In a Small Town

Toscanini and Mrs. Smith. Toscanini was a great musician. He lived in America. Once he came to a very small town. He was walking along a street, and in one of the windows of a house he saw a piece of paper. He came up to the window and read the following:

Mrs. Smith, Music lessons. 2 dollars a lesson.

Suddenly Toscanini heard music. Somebody was playing Tchaikovsky.

“It must be Mrs. Smith,” thought Toscanini. “She is not a very good musician. She does not play Tchaikovsky well. I must show her how to play it.”

He went up to the door of the house and knocked.

The music stopped, and in a few minutes a woman opened the door.

“Are you Mrs. Smith?” asked Toscanini. “My name is Toscanini, and I want to show you how to play Tchaikovsky.”

Mrs. Smith was very happy to meet the great musician and asked him to come in.

Toscanini played Tchaikovsky for her and then went away.

A year passed, and Toscanini had to visit the same town again. When he went up to the house where he had played Tchaikovsky, he again saw a piece of paper. Now he read:

Mrs. Smith (Pupil of Toscanini), Music Lessons, 4 dollars a lesson.