Graham guardian., 1921-06-17
BRlM MER SCORES
~
BY ETHEL M. HALL.

q success, a great success. He had
not known until the last lingering
notes OF his violin had melted away,
and the hushed, tense silence that
followed was suddenly broken by
Wild crash of applause, how success.
full he had been.
He slipped into his overcoat, tucked
his violin under his arm, and opening
the stage door, passed out into the
night. 1t was cold and clear. The
crowd from the concert passing by
under the bright street lights seemed
gayer and louder than ever.
He drew In long breath of the
keen sharp air. Yes II was good to
live, good to do great things, to be
somebody! He would write to the
folks at home and tell them of his
success; no, he would cable. The
news would reach them sooner. But
he had almost forgotten-rhe must
tell Minna first.
And, after all, had 1t not been the
thought of Minna that had urged him
to succeedl Tonight he would tell
her. She would be pleased to hear
Of his success, she would think bet
ter of him. Perhaps, Brimmer thought,
she would slap her hands in that odd
way she has and say simply,
Zach, es tut mir leid sehr leid"
A smile spread over Brimmer's
face and he struck out down the
street humming concert airs under
his breath. He thought only OF three
things: His success, that was upper-
most, of Minna and Of the folly of
an unwrltten social law that built up
barriers between classes and con-
demned social relations between those
classes.
A frown puckered his brow as he
wondered what his father and mother
and sister would think II they knew
about Minna. Minna, the daughter Of
German shopkeeper, and he the
son of proud old English family
whose name was honored in social
and political cirlces. But Brimmer
was not In the mood to tolerate un'
pleasant thoughts, so he dismissed
them.
He loved Mlnna, She had never
confessed to loving him, but then, she
had smiled and talked much, and
had even encouraged him by her little
iirtations. From the first Brimmer
had been attracted to Mlnna-from
the day when he had discovered old
Kroeger's little restaurant in the mar
row street behind his lodgings. Minna
was there. She was plump and pref
ty; her eyes were dark and fringed
with long lashes, and In her hair she
wore a red flower. She smiled at
Brimmer. and fingered awhile after
she had brought him his meal. After
that he went every day TO the res
taurant In the narrow street. And
every day he saw Mlnna-Mlnna
Oh, yes, she loved him-she must
love him. He had so much to give
her now. Even before she would
have been glad to have him-5but now,
after his success He smiled to him.
self-he was sure of himself. To
night he was sure Of everything He
did not care what his mother or the
rest OF his family would think Of
Minna. He knew what he thought
that was all that mattered. He would
ask Minna tonight. He was man,
n successful man; he would care for
hinna and himself.
Brimmer turned into the narrow
street. In Kroegers restaurant the
tables were deserted, except one where
an old man sat doing oyer his beer
glass. BrimIper looked around for
Minna. She was not there perhaps
she was back In the "kuche." He sat
down at one of the tables in cor
ner and waited. For the first time
he noticed that the place seemed diff
| ferent.
There were fewer tables, the hang.
lngs had been removed, III one corner
nailed boxes were piled high. Kroeger
was cleaning up, or getting ready for
renovations, Brimmer thought. Not
such bad idea, either.
The door at the back Of the restau'
rant opened. Victor Kroeger fat, dis
heyeled and almost enveloped In al
untidy apron, crossed to Brlmmer's
| table. He was flushed, excited, and
Brimmer wondered II he had heard OF
his success and II he were going tC
| congratulate him. But he did not
/ Instead ne broke into the bad English
that he always insisted upon using
when speaking ITO Englishmen-tC
show of, Brimmer thought.
ZACH, 1t iss you, Herr Brimmerf Vol
such a long time has not seen you
You will not mind dis" he indi
Gated the chaotic condition Of hi:
shop. "You see, 1t iss We will he here
nicht mehr. Tomorrow We go away
A beddeF place for us will 1t be dere''
Brilhmer started. Yesterday wher
he had seen Minna she had not tolC
him about this. Then he remembered
suddenly that Minna never spoke Il
him Of herself or her family. III
asked weakly:
"You \are moving awayi Where
And Minnai Is Mlnna going witt
your"
Kroeger looked at Brimmer will
surprise. "Mlnnal Haf you not heard
She haf not told you? Nein? Ach, dl'
bebllngl Aiinna--she iss already away
She iss married--last evening. He Isl
Eric. und he helped me to cook here