Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-07-20
miscellaneous.
THROUGH MUCH TRIBULATION.
BY DiNAn MARIA MuLOCn

| precise date is immatcrial--thcre was in the
city Of New York barber's apprentice, a
young boy named Reuben Nandrest. Iii.
Dutch Lineage was indicated by his surname
which, in course of years and generations
had been corrupted from Vauderdest To
Nandrcst, While for his scriptural Christian
name he was indebted to worthy Quaker
his maternal grandfather, who had come over
with William Tell. These names were, in
truth, all the boy owed TO his progonitors, as
from his cradle he had been an orphan, cast
on the charity Of the wide world But tho
excellent sect 10 which Reuben's mother had
belonged is one Of the few who never cast the
lambs from their bosom, and the orphan child
was not deserted. The friends took care Of
him, and when he was able to earn liycli.
hood one Of their number received him as at
apprentice Such was the short and simple
story OF the BARRIERS boy.
Every human being has some inner life
which the outside world knows nothing Of
Thus, from his earliest childhood. the passion
Of Reuben Vandrest had been music. lie
would follow the itincrant musicians through
one street after another, often thus losing his
meals, his rest, everything except his school
ing, which precious benefit he was too wise to
throw away for even music
He made friends with blind pipers, Italian
] Undergraduates aud, above all, with wander
ing iiddlors; for, with intuitive perception,
the vioIin-tho prince Of stringcd instruments
was his chief favorite. From all and each
Of these wandering musicians Reuben was
intent on gaining something They were won
by his childish manners and earnest admra-
tion--for love Of praise is the same in blind
fiddler as in m opera singer -and by degrees
Reuben not only listened but learned to play
No instrument came amiss to him, but his
sole private property was an old fife; and
with this simplest of all orchestral varieties
the poor BARRIERS boy used to creep to his
garrot and there strive, with his acute ear
and retentive memory, to make out the tunes
which he had heard in the streets, or TO in
vent others.
But the grand era in the boys life was
coming One day as he stood wistlully look
ing at violin which he held in his arms
fondly and lingeringIy prior to returning it
to It's right owner poor street musician, the
idea Of its construction first entered Reuben's
mind. He had been accustomed to regard a
violin as a mysterious thing--a selfcreating,
sound-producing bcing-and never once had
he considered Of what it was made, or how.
Now he began to peer into its mysteries,
and to find out that it was only wood and
catgut after all. He questioned his friend,
the fiddler, but the man scraped away during
a lifetime without once casting thought on
the mechanism of his instrument True, he
I opp1l r9v,loaa "a kr,l-, -, a,,l
even manufacture a bridge with his pen-knife,
but that was all. When Reuben inquistive-
y wanted to know how yoins were made,
the fiddler shook his head and said he did
not know.
Do you think | could make one ?" pur-
sued the anxious boy.
A burst Of laughter so cuttingy derisive
that Reubens face grew crimson, was the on
ly answer.
Why, you little simpleton," cried the
iddler, when his mirth had subsided, - sure
| ly you'll not be so sillyas to try You could
as soon build house rs make violin"
But yiolins must be made by somebody ?"
"Yes, by people who know all about it
not by lad like you Take my advice, and
don't attempt impossihilitiesn
Reuben said no more but he could not
get the idea from his mind. Every violin
that he saw he begged to look at he exam.
ined the varieties of construction, the sort of
wood used, the thickness and fashion of the
strings and after weeks of consideration, he
at last determined to try and make one for
himself During the long, light summer
night he worked hour after hour in his garret
or on the roof OF fhishouse his natural moohan.
ical skill was aided by patience and ardor
and with the few tools which he borrowed
from the good-natured carpenters who had
given him the wood, he succeeded in forming
the body Of the violin. But here long ces.
sation took place in Reuben's toll for he had
not even the few pence necessary to purchase
strings and the bow, which he could not
make, it was utterly out of his power to buy
He sat looking at the half-fnished instrument
"A body without a soul-and even his ifc
could not console him.
But one day kind-hoartod customer no.
ticed the slight, pale looking boy, who ar,
ranged his locks so gently and carefully that
Reuben became the glad recipient of dol
lar He flew to buy catgut and an old bow, and
with trembling hands strung his instrument
Who can describe the important moment I
Leyerrier's crowning calculation for the new
planet, Lord Rosse's first peep through his
giant telescope, are little compared to poor
Reuben's first attempt to draw sounds from
his violin. The sounds came string after
string tuned; the bow was applied, and the
violin had a soul Feeble and thin the notes
were, but still they were distinct musical
tones, and the boy hugged his self-made treas
uro to his beating heart, actually sobbng
with joy.
He played tune after tune; he never no,
ticed that the evening was getting dark he
forgot his supper; and forgot, too-what, but
for his musical enthusiasm would have long
since come into his mind-that, though the
childish fife might pass muster in the house
Of his master violin never would.
To the good Quaker, one Of the strictest oi
his sect, music was useless sinful heathenish
-and fiddler, in his eyes, was as bad as 0
thief Therefore, who can picture Reuben's
CONSERVATION when his garret door opened
and his master stood before hm2
Reuben bore all Ephraim's wrath in silence
only he took good care to keep his darling
violin safe from the storm by pressing il
] closely TO his arms.
Thee has been neglecting thy work and
stealing iddes,' said the angry man.
" have not neglected my work, timidly
answered the boy, and have not stolen the
yiolin-indeed | have not"
How didst thee get it2"
made it myself"
Old Ephraim looked surprised. All the
music in the world was nothing to him; but
he had a taste for mechanical omployments
and the idea Of making violin struck him
as ingenious. He examined it and became
less angry.
"Will it t.play ?"
Reuben, delighted, began one Of his most
touching airs, but his master stopped him.
"That will do said he, 8" | only want to
see If it sounds-all tunes are tho same
And suppose you will turn musoian?" ="
] Ranha,, k.,n.. Z. 4 Al =