know. boy, | said. and tried 10
oblige him, but there was nothing doing
Toothache gone. and, strange to say.
I've never had it since.
well" went on Mac, heartily, setting
down his empty glass, Poor Pad Went
practically insane trying to find my COM
bination He got so bad that I took him
out on the German Ocean. Had a steam
ship tow us 10 miles from shore.
Thought the sea arid do him good.
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