The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-08-19
An Adroit seiE.


One day gentleman called at the store
OF Mr.. Ralph Hardman with violin bog
under his arm. He purchased neck-tie.
for which he paid fifty cents, and then
asked permission to leave his box while he
did few errands down town. Old Hard
mana dealer in new and second-hand
clothing-had no objection.
cit is violin, said the gentleman,
(which prize very highly. 1t was given
me by an old Italian who died at my faith
er's house. | beg you.will be careful of
it, sir v'
Mr.. Hardman promised, and the owner
CT the precious violin departed.
Toward noon, while the old clothing
dealer was very deeply engaged In the
work OF Selling a suit of shoddy for bang
up Prussian Tricot, stranger entered the
store-a remarkably well dressed man, with
distinguished look. The violin was I'M
sight upon shelf, and as no one was near
to prevent, the new conner slipped around
and opened the box, and took out the in
strument-a very dark-hued and ancient
looking one
"Hallo - cried Hardman, when he
heard the sound of the viol oWhat for
you touch dat, eh T'
The stranger explained that he was
professor-that he was leader of an orches-
tra-and that he could never see violin
without trying it. And then he drew the
bow across the strings, playing few pas
sages of fine old German waltz,
My soul p he cried, after he had run
his fingers over the instrument while.
''this is the best violin ever saw There
is not better in the city-a perfect gen
uine old Crsmona win give you hun.
dred dollars for it.
Hardman said it was not his.
Il will give you hundred and fifty
two hundred !"
Mr.. Hardman was forced to explain
how the violin came to be left at his store
The stranger had taken out his pocket
book, and drawn forth two one hundred
r dollar bank notes, but put them back re.
t marking:
IL must have that violin if money will
| buy it. When the owner returns will YOU
t ask him to wait for me? If he cannot
? wait, ask him to meet me here at six
O'Clock. 1T he capnot do that, tell him to
e call at the Office of the Treasurer of the
n Academy of Music, and inquire for the
a Director of the Orchestra VIII you do
it?"
Y Ha-Sman said he would
t But, suggested the stranger, "you
0 need not tell the man what 1 have said
about this violin, nor what / have offered !;
/ because he may have no idea of what a
t treasure he possesses. You will be careful
? and clrcumspect."
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
5 What would the gentleman sell his VIC
$ lin for :?
At first the gentleman would not listen
to the proposition; but after deal of talk
t 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 one hundred and seventy-fve
dollars, not penny less.
Ralph Hardman paid the money, and
became the legal possessor of the violin,
ready to take anywhere from three hun
, dred to five hundred dollars from the Di-
rector Of the Orchestra, as he might be
able
But the Director did not come. At the
| end of week Hardman carried the violin
to professional friend, and asked him
what was its real value. His friend ex-
amined it and said:
1.-TWO dollars and a-half without the
box p'
RALPH Hardman was strongly of the
opinion that the gentleman who left the
violin in his care was swindler, and that
the Director was partner in the business,
and that, together, they had made him
their victim. That night shoddy was
marked up ten per cent.