The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-07
TUE rRENcHMAY AND MS FIDDLE.
Ambitious TO Play in the Bowels Of the Earth
Ills Spirit Crushed.

A few DAYS since "A Young Frenchman,
the American corTcsrondent OF leading "a
risisn journal, obtained permission TO explore
the lower Levels Of tho bonanza mines. A time
was appointed for making the descent, ana
when that time arrived he promptly made bis
appearance. when the necessary change OF at,
tire rad been made In the drcssing room, and
when all who were going into the mine went out
to place themselves on the cage which was to
take them down the shaft, the FrenChman
picked up a violin case that ho had brought To
the works with Tim, ana cAmo to the cage with
it In his hand.
As he was about to get aboard the cage thus
eequipped The man IN chsrge said what Is
have got me my violin, monsieur-my fee
de-" said the Irenchman.
Your eddie" cried the astonished miner.
"Can't YOU leave your fiddle IN the dressing
room7 Nobody Will steal IT, Take II back to tn Q
dressing room. 1t will 10 all right"
Monsieur vii excuse me, bote he does not
comprehend re object for which take 20 yio-
in," said the Frencnman. 81 have re great love
for 70 mooslc, and 40 violin Ia re instrument OF
my heart. have 20 ambition to play him deep
In re ground-to play him on the place what you
cali feefteen-hun feed. feet level. have re ann
bition to be able to say zt have play 20 feeble
farzor into zs howell Of re ground ran any ozza,r
man have ever done. am moosician,and have
zis ambition " Monsieur will have the kindness
to permit" with polite bow and c winning
smile:
said the conductor Of the cage. "All you've
got to do Ia TO hang fast to this ere cross bar
and look out that you don't get your old fiddle
Thank you. sars; I sail have abundance Of
care for myself aud for my instrument" was the
reply Of tho Frencnman. o~ss
The conductor raised his head, gave the en-
Rineer nod, ana down dropped the cage-down,
down into tho midnight OF. the shutdown II
Down darted the cnge until tho bottom OF the
shaft was reached, 500 feet below the light of
day. When the cage halted, the Frenchman and
his companioLs-there being two or three visit
ors besides the musical Baul-found before
them long broad, wsil-llghted room contain
aud whole trains OF ore cars moving to and fro,
and they were told that this was the station"
The frenchman found convenient shelf In
the station on which to deposit his violin. and
under proper guidance set out to view the won
ders Of the BIG bonanza.
He was taken out to and shown through the
California NINE, thence was guided through the
labyrnths Of the Consolidated Virginia, where
he saw the men at work IN the Slopes, breastirg
out the glittering ore-saw all the air engines
hOisting ttmbcrs into the chambers above. tho
blowers sonding currents Of fresh air to painting
miners IN heated drifts. and finally was turned
on the homeward road to the station.
Hugh Lamb, foreman OF the Consolidated
virginia mine, Is an ACCOMPLISHED violinist. All
his family are natural musicians. His children
are chips OF the old block, ana both little boys
and rifls take tho violin. or any o her instril-
ment that falls IN their way, as naturally a.
young ducks take to the water, rattling on all
the tunes OF the day as glioly as though they
were professional musicians.
Now II SO happened that while the Frenchman
was on on his tour OF observation among the
ses so ami hsmb came in t The %,
at the l.5O0-luOt level. The violin case soon
caught his eye, and great was his net 1nishment
at seeing such Il thing there, down 800 feet be.
low the surface OF the earth. lie asked some OF
the carmen about II, but all that they could tell
him was that the violin had been left there by
some Turin gentleman who had gone away
TO examine the mines.
Mr. Lamb thought there would be no harm in
his taxi ing look at the foreign gentleman $ nd
die, SO be took II out OF the case. 1t a
beauty-perhups a genuine Cremona, made by
one of the famous Amati family, or from the
hands OF either Jacob Staiuer or Matthias
klotZ, the renowned lyrOlese manufacturers.
once he had the instrument in his hands he
was curious about It's tone. In n N mute he had
tuned 1t up and was jerking out Of It wcltze-
and all manner Of beautiful things, greatly to
the delght OF an admiring crowd OF carmen,
miners, carpenters, and ginning pick boys. all
VI whom highly appreciated the novelty Of the
business.
just when Lam b was executing particularly
brilliant passage from the overture to the CaliDh
OF DagdGd. or some other " dad, tue French
man and his party turLcd into tho station from
The poor Gaui was horrined at what he saw
and heard. lie rushed forward TO where Mr..
strains from the uesutif IL instrument, and. hold
ing w both nand-, cried Me.stair! Meestsir
Vat you vas do! OH you measurable man! Not
for you vas play my yiohnf"
NO harm done, hope. sir; am used TO
handl NJ a VIOLIN" said Mr.. Lamb.
NO harm dono to re violin, no-you handle
him but too well-but much harm done to me
bring him down here into re deep FOR Eat
ever play re violin 50 far below 40 top OF ze
ground. and now you sheat me Of my great
~ am very sorry, sir" said MIR. Lamb, "but 1
did not know for what purpose ihs violin was
brought down mere"
You be not so sorry like me. would not Eat
you sail do zs for teefU no. not for hundred
fesfty dollairel Dianlel Now, what am ~ |
am re second mani play re second feeble
Bah do not know Eat 1 sail play him at all.
You take away all my appetite Tor 20 Deesaness
yol spoil my achievement
" But. my friend" said Mr. Lamb, feeling sor-
~ for the man III you are not the hrst man,
YOU can still say that you nave played the violin
AZ depth OF 1900 feet under ground. That IS
thing worth saying"
"Zat IS true, mine goot frlend-zat is true!
bition. Stiil viii play him.
The Frenchman then took IN the violin and
began playing, out his fare wore a rueful look,
and It was evident that his soul was not in the
work.
AM" said he. 81 play not wis nv proper
spirit. / would Tor fife hundred dollaire YOU
have not touch re violin. | have now play
enough Tor to say have Ilay. / via put Ze IN
-trument IN his case and YOU may upraise NE to
ne surface"
Tho inconsolable musician was planted upon
the cage, and himself ana fiddle sent whiz ing
to tho top of the shaft. when 10 had dOfe
his miners rig and donned his own proper hahil-
rent-, he took mp his hddls case, and, a. lie
shook hands with Mr.. Mckay prep sratory Ia
bowling himself out Of the dressing room. said
"Meester Mackay, sare, have view your mine
your ore, ana all YOU great work with mochs
plasair, tut III my gran ambition | am uisap-
point. An, sarc, how should suppose zat yOu
keep in disguise one IrOfeszaiTe Of mOosic ava,
down ON &c bottom leyelI SaIe, you be one
wonderful man u