THE CONCERT
Mitzi decided to hold the concert in a park. The market square was too
noisy and bustling. She wanted her brother's beautiful music to have a
beautiful setting. The two children walked through Mendelssohn Street,
Bach Street, Beethoven Street, and Mozart (M[=o]´tzärt) Street.
"Leipzig is a wonderful city," thought Fritz. "They have named their
streets after their musicians."
What would Father think of that? There was no street named after a toy
maker!
Bismarck Street was named for a great German leader. The strength and
wisdom of Prince Otto von Bismarck helped Germany to become a powerful
nation.
[Illustration: THE PARK IN LEIPZIG]
In the park many people strolled to and fro. Some were reading. The
children came upon a silver pond with beautiful shady trees all about
it.
"Now, Fritz," said Mitzi, "you must stand here beside the pond. See how
peaceful it is. Your music will float across the water. It will sound
like music from heaven."
Fritz put on the homemade Pied Piper cloak. Then he stood beside the
pond and began to play. Several people stopped, among them a group of
students with books under their arms.
"Is the young musician your brother?" asked one student of Mitzi.
"Yes," answered Mitzi. "And I am his sister."
[Illustration: MITZI WAS HAPPY]
The youths laughed and gave her a coin.
"Play some Mendelssohn, young one," they said to Fritz.
The boy obligingly played what they requested. The audience grew. Some
threw coins and asked Fritz to play certain tunes. He could play nearly
everything they called for. Mrs. Toymaker had been a good teacher.
Besides, Fritz could play anything after he had heard it once.
Mitzi was very happy. She beamed at the crowd of listeners.
"Now," she thought, "is the time to fetch Father." She whispered to
Fritz, "I am going for Father. I shall be back presently. Play until I
come."
As Mitzi turned to leave, she bumped into a gentleman who carried a
violin case under his arm. Mitzi did not know that this gentleman was an
important music master. She hardly looked at him.
She said quickly, "Excuse me, please," and pushed her way out of the
crowd. She must go for her father.
The music master stood quite still, listening. What was that he heard?
What did he see? A little boy standing beside a pond, playing the violin--a
little boy with a smiling face, playing the violin better than any of the
music master's grown-up pupils. Who was this little boy? Where had he
learned to play like that?
The music master drew closer to Fritz. He asked Fritz to play compositions
by Bach and Mozart. He was astonished at how well Fritz played them.
In the meantime Mitzi hurried to her father's booth in the square.
"Father," she cried, "come! Come quickly! I have something to show you."
Mr. Toymaker jumped as if he had been shot.
"What do you mean by startling me like that?" he said to Mitzi. "You are
like a young thunderbolt!"
Mitzi's cheeks were glowing. Her eyes danced.
"Fritz is playing--" she began eagerly.
But Mr. Toymaker cut her short. He was in a bad mood. He had sold no
toys again today and he could not find his friend, Mr. Krauss. He was
jealous, too, of the toyshop keepers who were selling their handsome
wares. Now he spent his rage upon little Mitzi.
"Stop!" he cried. "Do not speak again of that boy's silly playing! Go
and bring him to me now. You and he shall keep my booth for me. I am
going once more to look for Mr. Krauss."
Mitzi's glowing cheeks turned pale. She pulled at her father's sleeve.
"No, no! You must come with me," she pleaded. "Please, Father, close up
the booth just for a little while, until we return, and come--"
"Enough!" cried Mr. Toymaker. "Do you tell me what to do or do I tell
you what to do? Now, go and fetch that lazy brother of yours. Bring him
back here to help you keep my booth for me."
[Illustration: FRITZ PLAYED]
When poor, weeping Mitzi returned to the park, the gentleman with the
violin case was still there. He stood very close to Fritz. The boy was
playing a minuet. A rather large crowd still remained. Mitzi waited
until Fritz finished playing the minuet. Then she went up to him.
"Oh, Fritz," she said, "Father would not come with me. He wants us to go
to the market place right away."
Fritz let his violin fall to his side. A look of disappointment passed
over his face and covered the smile.
"Do not leave yet," said a voice. "Play some more."
It was the music master speaking. Mitzi wiped a tear with the corner of
her apron and looked at the gentleman with the violin case. His
expression was kind.
"We must go," she said to him. "But we shall be back again tomorrow."
Mitzi did not know just why she said that. Only quite suddenly she had
determined that she would be back tomorrow.
Some one in the crowd called, "One more selection! Come, young one;
play!"
A coin came tumbling at Fritz's feet.
"Yes, yes! More music, little fiddler! More music!" cried others.
Mitzi sniffed to drive away her tears. Then she jumped upon a bench.
From there she could look down upon the people. And Mitzi Toymaker began
to make a speech!
[Illustration: STOOD ON HER HEAD]
"Ladies and gentlemen," she began.
Fritz thought his sister looked like a little leader. Her head was
thrown back. Her two plump legs were wide apart. Her arms were folded.
Fritz had to smile.
"I am glad, ladies and gentlemen," Mitzi said, "that you liked my
brother's playing. Come back again tomorrow afternoon, and Fritz will
give another concert!"
The people clapped their hands and shouted, "Hoch (h[=o]k´)!" which is
like "Hurrah."
Then some one called out, "What can _you_ do, little girl?"
Mitzi gave the speaker a quick glance.
"I can do this," she said; whereupon she stood on her head.
There was a loud laugh from the crowd.
"Tomorrow, then!" cried several people.
The crowd began to move away. But the music master hesitated. Should he
say something? No, he would return tomorrow. He turned his steps in the
direction of home. But he could not forget the wonderful playing he had
just heard. Perhaps, after hearing the little musician again tomorrow,
he would try to help the youngster.