The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-11-01

shady arbors of the garden as refuge,
he began gradually to linger little in
the drawing room. After dinner he used
to throw himself on a sofa of crimson
velvet. and pass half an hour in turning
over volume of sngrayings, or in sip
ping glass of sugared water favord
with orange flowers. The old ladies of
the society gossiped OF about him and
his odd ways, but he affected not TO hear,
and certainly did not heed them.
Christmas eve approached. On the
anniversary of the birth of Our Lord, a
custom exists in France, very dear to its
Juvenile inhabitants. A wooden shoe is
placed in the corner of the hearth, and q
beneticent fairy is supposed to come
down the chimney laden with various
presents and dainties with which he fills
it. 1t is calculated that one year with
another the Christmas wooden shoe en-
riches the trade of Paris with two million
farncs.
On the morning of the oath of Decem-
Der four of Pae anini's female critics W were
in consultation Together.
ut will be for this evening" said one.
''Yes, for this evening, that's settled"
replied another.
After dinner Paganini was. according
to his custom, seated on the drawing
room sofa, slipping his eau succee, when
an unusual noise was heard in the corri-
| dor, Presently Nicette entered and an
nounced that porter had arrived with
a case, directed to Signor Paganini
II don't expect any case,' said he;
''but suppose he had better bring it in"
Accordingly, a stout porter entered,
bearing good sized deal box, on which.
besides the address. were the words,
'FragH ,oiM care" Pagnini examined it
! with some curiosity, and having paid the
messenger. proceeded to open the lid.
His long, thin. but extremely muscular
fingers accomplished this task without
difficulty. and the company, whose curl
, osity caused them somewhat to trans
gress the bounds of good manners crow
ded around in order to see the contents
of the box.
| The musician first drew out large
! packet, enveloped in strong brown paper.
| and secured with several seals. Having
opened this. and a second, and then n
third envelope appeared and at length
!, the curious eyes of twenty persons were
regaled with gigantic wooden shoe,
carved out of peice of ash, and almost
! large enough to serve for chid's cradI, .s
Bursts of laughter hailed the discovery.
'sAh!' said Paganini, 50 wooden shoe
can guess tolerably we'll who sent it.
Some of these excellent ladies wish to
compare me to a child who always ex
poets presents and never gives any.
/ Welli be it so. We will see if we cannot
find some method of making this shoe
worth its weight in gold"
So saving, and scarcely saIuting the
company. Paganini withdrew to his own
apartment, carrying with him the case
and its contents
During three days he did not reappear
in the drawing-room. Nicette informed
the company that he worked from morn
ming till night with carpenter tools In
fact the musician, whose hands were
wondrously flexible and dexterous in
other things besids violin playing, had
fashioned perfect and sonrous instru-
rnent out of the clumsy wooden shoe.
Having enriched it with one silver string.
his work was complete. Next day a
public notice appeared that, on New
Years Eve, Paganini would give con-
cert in the large hall of the Villa Luteu-
lana. The great master announced that
he would play ten pieces. five on a violin,
FIVE on wooden shoe. The price of the
tickets was fixed at twenty francs each
OF these only one hundred were issued.
and it is needless to add that they were
Immediately purchased by the elite of the
beau monde, who. during several months,
had missed the pleasure of hearing Pag-
anini- The appointed evening arrived;
the hall. furnished with comfortable
chairs, was prepared and lighted for the
occasion; elegant equipages were sta
toned along the Faubourg Polssonniere,
and expectation was on tip toe to know
what the announcement respecting the
wooden shoe could possibly mean.
At length Paganini appeared, smiling
with every appearance ofrenewed health,
and On his favorite violin played some of
those marvellous strains which never
failed to transport his auditors to the
seventh delight Then he seized the
shoe, which, in its new uise of violin,
still preserved somewhat of its pristine
orm, and his whole being lighted up
! nth enthusiasm, he commenced one of
hose wondrous improvistations which
, Aptivated the souls of his hearers. This
: ae represented first the departure Of a