Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-05-10

Ger WSs q meiO0eOn, wDicn alHacteU
che attention Of one of the visitors, and
being somewhat Of . musician, he sst
down and ran bis finger over the keys.
Surprised at the beauty Of its tones, he
expressed bis emotions to Father james.
"Perhaps," said the worthy Father,
''if you knew its history you would be
still more surprised"
Well, the long aud short Of it is, that
Father James told the "history." he
has since told it to us, and We give 1t TO
the world, not precisely in has eloquent
manner, but as if he told it
during the Summer Of 1857, was
preparing for visit to Jerusalem and
other portions of the Orient, but was
laid up by q fit Of sickness, at my house
in Washington. One day, while con-
valescing, received call from a law
YER named Fitzgerald, of New York,
and an old acquaintance of mine. After
the usual remarks about health and the
weather we're exhausted, he changed the
conversation by asking if l had in my
possession q molodeon which had been
purchased some ten years since Of Mr..
Davis, q music dealer in Washington.
Il think" l replied, chat l have, or
at least had, such an instrrment-and,
if mistake not, it is now lying in the
cellar"
had scarcely concluded my answer,
when Fitzgerald seemed to have become
insane. He danced about the room,
rubbed hi, haods, and acted as though
some great excess of JOY had suddenly
turned his head. Finally he ceased his
antics, and graspng me by the arm, he
uttered:
"Are you sure it is the same Will
you swear to it Gan you swear
tOit!"
II can swear to it." replied, g but
whether will is another matter. What
| in the world is there about that old me-
lodeou that makes you act SO, or that
| requires that should swear to it,
''No matter now Let me see it
quick"
rang for the servant and directed
her to bring up that old melodeon from
the cellar.
"Indade, yer Riverince, it's not there
at all M:sther Bellon, the tacher, visit
the ould thing, sayin' he might learn to
play, an SO tux it wild him."
Fi,zgerald's countenance fell to a re-
markable extent as he listened to this
reply, but he resumed his look Of ella
ton as, in response to my question, the
servant said she could certainly get it.
Accordingly l despatched her to Mr..
Bellon's, and soon the dilapidated in
strument stood unsteadily in our pres
ence.
Fitzgerald gazed upon the instrument
as parent would gaze upon a beloved
child which years ago was torn from
his grasp, but was suddenly restored in
safety.
"Can you positively swear that this
is the instrument that You purchased OF
Mr.. Davis p queried he at length, inco-
observation-disclosures.
"Most certainly l can, if necessary"
"What will you take for it? Name
any sum-tive, ten, or fifty thousand dol
lars-any amount-you shall have it."
"What! for that old thing! Take it
for nothing, and welcome, # it's any
good to you But what in the world
makes you attach such value to that
misc rablc old wreck?"
"I'll tell YOU" said he. Ten years
ago the inventor ofthis instrument-1lr.
Cahart-was lying upon his bed, con-
fined there by inAammatory rheumatism.
To while away the tedlousness of his
sick bed, during the intervals of his pain,
he whitfield out an improvement with
common jack-knife. That clumsy in-
strument is the first he made after his
recovery. The invention took immedi-
ately, and orders poured in. He was in
fair way to become rich, when his
patent was infringed upon by rival es-
tablishmeut. He commenced suit against
them, and all the proof lacking to SUBJ
stantiate the infringement was the pro
duction of this very instrument. l con-
Quoted the suit for him, and for five
years have l traced that instrument
from place to place-now getting faint
trace Of it, now losing the track entire.
". Not long since l became satisfied
that il had been purchased ten gears ago
by Catholic clergyman Of Washing
ton. Immediately came here from
New York, and have visited every priest
who resided here at that time, or who
has been here since. Many have moved
away, and l have experienced infinite
trouble in finding their residences and
getting into communication with them.
None knew anything about it, and You
are the last of them. had determined
if you knew nothing of it, to give up
the search, and resign the prosecution.
But here it is, and strange as it may
seem to you, that miserable "w,eck," as
you term it, is worth millions Of dollars
to my client-yes, sir, millions-abso-
lutely millions -
AS Fitzgerald concluded, had no diff.
ficulty in knowing that the old instru-
ment possessed value infinitely above
that Indicated by its appearance.
To shorten the story, the production
of the instrument established Cahart's
claim, and he now is one of the wealth
list men in the East.
Upon my return from Europe, stop
ped III New York and put up al Love
joys. Fitzgerald noticed an announce
ment Of my arrival in the papers, and
.~llol u.~..l r.