, 1880-10-29
The Old Fiddle.
David, III get supper, I"


kindling wood" ..,...h 40 80. .,..' .
"In just split up this old fiddle,
Peggy ,,,..>..,,. ,..,
THE fddhy David No yo't shant,
then. -
But he had taken itJdoSnl from the
wall.
TGi7e it to me RaNa, Isaia Peggy,
"Dont YOU remember the Summer the
foreign gentleman boarded here, and how
he'd play for. Ius after tea AID Bob
liked'it so. There's an angel shut up
in that thing only we don't know how
to make her sing. :, How he used to
scrape at II. II Was as sweet as night
ingale." ,I1ITIEIJA
"All we'll enough, Peggy, but he left
us nine weeks board not paid when he
0'|": SDo you g sssssffaSaa9gsd sfSaa9dt it, Dtavidr
"Oh, no, Peggy but, it's Just one
Of the thingsthat Gas helpeD toAailD us
down"
!nCharity meyer did that, David" r.
0rIfOh, you Wopasn 4 YOU believe Iall
the preacher tells you. Well hope it's
a comfort to you" .,,na "
.Wspsed some, ssighed PEGGY. aAhs
vesxeed Gomez ES~ ~ wv ~ MI sA''''
And surely that poor woman did need
David -was cut Of work; most OF
her belongings sold-the clock, the car.
pet, the bright tea tray, her black silk
dress; her own gRand sprsined 80 that
she could not work; and their only son
away across the ocean, for he was q
sailor. TO sIae9sss "a
But she had tidied up the room, dust
the old fiddle on which that strange
Italian, who boarded with them for the
sea ar, hadlplayed 90 glOriously, TO her
thinking, and hung it on the wall. y His
last words were; oUT
II give you my violin, remember,
guard it we'll" 49, ~
at wouldn't fetch five cents said
she, $50 no need of selling gin; ;lbdts l9can
see our Bob dancing TO it noE, those
were happy times, and that minds me Of
4 bhoih. GslEi hH" bAA"f Z " e.
There was little meal in the house
and she made poriidge OF it, and spread
clean towel on the table; but where
the)next meal was to come from she did
not kn6w,a rs, baireaaa ra ia Co., taa q.
"The ravens are fed" she said to her
self. .sa1'll lrust in God And gshe!
asked a blessing over the two yellow
bowls. Her husband shook his head.
'-z's''T There's the river anyway" he nut
tered to himself ."Ili, never hsv,town
4 poor come what nafs s ~.
~ Bat now'u d they sat ia Silence low
rumbling was heard. A s.oEm was ris
ing; the skyl grew Z dark lightning
flashed; thun der, rolled; the rain beat
s3upon thecpanes, and some one Knocked
upon the door. Peggy opened it. A
gentleman stood there.
''Mayo is a'eome In ss hep' Asked, gaily.,
81 have no umbrella. Iashall be
dsehShedp 10 J293l0nJ >,
"Ob, come in, sir" said Peggy. She
sat chair for him.
Dasid, pushed his'b0@f away and sat
by the empty fireplace, as, he had an ex'
cuse for turning his back upon the
stranger. ..,1, -, bo.H
Then his eyes lifted to the the spot 3 yer
tho mantelpiese, awhere the old violin
hung, and suddenly he gave a cry. ~
How ! what are you musical here 7
You, gir---do YOU. play the, yioliaa'T
liiiaiN6,6 answered batid, . orodghlyy
without looking round. "Neither me
A nor miregeysrysre fddlefg." A ~ S1'
- L' It's 4 pretty INSTRUMENT, the fiddle"
said Peggy, gently IL admire to hear
it, but nv old man don't play, though
jwegot one T. seeegeuynotiees THAT
was left here by . poor gentleman We,
:, boarded, a.fqreignsr. He, died and he
gave us the fiddle. He asked me to be
keerful ofit, $50 ] be, sort of fer his sake.
HE used to giSe Us such good tunes on
it, .aaavery, tunes sway up and way down
that made me think Of courtin' times,
AMI when Ivas little gal and nanny
cuddled me up; real lively tunes q
"Yes--l suppose so. Only a good
bnuAdah could Aave owned such. VIC
LIN. VIII you let me see it, It's stra
darius, if I'm not mistaken"
Fl thought it was 4 real old, cracked
thing" said Peggy, II used to wish
he had new one;" and she handed it
down. .t1uA hio6-BaUoH bra r
"a strsdarius r. cried the gentleman.
"Good people, this is treasure, 1t is
better thah a pot Of gold. II is worth
great deal Of money
David termed his head suddenly.
.da-Yohfare making d fool Of that poor
old won an, ;" he said. HA cracked i'd.