Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the ElephantHolt, Mathew Joseph
History
Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant
Holt, Mathew Joseph
Kentucky -- Fiction; Kentucky -- History
She got out her own violin, an inferior instrument, with the idea of
giving him a lesson; first showing him how to hold the bow properly. For
some cause he could not get his fingers just right until she placed
them. Then they played together. He made many mistakes; but her teaching
had made her very patient. They sat up until eleven o’clock, which was a
late hour for that household, because they arose at daylight, about four
o’clock at that season; when Jeannette said: “I must go to bed; you have
had enough instruction for one lesson.”
“But, Miss Litman, play just one piece for me as it should be played.”
She got out her most difficult music and by lamplight played it for him.
He seemed enchanted.
“Please just show me how that last part goes.”
She did so, saying: “Now you try.”
He played well, though he made many mistakes. As she rose to leave, the
clock having struck twelve, he played a few short connected bars, the
part she had found difficult, so divinely, that she said: “Do that
again. You seem gifted of the gods; they have let you stumble into the
perfect way.”
He tried; but the way was as strangely closed as it had been opened.
“Oh! it is half past twelve! Good night, Sandy.”
She went to bed; and dreamed of choirs invisible. Sandy walked up the
creek until he was beyond hearing at the house; then he played “Angel
Voices” as it should have been played. He came to the house, slept and
dreamed; not of angel choirs, but of graceful wood nymphs; and their
queen’s name was Jeannette.
The following evening, Sandy got out his fiddle, saying: “This hayr
fiddle is shore a fine box;” and he played Turkey in the Straw,
improvising variations that put life into their feet and made them think
dancing was close akin to worship.
“Miss Litman, will you give me another lesson?”
She declined; thinking it might lead to a misunderstanding. He might
think that she desired his company; and she only liked educated men.
————
Sandy Blair, on December 15, 1917, left Red Bird for Louisville and on
the 18th enlisted in the regular army. He was sent to Camp Taylor; and
when fitted out by the supply sergeant, insisted that he must have a
fit. He pursued the policy of the importunate widow so persistently that
when he came forth his well developed chest, broad shoulders and lean
muscular legs were so fittingly encased as to make him the most
conspicuous of the four hundred and sixty “rookies” who that day had
been received and outfitted.
He represented that he had been sergeant in a company of the state
guards for more than two years and in order to substantiate the
declaration paid his corporal to induct him to the manual of arms and
follow up the introduction by several strenuous drills; in the meanwhile
finding an excuse for evading the first drill or two to which his raw
company was subjected; though he stood to one side watching and
listening carefully.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account