A Time to Dance-My America 3 Read Free Page A
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Tags: United States, Fiction, General, Historical, Juvenile Fiction, Theater, New York (N.Y.), Performing Arts, 19th century, Diaries, Civil War Period (1850-1877), Reconstruction (U.S. History; 1865-1877), Reconstruction, New York (N.Y.) - History - 1865-1898
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people of President Lincoln's words: "With malice toward none, with charity for all..."
September 11, 1865
Hooray! Pa received word from the woman whose son wants to learn the violin. She found
33
Pa's terms "perfectly acceptable" and will bring her son for his first lesson next week. Hooray!
September 12, 1865
Tonight we see
King Lear.
I have not been able to finish reading the play, so I do not know how it turns out. But I must confess that, so far, I cannot understand why Jed thinks William Shakespeare is such a great writer.
September 13, 1865
I have an announcement to make:
King Lear
is a wonderful play! It made a great deal more sense when I saw it acted out onstage last night. I had no idea how truly sad it was! One of the king's daughters, Cordelia, has trouble saying how much she loves him, and he turns against her. The other daughters take
34
over the kingdom and throw King Lear out of his castle.
In the end, when King Lear loses his mind, Cordelia is the only one who comforts him. But then she is killed, and he is all alone. When King Lear loses Cordelia, it is one of the saddest things I have ever seen.
When we came home, Pa was still awake, planning a first lesson for his new student. I rushed to him and threw my arms around him. He seemed startled, but he put down his fiddle and held me for a long time.
September 14, 1865
I told Jed I would like to see more plays by Shakespeare. Again, he said he would "keep his eye out" for something I might enjoy.
35
Pa had the first lesson with his new music student today. He is a boy about eight years old. He came with his mother, who introduced herself as Mrs. Charles Edmonds and her son as Master Charles Edmonds Jr.
Mrs. Edmonds said that Charles's violin had belonged to her husband, who had been killed in the war. Pa said he was terribly sorry and that he would be honored to help Charles learn to play.
Jane Ellen and I took Baby Abe to Pa's room. When he was settled, I peeked through the door and watched Pa teach Charles Edmonds Jr. how to play the violin.
First, he helped Charles hold the violin properly under his chin. Then he showed him how to grasp the bow and draw it across the strings.
36
At first, Charles could make no sound at all, but Pa was very patient. He put his arms around Charles and made little adjustments to the way the boy was moving the bow.
Eventually Charles began to make sounds. At first they were scratching sounds. Then they were screeching sounds. Still, Pa was patient.
Finally, Charles took a deep breath. With Pa guiding his hand, he drew the bow slowly and steadily across the strings. The sound was low and rich and sweet. It hung in the air for a moment, then died away slowly.
Pa looked happier than I have seen him in months. "Yes! Yes!" he shouted. "Good boy! Excellent!"
Charles was so excited he almost dropped the violin. When I looked at Mrs. Edmonds, there were tears on her cheeks.
37
At breakfast, I asked Jed if his eye was still out for more plays we could see. He laughed and said he would find something soon.
Meanwhile, Jane Ellen is helping me read
Romeo and Juliet.
September 26, 1865
Charles Edmonds had his second violin lesson with Pa today. After the lesson, Mrs. Edmonds told Pa how pleased she was with his teaching. She said it meant the world to her to hear the sound of her husband's violin again.
Pa just smiled and nodded. He actually seemed a bit shy.
[Image: Two American flags.]
38
I am finding
Romeo and Juliet
a bit easier to understand than
King Lear.
The story is very sweet. And Juliet is so young! Jane Ellen says she is only a few years older than I.
September 28, 1865
Today I went with Pa on his rounds of the theatres. None of them need more musicians, but people tell him to keep checking.
I thought Pa would be discouraged, but he did not seem so at all. On the way home, he talked a great deal about Charles Edmonds and his mother, and how happy he was to have such a good
September 11, 1865
Hooray! Pa received word from the woman whose son wants to learn the violin. She found
33
Pa's terms "perfectly acceptable" and will bring her son for his first lesson next week. Hooray!
September 12, 1865
Tonight we see
King Lear.
I have not been able to finish reading the play, so I do not know how it turns out. But I must confess that, so far, I cannot understand why Jed thinks William Shakespeare is such a great writer.
September 13, 1865
I have an announcement to make:
King Lear
is a wonderful play! It made a great deal more sense when I saw it acted out onstage last night. I had no idea how truly sad it was! One of the king's daughters, Cordelia, has trouble saying how much she loves him, and he turns against her. The other daughters take
34
over the kingdom and throw King Lear out of his castle.
In the end, when King Lear loses his mind, Cordelia is the only one who comforts him. But then she is killed, and he is all alone. When King Lear loses Cordelia, it is one of the saddest things I have ever seen.
When we came home, Pa was still awake, planning a first lesson for his new student. I rushed to him and threw my arms around him. He seemed startled, but he put down his fiddle and held me for a long time.
September 14, 1865
I told Jed I would like to see more plays by Shakespeare. Again, he said he would "keep his eye out" for something I might enjoy.
35
Pa had the first lesson with his new music student today. He is a boy about eight years old. He came with his mother, who introduced herself as Mrs. Charles Edmonds and her son as Master Charles Edmonds Jr.
Mrs. Edmonds said that Charles's violin had belonged to her husband, who had been killed in the war. Pa said he was terribly sorry and that he would be honored to help Charles learn to play.
Jane Ellen and I took Baby Abe to Pa's room. When he was settled, I peeked through the door and watched Pa teach Charles Edmonds Jr. how to play the violin.
First, he helped Charles hold the violin properly under his chin. Then he showed him how to grasp the bow and draw it across the strings.
36
At first, Charles could make no sound at all, but Pa was very patient. He put his arms around Charles and made little adjustments to the way the boy was moving the bow.
Eventually Charles began to make sounds. At first they were scratching sounds. Then they were screeching sounds. Still, Pa was patient.
Finally, Charles took a deep breath. With Pa guiding his hand, he drew the bow slowly and steadily across the strings. The sound was low and rich and sweet. It hung in the air for a moment, then died away slowly.
Pa looked happier than I have seen him in months. "Yes! Yes!" he shouted. "Good boy! Excellent!"
Charles was so excited he almost dropped the violin. When I looked at Mrs. Edmonds, there were tears on her cheeks.
37
At breakfast, I asked Jed if his eye was still out for more plays we could see. He laughed and said he would find something soon.
Meanwhile, Jane Ellen is helping me read
Romeo and Juliet.
September 26, 1865
Charles Edmonds had his second violin lesson with Pa today. After the lesson, Mrs. Edmonds told Pa how pleased she was with his teaching. She said it meant the world to her to hear the sound of her husband's violin again.
Pa just smiled and nodded. He actually seemed a bit shy.
[Image: Two American flags.]
38
I am finding
Romeo and Juliet
a bit easier to understand than
King Lear.
The story is very sweet. And Juliet is so young! Jane Ellen says she is only a few years older than I.
September 28, 1865
Today I went with Pa on his rounds of the theatres. None of them need more musicians, but people tell him to keep checking.
I thought Pa would be discouraged, but he did not seem so at all. On the way home, he talked a great deal about Charles Edmonds and his mother, and how happy he was to have such a good