re at least unusual. Tobias Pfeiffer, as the new lodger
was called, soon discovered that father Beethoven generally spent his
evenings at the tavern. As an act of kindness, to keep his drunken
landlord out of the way of the police, Tobias used to go to the tavern
late at night and bring him safely home. Then he would go to the
bedside of the sleeping boy, and awake him by telling him it was time
for practice. The two would go to the living room, where they would
play together for several hours, improvising on original themes and
playing duets. This went on for about a year; meanwhile Ludwig studied
Latin, French, Italian and logic. He also had organ lessons.

Things were going from bad to worse in the Beethoven home, and in the
hope of bettering these unhappy conditions, Frau Beethoven undertook
a trip through Holland with her boy, hoping that his playing in the
homes of the wealthy might produce some money. The tour was successful
in that it relieved the pressing necessities of the moment, but the
sturdy, independent spirit of the boy showed itself even then. "The
Dutch are very stingy, and I shall take care not to trouble them
again," he remarked to a friend.

The boy Ludwig could play the organ fairly well, as he had studied it
with Christian Neefe, who was organist at the Court church. He also
could play the piano with force and finish, read well at sight and
knew nearly the whole of Bach's "Well Tempered Clavichord." This was
a pretty good record for a boy of 11, who, if he went on as he had
begun, it was said, would become a second Mozart.

Neefe was ordered to proceed with the Elector and Court to Muenster,
which meant to leave his organ in Bonn for a time. Before starting
he called Ludwig to him and told him of his intended absence. "I must
have an assistant to take my place at the organ here. Whom do you
think I should appoint?" Seeing the boy had no inkling of his meaning,
he continued: "I have thought of an assistant, one I am sure I can
trust,--and that is you, Ludwig."

The honor was great, for a boy of eleven and a half. To conduct the
service, and receive the respect and deference due the position, quite
overwhelmed the lad. Honors of this kind were very pleasant, but,
alas, there was no money attached to the position, and this was what
the straitened family needed most sorely. The responsibilities of the
position and the confidence of Neefe spurred Ludwig on to a passion of
work which nothing could c