Fussy

It will be 100 years next spring since Ludwig van Beethoven, mighty genius of his day, pulled off his boots, crawled into bed and died, as feebly, as impotently as any little man might do. To commemorate the centenary of his death musical organizations the world over have announced Beethoven Memorial programs. The Metropolitan Opera Company will revive his one and only opera, Fidelio, orchestras will feature his symphonies above all others. Thus everywhere musicians are scouring for relics of Beethoven. Last week in Europe a discovery was made, not an unfinished symphony to be treated and pieced together, nor a scrap of a sonata, cool, clear, deathless, but a part of a diary on an old memorandum sheet scratched by Beethoven, the querulous, untidy, unreasonable old man. It has to do with his servant problems:

"January 31--Discharged servant.

"February 15--Engaged cook.

"March 8--Discharged cook.

"March 22--Engaged servant.

"April 1--Discharged servant.

"May 6--Discharged cook.

"May 30--Engaged general servant.

"July 1--Took cook.

"July 28--Cook quit. Four bad days for me. Took meals at Lerchenfeld.

"August 29--Discharged general servant.

"September 6--Took servant.

"December 3--Servant disappeared.

"December 22--Engaged servant."