She was very fond of her young lodger, and through her he became acquainted with the work of Erckmann-Chartrian, whose tales deeply engrossed him at this time.

Later he moved to the Cafe Milani, on the Zeil, at that time an institution of considerable celebrity.

As a teacher he made a rather prominent place for himself; the recommendation of Raff--who had said to one of MacDowell's pupils that he expected "great things" of him--had helped at the start, and his personality counted for not a little.

His appearance at this time (he was then nineteen years old) is described as having been strikingly unlike that of the typical American as known in Germany.

"His keen and very blue eyes, his pink and white skin, reddish mustache and imperial and jet black hair, brushed straight up in the prevalent German fashion, caused him to be known as 'the handsome American.'" Teaching at that time must have been a sore trial to him.