Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-19
JOTTINGS FROM
MY NOTEBOOK
EOrglyeness-The Able Liszt.
By RALPH NJ. MoRPHETT

Here is a great story about
Franz List, the celebrated pianist
and composer, who died thirty
years ago.
He was one of the greatest plan
lists of his day; many people said he
was the greatest. His name was
known throughout the world. He
had played before the most dis
tinguished audiences in all the
chief cities on the continent; and
it was thought to be a very great
privilege indeed to have heard
List.
Now, there was a young girl
who was also a pianist. She had
had a very difficult life. Her father
and mother both died when she
was a child; and it was only De
cause she. was determined to get
on, and 6rayeIy faced and over
came all kinds of hardships, that
she had reached some little sue
cess.
Under the best circumstances
hers was not an easy kind Of life,
going from town to city and city
20 town giving musical recitals,
sometimes getting good audiences
and sometimes barely paying ex-
| penses. But she loved her music,
and her playing gave many people
a great deal of pleasure.
One day she thought to herself
that no one would know. if she ad
vertised herself as pupil Of the
great List, and it would help her
to get good audiences. OF course.
it was a very wrong thing to do;
but she did not stop to think just
what she was doing, and, having
done il once, she began to 90 1t
everywhere.
This had been going on for some
time, and she arranged to have it
done as usual in little country
town she was going to visit. By
this time she had become 50 used
TO it that she almost began to
think that at some time or other
, she must have been a pupil OF
Lists.
But when she went to the hotel
in this little town, and began to
write her name in the visitors
book, there, staring her in the
| face, just a few lines above, was
the name-Franz List.
Then, all at once, she realized
/ what she had been doing all this
time and what trouble she had
probably made for herself now.
What was she to do? List WAC
sure to hear about it. Perhaps HI
had seen the advertisement al
ready. What would he do?
Well, she did the wisest thing
possible. She went to see him at
once, and told him all about it and
all about herself.
and he was SO really a great
man that he was very sorry for
her. He heard all she had to say,
and then ne said. We'll, well. we
must see what we can do. Here IS
a piano. Play me something that
You are going to play tomorrow.
So she went to the piano and
began to play, at first very ner-
vously, and then more confidently:
Tor, after all, she was playing to
someone who understood all about
playing the piano.
He came and stood by her, and
once or twice he stopped her and
told her how she could get beE
ter result. And once he played a
few bars for her to hear and see.
And then he let her play on to the
end
List was at the time an
old man, and when she had
finished, he put his hand on
her shoulder and said. Now,
my child, l have given you les
son. You are a pupil Of LISTS"
And before she could say anything
he went on, Are your programs
printed yet?" And she answered.
NO, sir" Then" said he, .'Iet it
be put on the programs that YOU
will be accompanied by your mas
ter. who will himself play the last
item"
And it was actually SO.