The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-05-29
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, THURSDAY, A 20, 1915.

A while ago they. were bristling with rage
apparently untameable as hyenas, and the
frightful monotony of their bowls was only
varied here and there by an angry bark, as
one of the most forward OF the pack barred
his cleaning tusks. In fact, the party be-
came pleased and attentive listeners.
1t was a curious audience for which Eph-
rain was developing the precious mysteries
of his art. A Swiss at the loved sounds oil
the Rams des Yacbes, a Scotchman at hear
ing Robin Adair, an freshman at the inspir-
ing strains of Garyomcn, played in a foreign
land, would not sympaihise with the melody
more deeply.
But the wolves were only too attentive,
and too anxious 10 witness the manifestation
of Ephram'5 powers. The thing became
frightfully liresotne, an "awful' pain took
possession Of his elbow and forearm, and
The limb itself was ready 10 drop off. lie
found that his capabilities of endurance had
never been so pihchingIy taxed by a party
of fifty country-dancers, as by q single pack
of wolves. He could hold out no longer
he stopped playing for an instant. Growl'
growl! jump!jump! One Of the longest-tusk-
ed of the animals came within TWO inches Of
his leg at that last bound. Here was certain
fy a pressing call for the renewal ofhis orches-
trial labors.
To the diabolical fatigue Of bis elbow, q
new grief was added. The morning was
exceedingly cold, and Ephraim's fingers al
length became Observation-Disclosures frozen
Stopping was out ofthe qpestion-in two
senses. lie wisely continued scraping the
strings and the music which he elected,
though Ole Bull would scarcely have
acknowledged it for legitimate, was con.
sidered very passable by bis audience.
Probably none of them had a correctly edu
Gated ear, there being no Italian opera in al
Kentucky.
Ephraim's visitors were resolutely bent up
on having either the fddling or fiddler, and
with the Kentuckian it was evidently a ques
ton Of being eaten up, or continuing the
music. Snap went string after string. Cat
gut is not indisiructible as asphaltus, ano
horse hair will not last forever. Anothe
cracki Good lack, there is the third string
gone, and the bass alone remains. Tia
single bass-string was more valuable 10 Ehp
rain than even the illustrious bass-string o
Paganini.
But the few gruffnotes which Ephruim wa
able 10 elicit from this string. were evidentl.
Unsatisfactory to their worships the wolves
Their ears were spoiled by the superior mu
sic which they had heared in the early pal
of the concert. when all the strings were per
fct, and Ephraim's elbow almost "as Tres
as a daisy" An occasional growl from hi
long tailed critics made Ephraim start, an
scrape upon his single string with vastl
increased emphasis.
Just at this important conjunciure. wher
they were beginning to show their teeth, anc
snarl pretty freely, like other concert-critic
and wien the conclusion TO which they ha'
arrived, seemed to be, "we've had enougl
of it"-a party of Ephraim's ~neighbors, arm
ed with axes, on their way to the wood:
made their appearance, and the wolves, t
this luckiest of 6ddler's great relief, alright
ed by the sight of a number of men in com
pany, made a precipitate retreat TO the wood:
81 guess" was Ephraim's remark when h
/ had descended, 81 played a tarnation de5
] moro this mornin' than it, had been playir
= for a wagerh'