I knew a young fellow once, who was studying to play the…
““I knew a young fellow once, who was studying to play the bagpipes, and you would be surprised at the amount of opposition he had to contend with. Why, not even from the members of his own family did he receive what you could call active encouragement. His father was dead against the business from the beginning, and spoke quite unfeelingly on the subject. My friend used to get up early in the morning to practise, but he had to give that plan up, because of his sister. She was somewhat religiously inclined, and she said it seemed such an awful thing to begin the day like that. So he sat up at night instead, and played after the family had gone to bed, but that did not do, as it got the house such a bad name. People, going home late, would stop outside to listen, and then put it about all over the town, the next morning, that a fearful murder had been committed at Mr. Jefferson’s the night before; and would describe how they had heard the victim’s shrieks and the brutal oaths and curses of the murderer, followed by the prayer for mercy, and the last dying gurgle of the corpse.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A young man faces family and community opposition to his musical passion, leading him to practice in secret, which creates rumors and fear.
In simple terms: Opposition forces secret practice and gossip.
Key Takeaway
Persist despite disapproval.
Themes
family
society
art
resistance
rumors
Mood
frustrated
determined
reflective
Type
anecdotal
cautionary
When to use this quote
- learning an instrument
- dealing with family pressure
- handling gossip
- nighttime practice
- balancing tradition and passion
Key Concepts
conformity
individualism
cultural norms
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you handle family disapproval of your passion?
- What strategies can protect your art from harmful rumors?
A Different Perspective
Secret practice may still cause social backlash and strain relationships.