heir costly bindings,
which lined the walls. One appreciates what Dr. Johnson meant when he
said that whenever he saw shelves filled with books he always wanted to
get near enough to them to read their titles, as the choice of books
indicates character.

Presently Busoni turned to me: "I am composing a rhapsodie on American
Indian themes."

"And where did you capture the themes?" he was asked.

[Illustration: Ferruccio Busoni]

"From a very charming lady, a countrywoman of yours, Miss Natalie
Curtis. She has taken great interest in the idea and has been most
helpful to me."

"One of the German music papers announced that you are about to leave
Berlin, and have accepted an offer elsewhere--was it in Spain?"

"I intend leaving Berlin for a time," he admitted, "and will go to
Bologna--perhaps you thought that was in Spain," with a sly side glance
and a humorous twinkle in his eyes. "My offer from Bologna appears most
flattering. I am appointed head of the great conservatory, but I am not
obliged to live in the city, nor even to give lessons. I shall, however,
go there for a time, and shall probably teach. I am to conduct six large
orchestral concerts during the season, but aside from this I can be
absent as much as I wish. We shall probably close up our house here and
go to Italy in the autumn. Living is very cheap in Bologna; one can rent
a real palace for about $250 a year."

Mme. Busoni now invited us to inspect other parts of the house. We
passed to the adjoining room, which contains many rare old prints and
paintings and quaint old furniture--"everything old," as Mme. Busoni
said, with a smile. In this room stands a harpsichord, with its double
keyboard and brilliant red case. It is not an antique but an excellent
copy made by Chickering.

Farther on is a veritable musician's den, with upright piano, and with a
large desk crowded with pictures and mementoes. On the walls hang rare
portraits chiefly of Chopin and Liszt. Beyond this room came the salon,
with its two grand pianos side by side. This is the master's teaching
and recital room, and here are various massive pieces of richly carved
furniture. Mme. Busoni called our attention to the elaborate chandelier
in old silver, of exquisite workmanship, which, she said, had cost her a
long search to find. There are several portraits here of the
composer-pianist in his youth--one as a boy of twelve, a handsome
lad--_bildschoen_, with his curls, his soulful eyes