The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-04

EXTREME PovERTY.-We have been per-
sistent in calling attention to the fact, that
| in our midst, there were large number of
| persons in destitute circumstances, and with
out assistance they must suffer this winter
With but Il few exceptions, our appeals have
gone unheeded. Our people are not illibera
neither are they hard-hearted; but what we
lack, is system--some plan by which this
class of our people may be reached-and
while all are willing to give. there seems to
be no one who will take hold of the matter,
and bring the objects of charity promptly
and prominently before us.
We presume there are but few of our citi-
Zens who are aware of the fact, that an aged,
and very pious Old lady died in our town last
Saturday night, whose poverty was of the
most beggariy character. After her death,
some of our female friends were called in to
prepare her body for the tomb. The house
was found comfortless-the hight very cold,
and not enough wood to kinCle fire could
be found on the premises. Not cent of
money with which to buy a shroud for the
departed saint. These necessaries, however,
were furnished by kind hearted merchants,
and she was decently g put away"
When VIC think of that poor old creatures
suffelings-for she must have lacked for
many comfOrts-we drop our head with very
shame, and can only hope that she did not
die hungry!
Perhaps we may weary the patience of our
readers by these oft repeated appeals to them
to remember the poOr-then be it so; duty
compels us to speak for the poor and desti
tute-the widow and the orphan-the sick
and afflicted. Our attention is being daily
called to the fact, and we urged to speak,
and that feelingly.- GOldsbor0' Nears
VIoL1Ns AND VIOLIN N-MAKERs-Persons
who hold with Dean Swift in despising ''tid-
oilers and all their fine stuff happily. they
are a minority in these our musical days,
will not believe how much curious and vari
ed information gathers itself round the most
difficult to handle, yet the most exquisite, of
musical instruments. Less available
presenting music with all its fulnesS of har-
monies than the pianoforte, and requiring, as
it does, special physical qualifications not to
be acquired by the most patient labor-even
the singer, whose instrument is part and par
Gel of his own frame, can hardly express his
feeling or sentiment more intimately than the
wordless interpreter who caresses the violin.
Then it has popularity which sets it apart
from all its cOmrades-that of being better
for age. Whereas every other instrument
wears out, a violin ripens with time-nor
can the most artificial or ingenious use ofsci-
ence replace the steady, mellowing process
of years. By baking the wood, and by using
acids, n temporary semblance of the rich old
tone of the great Italian and Tyrolese violins
may, we are informed, be fabricated; but the
result is only temporary, and the precocious-
ly-fOrmed manufacture does not abide wear
and tear 1t is no more possible to imprO-
wise violin than it is to force cedar-tree.
Further antiquarian interest is given to the
subject by the fact, that in the production of
the violin certain secrets of construction have
been lost The receipt of the Cremona var
nlshes, which add SO much to the value of
the old Italian nstruments-possibly to their
sorority, certainly to their preservation
seems as little ascertainable as that of the old
ruby glass.
A weil-made violin contains more than fif-
ty different pieces of woods, the woods being
three: maple, red deal and ebony. The
wood must be thoroughly seasoned, especial
ly the red deal and the only artist of mod
ern times who is said to counterfeit the works
of the great Italian makers-M. Vuillaume,
of Paris-has done mainly by most care
full selection OF materials. Many roof and
panel from Swiss chaletS have found their
way into his workshop. Be the grain ever
SO good, the material must have undergone
the slow action of time
Gaspard Duifoprugcar, Tyrolese, estab
lished at Bologna in 1910, who went to Par
is at the invitation of Francis the First, af-
terward removed to Lyons, is said to have
been the first maker of the genuine violin we
have on record. Not even old pictures have
risen IN value comparably with old violins.
The CremOna price of Joseph Gaarnerius
(born In 1858, died in 1745,) was some four
pounds thereabouts. He was an irregular
maker, because he was a careless, eccentric
man but his best violins seem to have been
" best of the best" Paganini played ON one
of them; and for "the magnificent violin !
known by the name of the King Joseph |
Guarnerius, Mr. Hart received the enormous |
sum of e7OO, which is the largest amount ev-
er obtained for a violin on record" Lastly, |
the violin is nothing without its bow; and
violin-makers are not bow-makers. The |
greatest of bow-makers was Tourte, of Paris, |
(born 1747, died 1850 and whose produc- |
tions highly finished, and made of the finest |
Brazil wood, are as precious, according to |
their order. as the Cremonese violins which |
they bid to g discourse."-Ne1o York Musical |
Gazette.
Tn Sayoppob a opo or,,a5 ropfoda arota col |