Life — October 5, 1899 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BAD GNUS. BECAUSE NO GNUS 18 GOOD Gxts. look as ho replied with somo satiricil warmth: “It is not improbable, my dear wife, that you think I do not know Henry, but I do. The fact that he was your first hus- band, long sinco decoased, has been no barrier to my knowledgo of his estimable character and numerous virtues. Indeed, I may say that ench day, thanks to your untiring efforts, has given mo some further knowledgo of Henry's heavenly traits. Henry, in all your married life—all your previous married lite, I should say—never uttered a cross word. Henry never went out nights, Henry never played poker nor indulged in riotous living. Henry never refused to go to chureb, and he kept you well supplied with ready cash. Why, you never had to ask Henry for a co:t; ho was always anticipating you. Henry nover swore, and there was nothing ho liked better than to walt upon you, Henry was kind and gentle, never com- plained about his food, and was a model of every virtuo known to gods and men, Ask mo not if [know Henry, for 1do—I do! I could pick him out of a crowd any time, merely by his manners, Tho fact is, my dear, that I haveheard #0 much about dear Henry that I know him too well. Now, what I want to know Is, that if you can be with him for a while, will you stop talking about him?” His wife gazed at him with a look of anxious suspicion, Are you mad?” she asked, feebly. said her triampbaot husband, “IT am not mad, But I have employed, at a largo salary, one of the best mediums In town to come here for a month and go into & trance eight houra every day, that Henry may bo with you once again, for ina situa- tion like mine, no matter what it costs, a man must have a rest once In a hile.” Tom Masson, The Piano Recital. (His notes, on the back of his programme.) ‘T makes me happy. What? Oh, not tho music! But to watch other people's faces, They look #o rapt. Particularly those, who couldn't tell sonnta from a aymphony. By the way, can you? Tean't. . And what's more, I don't want to. I rather like to henr them applaud. Tho ones whose musicianly qualities I'm doubtful about put so much heart into it, I wonder they daro run such a risk of getting Lim to play the thing again. I looked at my programme just now. But I couldn't tell anything by it. ome time back I was idiot enough to think I knew where wo were, But when I pointed out tho supposed place to one of those long-halred musical flonds who sat beside mo, he gave moa pitying look, and I realized that I was off the scent, He indicated the true state of the case, and I suffered an awfal shock. I was abont six flelds ahead of tho running. I bad inferred, when there came pause,and tho man at the piano bowed in his bored way like a mechanical toy with joints in tho back, that wo were through with the stuff attached to one number, But it turns out that was only one “ movement.’ ‘This makes mo very weary, I wish I know what an “Andante non troppo lento in D mayor" 18, It would please mo to understand —. 275 In fact, my {mpression was that he found it hard work to compose even his norves for alittletask Mra, Macbeth bad set him, Tho man at tho piano gives me no clue. That ien't what he's there for. Tam getting where I should bo pleased to hear any other instrument tune up, even a Jow's-harp, just to take my mind off that plano, I should welcome “ Forgat mig ej” on the Scotch bagpipes. Oh, whew! bow tired Iam! We aro etill Jour hurdles away from the finish, I reached for my hat and knocked over my cane, It went down just as tho fellow was doing a little tinkle on the bigh notes, aud every- body but me had stopped breathing. I would give ten dollars if I could have had a snap-shot at about five hundred fuces that turned around and glared-at me. The planist also favored mo with a xlare. I saw one man that I don’t belleve knows any more about tho business than I do, and ho glured loudest of all. It’s plain that this recital has got upon his nerves worse than it bas on mine. Throo more numbers. I doubt if I shall be living when they are through with, Two moro numbers, One Mone!! Whoop! Hurrah! Yah-Yah-Yah! Jove, but that fresh ulr feols good ! Hear that bootblack whistle! Now, there's music! Grace S, Richmond. the meaning of “ Forgat migq"— = e.pars apparently by “Macbeth.” I never supposed that gentleman composed anything. “TOE SPARK OF GFNIUS."”