Litchfield enquirer., 1872-03-14
coTTFRlED's succEss.

coTTFRlED'S suCCEss. A quaint old house, standing back from the street, in little German village. On the doorstep Hans Vreder is mending 8 fiddle and smoking pipe. An old man, Hans, lame from a fall in his boyhood. very thin as to his figure, and as to his hair also A funny little blue silk cap, broidered with beads and insel, is perch ed on his head. Nina had made it and placed it there, so there it must remain. Hans was a maker and mender of vioGns. All his life he had been ct this work. He knew no other interest except his love for Nina, which was as natural to him as making 8 violin. He wanted nothing more than that his Nina should be happy and his instruments good.
 As he sat and smoked his pipe that warm summer afternoon, he could hear his little girl singing gaily through the half-closed shutters of the room above. She would always be '1ittle" to the old father, though, in truth, Nina was sixteen to-day, and was wearing the gold ear rings he had given her to celebrate the fact. She was sewing in the cool room WI t4AO bu0p, SuO 51u8AuS WAOA buC oWOOt- est voice in the world. Such bright, pretty girl she was, with her rosy face and yellow hair-such kind heart was shin ing in her blue eyes-no wonder her fath- CT loved her as he did .-
 Theodore Bildeman, the Burgermeister's son, loved her too, and sang love-songs under her window on moonlight nights He might sing them forever, and it would make no difference to Nina, except that sometimes they woke her up. Poor Theo dore, she only laughed at his endless ''Du, du Eegst mir i'm Herzen."
 Walking slowly down the street toward the house where Nina sang came youth, tall ana slight, with thin, dark face.
 Under his arm he carried violin case, and over his shoulder stick with bun dle on it's end As he drew near Vreder's house he raised his head and looked about, seeking whence came the clear, sweet voice. He could not see the girl, but old Hans at the door attracted his mo- tice. With 8 quick step he entered the little courtyard, and stood before the violin-maker.
 ''Sir," he said, '1 have no money, and have broken my violin. Will you mend it for me?"
 He stood straight before the old man, ready to turn away without more words should the answer deny him. Hans look ed at him over his spectacles with smile twinkling in his eyes.
 "Let me see thy violin, youngster."
 Quickly the bundle and case were on the grass, and with eager hands the boy undid the straps that secured his instru- ment. -
 '.sSee." .-.
 The old fellow took it in his hands. In an instant Q change came over his face. He seemed suddenly to wake up. He touched the fiddle gently, almost tender ly. ....
 ''Where didst thou get this, my boy? Dost thou know what thou hast here?"
 ''Yes; it was my fathers"
 "A wonderfully fine Guarnerius, or I'm mistaken. Mein Kind, such are not easi- ly obtained. Tell me truly whence it came."
 'It was my father's," cried the youth, springing up. Twill you mend it for me? If not, must go' ..
 'T1l mend it. Canst thou play? Here, take this and try thy skill while fix thy fiddle" And he handed the traveller an instrument.
 Presently the fine, rich strains rose up into the air. At first Hans worked away with his chisel and file, but ere long his fingers ceased to move; he pushed the spectacles up to the blue silk cap, and only listened.
 Erect and graceful stood the youth, pressing his violin against his shoulder. As he played, his hard, dark face became gentle. His great black eyes were filled with burning flame, and they seemed to look far away, to see something weird and unearthly. The light in them flashed now with burning spark, now seemed to pale and die, as though the tears of some great sorrow had fallen. '
 How strangely his thin lips parted for 6 moment and showed his teeth! One lock of his dark hair fell oyer the forehead, which alone of all his face was fair. If Hans had been Q sentimental old man, he would have trembled, and thought of Medusa and her snake locks. There was great beauty and great passion too for SO young @ face-a1l the beauty of strong, bright youth; all the passion of the mu- sioian's fiery soul.
 Presently Hans gave little nod of well come, and held out his hand to Nina. She had stolen softly down the steps at the sound of the wonderful music, and as the strange boy looked up he saw her standing beside her old father. All her face was full of tender, wondering look that the music had called forth. She seemed so fair and pure. He dropped his arm and looked at her-only 8 moment, but his heart was lost. The poor, homeless fiddler fell in love with Hans Vreder's bright little daughter.
 "Why dost thou stop, my sonp Thou canst play well. Who taught thee?"
 "My father at first; then nobody"
 ''Sit here and rest while, and Nina shall bring thee some broth: thou canst eat as well as play, I'll be bound"
 In moment the girl appeared, carry ing bowl of soup. @
 'How art thou called?" asked Hans.
 ''Gottfried." e
 Master Vreder smoked in silence for 8 little while. Suddenly he exclaimed,
 "Wih thou like to stay here with me, to help in the shop and learn to make vio- lins?"F
 Stay herel" he cried; "oh, master, how good you are! have wandered so long, to have home ct last will be happiness. will help you with all my strength"
 So the strange, gipsy-looking vioinist ptaA0 WAt4 tu0 O1Q Ldu UUtl1 t4c UOuSe 8u0 little garden were his home, and life away from Nina seemed to him impossible. He was not quite happy unless he could see her, or hear her singing somewhere about the house with that pure voice, so full of bright and beautiful thoughts.
 As for Nina, what had she done with out him? Who had walked with her be- side the brook, and helped her to gather forget-me-nots? Who had dug her gar den and watered her flowers? And how had she lived without the music of his violin? And every day he was becoming more necessary to her. There was never any word of love said between them. Their lives were so quiet and uneventful that nothing happened to call forth the deep feeling in their hearts, until once, as they set side by side in the twilight, while finder. .&roa Hana cud1onlv ooid sSMx,