r
THE SUNDAY FICTION MAGAZINE, MAY 21, 1916.
but he dare not even atop to look opt at He wakened to see the keys before him,
i-and he played. He played again and
in again. All hejtnew was tha he was play-.
ing. and that people wanted to hear him.
At last Herr Schule took his hand, and
side by side they bowed. Whata nbitfc
there was!
As Isidore came into the anteroom
again he stumbled and felt the singer's
arms about him; then he forgot every
thing. When he opened his eyes he was
lying on a couch, and there was a group
hera.
One day a fine automobile stopped
font of the apartment, and Herr Schule
tepped out. A dozen voices told him
khere the Le vines lived, and he went in.
"Mein Gott, the nursery of genius!" he
buttered to himself.. "What a place to
live!"
Isidore's mother, opened the door and
erreated into the room.
"You are Isidore's mother," said Herr
tehule, without going over the mat
it the door. "Good! Tomorrow
tveek I give a recital. Isidore shall
lay. Here are a dozen tickets. and
15. Get a velvet suit made so.
f hat is all right.
hen?"
And leaving Mrs.
evine podding her
head vigorously, he
Went back to the
utomobile as fas
Idiously as he haj
fctepped out of it.
.Isidore's father
Tumbled somewhat
vhen be heard: '
Money he makes
by Isidore, and "
But his wife
ounseled to have
Patience.
"First Isidore
mist make a name.
nd then he can ask
f hat he likes.
Meanwhile, go with
him to Geoffrin's;
lie will make a good
hilt for 8"
III.
DN THE after
noon of the re-
tltal Herr Schule's
car called for Isi
dore, who felt 111 at
ase In his new suit.
11a father and
mother kissed him
tolemnly on the
prow as he went.
by street car.
In the anteroom of the concert
hall Isidore found Herr Schule and
k. lady who was wonderfully dressed '
hnd had such a fin perfume about
ler; but, most of all, Isidore liked
ler eyes and mouth, which were
aligning and merry.
When Isidore came In she said in a loud
one of dismay:
"But he Is little and thin!"
"Wait till you hear him play, my dear."
eplied Herr Schule, examining Isidore's
uit with a frown. "It is not right, hut it
'vfll-do. You are not afraid, Isidore?"
'Isidore nervously rubbed, one foot
gainst the other.
"He's afraid of you," said the lady In
dignantly. "Come to me, Isidore."
Advancing timidly, Isidore felt a pair
f cool awns around his neck and a warm
iss on his lips.
VNow you are not afraid, little boy!"
he lady said, laughing. "Do I not know,
very time I go on
"Such a child you are, Lucia!" said
lerr Schule, smiling. "If they knew oul
tde that you were giving kisses, how Jeal
us they would be!"
'And you are jealous, eh?" asked this
urprlslng lady, rising and patting his
heek.
; As. Herr Schule led Isidore out of the
oom the master whispered:
1 "Never forget, my boy, when you grow
p, that the great singer Cavalina kissed
hu before your nrsi recital, isow you
.111 do wonder Bp
P Isidore felt himself led blindly to the broke into lotTd assurances.
la no
them! For himself he would get a box of
toy soldiers; and he would surely have a
rest now. How tired he was!
He fell asleep in the car, and did not
know that Herr Schule chauffeur carried
him upstairs. When he wakened again
he was lying on his bed, andjiis mother
was shaking him and telling him that sup
per was ready. Already the news had
spread, and the neighbors kept coming
into the apartment and making a fuss
over such a smart boy.
Next day the Levines moved into a
larger apartment, and the first installment
was paid on a new piano. When Isidore
f
They were going
of people about him. They were saying:
"The excitement not very strong
poor little fellow!"
Herr Schule put his arm about him.
"You are all right, Isidore, all right,
my boy! You have made such a success!
Never have I seen such enthusiasm. You
played wonderfully! And here are your
papa and your mamma."
Isidore saw them standing by him, his
father very white, his mother very red and
flustered by the fine company.
"I am so tired," he breathed weakly.
"You must be very good to him." Mme.
Cavalina said Impulsively to the sallow
man in the shabby frock coat and the
stout woman in the purple dress.
What strange parents for such a gifted
child! Yet who knew what germ of di
vine melody lurked in the souls of those
two people?
asked far a dollar to buy the soldiers, his
father was wounded.
"What is It you want? Do I not give
you a piano? Go and practice, or the good
herr will be angry. Soldiers! Such a non
sense for a big boy!"
With a sob in his throat Isidore was
pushed over to the new, shiny piano.
