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Mr. Shimerda
Amateur Czech violinist who has immigrated to Nebraska, and father of protagonist Ántonia Shimerda from the 1918 novel My Ántonia by Willa Cather.
"My papa sad for the old country. He not look good. He never make music any more. At home he play violin all the time; for weddings and for dance. Here never. When I beg him for play, he shake his head no. Some days he take his violin out of his box and make with his fingers on the strings, like this, but never he make the music. He don't like this kawn-tree."
"People who don't like this country ought to stay at home," I said severely. "We don't make them come here."
"He not want to come, nev-er!" she burst out. "My maminka make him come. All the time she say: 'America big country; much money, much land for my boys, much husband for my girls.' My papa, he cry for leave his old friends what make music with him. He love very much the man what play the long horn like this" — she indicated a slide trombone. "They go to school together and are friends from boys. But my mama, she want Ambrosch for be rich, with many cattle."
His first name is not given.
