The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-08-26
AN ADROIT SELL.

One day a gentleman called in at the
store of N1r. Ralph Hardman, with a
violin box under his arm. He purchased
necktie, for which he paid fifty cents,
and then asked permission 10 leave his box
while he did few errands down town.
Old Hardman-a dealer In new and
secondhand clothing-had no objection.
''It is VIOLIN" said the gentleman,
"which l prize very highly. 1t was given
me by an old Italian, who died at nv
fathers house. beg you be careful Of
II, SIR"
Mr.. Hafdman promised, aud the owner
of the precious viol departed.
Toward noon, while the old clothing
dealer was very deeply engaged in the
work of selling suit Of shoddy for bang
up Prussian Tricot, n stranger entered the
with a distinguished look. The violin
box was in sight upon a shelf, and as no
one was near 10 prevent, the new >comer
slipped around and opened the box, and
took out the instrument--a very dark =
hued and notwithstanding one
''iallo - cried Hardmau, when he
.eard the sound of the violin, what for
you touch dat, eh 90
The stranger exclaimed that he was n
protessOr-that he was leader of an or,
chestra-and that he could never see a
violin without trying It. And then he
drew the bow across the strings, playing a
few passages of a fine old German waltz.
"Aly soul - he cried, after he had run
his fingers over the instrument awhile,
''that is the best violin ever saw! There
ls not better one in the city-a perfectly
genuine old Cremona ! will give you5a
hundred dollars for it,
Hardman said it was not his.
III give you hundred and fifty
Two hundred =
Mr.. Hardman was forced to explain
how the violin came to be left in the t ,re.
The stranger had taken out his pocket
book, and drawn forth two one hundred
dollar bank notes. He put them bacE,
remarking:
81 must have that violin if money will
buy 1t. When the owner returns will YOU
ask him to wait for me 4? If he cannot
wait, ask him to meet me here at six
O'Clock. If he cannot do that, tell him to
call at the office of the Treasurer Of the
Academy of Music, and inquire for the
Director of the Orchestra. VIII you do
it ?"
Hardman said he would.
"But," suggested the stranger, "you
need not tell the man what | said about
his vlol, nor what Eve offered because
he may have no idea of what treasure
he possesses. You will be careful and
circumspect'
The stranger went away, and Ralph
Hardman reflected. In the course of an
hour the owner of the violin returned, and
asked for his box. But the shoddy man
had been captivated by the golden bait &.
What would the gentleman sell his vio-
lin for
AT first the gentleman would not listen
TO the proposition; but after deal of talk
he confessed that he was not himself a
professor, and could not well afford to
keep such a valuable instrument. He
would sell it for SITS, not a penny less.
Ralph Hardman paid the money and
became the legal possessor of the violin.
ready to take anywhere from three to five
Hundred dollars from the director of the
orchestra. as he might be able
But the director did not come, At the
end of a week Hardman carried the violin
to professional friend, and asked him
what was its real value. His friend ex>
amined it, and said:
"Two dollars and half, without the
box"
Ralph Hardman was strongly of the
opinion that the gentleman who left the
violin 10 his care was swindler, and that
the director was partner in the business,
and that, together, they had made Kim
their victim. That night shoddy was
marked up ten per cent.