That winter the car called many times
for Isidore! He played at private houses
at least once a week, and the bank ac
count in his father's name grew larger.
There' were good things to eat now. Isi
dore had a real bed, and there was a
strange novelty called a bath, in which he
dabbled at least once a week. But always
he had to practice all day. He was not al- wrinktes of the queer, smiling old face.
hours at the piano, till his back ached and
his fingers were numb. r"
Herr Schule had arranged another re
cital for Saturday afternoon. By Friday
morning Isidore's head ached ns if it
would spilt. He wanted to lie in bed, to .
shut his eyes and forget. In his ears he
heard an endless repetition of his pieces.
0
Over and over again an Invisible piano
piayed them, and his mind was forced to
follow every bar, protesting and shrink
ing. On Saturday he let his mother tie his
soft tie without a word, but his silence
was that of fear. He was frightened.
His father ac
companied him In
the car, end held
his hand tightly, as
If he thought Isi
dore would try to
run away.
Herr Schule was
In greaj spirits. The
concert hall was
packed. All the
critics were there.
Isidore's c h a n c e
had come, and he,
Herr Schulo, had
done it. Yes, of
course, Ms old
friend Strunsky had
accomplished a lit
tle with his anti
quated methods.
Strunsky waa
there in the ante
room, sitting and i
smiling his wrin
kled grin. As Isi
dore came in the
old man's face be
came grave.
"What are yoa
doing to the boy?"
he whispered to
Schule. "He is 111
he is frightened!"
Herr Schulo
shook his head.
"He'is always
like that till he gets
to the piano."
Strunsky mois
tened his Hps.
"Some day, Schule, my friend " he
began.
"You are
Herr Schule.
Isidore's lip trembled. He wanted to
beg to be allowed to go away, anywhere,
but his father answered for him with a
slavish bow: .
"A little cold, mein herr, that is all."
"Come, Isidore," commanded - Herr
Schule, "they are waiting. Coming, Strun
sky V
"No. !I wait here. I am not dressed, X
can hear quite well," answered his old
friend.
Mr! Strunsky heard the swell of ap
plause, and sat up erect. His pupH,"yes,
his pupil, whom he had found! Then the
first cherds, a little feeble; and then ach,
Gott, how his boy played! A little older,
a little more strength In those frail arms
and fingers, and he would be greater than
them all!
A tear fell from his eye on his trem
bling hand, and he dashed It off angrily.
An old fool, that was what he was! Well,
if he, wanted to cry for joy, what then?
There was no one left In the room to see
him; ajnd other tears trickled down" the
All he knew
was that he was
playing and that
people wanted
to hear him.-
lowed to go out in the snow, lest he should
catch cold.
One day he rebelled and slipped out.
Oh, what a day! He helped to build a
snow man, and knocked off a fat man's
Isidore's father nodded, and his mother hat with a slushy" snowball. He found
Isidore saw
Herr Schule hand his father a piece of
paper, and his- father stand holding it with
staring eyes.
"Two hundred dollarst" he gasped.
"For Isidore," Herr Schule said
-as beating so fast that he could hardly gravely.
Ireathe. Isidore was overjoyed. He was a regu-
I 'Herr Schule'a whisper reached him as lar business man now, and he was going
felt the stool and climbed upon it. " to make lots of money for his father and
He dare not raise his eyes. There
yas a strange rustling noise, and then
ame a thunder of hand-claps. He heard
terr Schule tell him to bow, and he
'owed, still with his eyes shut. His heart
that he could run and hide like other boys.
At night he came home, to find a stern
welcome. His father and mother took
turns at shaking him and scolding; but
Suddenly he started. The music had
stopped with a discordant crash. There
was a strange noise voices Herr Sohule
speaking. What was happening? He
must see. '
Rising, he rushed to the door, to meet
Schule,; who was carrying Isidore, white
faced and limp, in his arms.
Strunsky'a heart broke -within him.
"I knew it!" he screamed harshly. "Yon
he took it all quietly. He had played like have killed him, Schule; you have killed
j "Now, Isidore!
other boys! " . '
The next day he had -a cold, and was
kept in bed. He enjoyed that no prac
ticing! but he could hear his father grum
bling, and it made him frightened. And
mother. What fine things he could buy the day after he had to make up U1ost
the boy!" w ,
Schule laid Isidore on the couch. A mo
ment later a docfor arrived.
"He fainted," explained Schule.
Isidore's father had come ki, nnd wai
j (Continued m Page 11)
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