Violets and Violin Strings, Part I [pp. 468-477]

VIOLETS AND VIOLIN STRINGS.
that a musical name?-and that he
teaches the violin and piano. I am determined to take lessons of him, if that
is really the case. This time I escaped
auntie's censure by giving my violets to
Mr. Gerald. You may think me very
silly, Ad6le, and doubtless I am; yet I
was never so much interested in any person in my life as I am in this German
violinist. Aunt Sophia is very hard to
get along with, and at the same time
very easily managed if you take her
rightly. She is a perfect queen in her
own circle; whatever she decides to be
right and proper is unquestioned. I said
to her this morning: "Aunt Sophia, I am
getting perfectly rusty in my music; I
wish there was some one of whom I could
take lessons, if only to keep in practice."
Aunt Sophia looked up from her laces
which she was getting ready for the
nettoyer: "I am sure, Elise, you play
better now than any of your young lady
acquaintances." "I might do that and
yet not play very well," I rejoined.
Nothing more was said, until Mr. Gerald, happening in to lunch, and speaking
of music and lessons, said: "Take of
Professor Bergholz by all means, Miss
.tlise; in less than three months he will
be the rage, and after that he will probably not give lessons. That was enough
to decide Aunt Sophia, and we drove to
his rooms this afternoon to make the ar rangements. I don't think Aunt Sophia
has the slightest idea that I have ever
seen him before. He is to come next
Tuesday. I shall be afraid to play be fore him if he plays the piano at all as
he does the violin. I can hardly wait.
Next month I expect Mr. Hugh Mor gan, and I suppose we shall be married
about the holidays. Aunt Sophia is con tinually urging me to commence on my
wedding trousseau, but I am in no hur ry; besides, I tell her that I have now
clothing enough to last me ten years.
Of course, I shall have to go through a
great fuss, and have my life worried out
of me by dressmakers and seamstresses.
It seems rather hard that I can not have
at least one season of freedom before I
become Mrs. Hugh Morgan; but I am
nineteen, and papa's will says we are to be
married before I am twenty. Quite the
French way of doing things, is it not?
You and I are used to such things, yet
it might be quite inconvenient should
one happen to love some one else; but
then, on the other hand, it saves one an
infinite deal of trouble.
You used to say that I was very beautiful. My glass tells me the same, but I
would willingly exchange all my beauty,
such as it is, if I might only be gifted in
music, and go upon the stage. Don't
think me crazy; I am in earnest when I
say I think such a life would be beautiful and worth living for.
Toujours a toi,
.TLISE H]EGEMAN.
From Leo Otto Bergholz to his Friend,
Carl Zimmerman.
NEw YORK, September xI5th, i8-.
At last, at last, dear Carl, a letter from
you! I wept, I danced, I leaped for
very joy when I was once in my own
room. I read it through once, twice,
thrice, and even then could hardly believe that it was really your dear hand
which had traced those messages of
love. What touched me most was the
little Vergistmeinnicht which Marguerite inclosed. Pale, sweet little Marguerite, I shall not soon forget your
face! And Fritz, too, has entered his
second class. He is very proud, I know,
of that. You are all so well and happy;
that pleased me most of all.
No, Carl, I do not have the pain now in
my heart. I have never had it here. I
am very well, and would be quite happy
if you were all with me. I have now all
that I can do. Lessons in the day-time,
and I continue to play nights. I shall
soon be able to send back the money I
borrowed of the good doctor, for I live
474
[Nov.