The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-10-28
The Old Fiddle.

"HOW Will II De tomorrow
"As God wills. Go get me a bit of
kindling wood"
"Ill just split up this old fiddle,
Peggy"
"The fiddle, David? No you shan't,
then"
But he had taken it down from the
wall.
"Give it to me David" said Peggy.
"Don't you remember the Sum mer the
foreign gentleman boarded here, land how
he'd play for US after tea, and 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 it. 1t was as sweet as night
ingale."
"Au well enough, Peggy, but he left
US nine weeks board not paid when lie
died"
"Do you begrudge it, David"
sob, no, Peggy, but it's just one
of the things that has helped to pull lis
down"
"Charity never did that, David"
"Oh, you womenl You believe all
the preacher tells you Well I hope its
a comfort to you"
"We need some" sighed Peggy. "Ah,
we need some" -t..
And surely that poor woman did need
it. David was out of work; most OF
her belongings sold-the clio OK, the car
pet, the bright tea tray, her black silk
dress; her own hand sprained so that
she could not work; and their only son
away across the ocean, for he was a
sailor
But she had tidied up the room, dust
the old FIDDLE on which that strange
italian, who boarded with them for the
sea air, had played so gloriously, to her
thinking, and hung it on the wall. His
las. words were:
Il give you my violin, remember,
guard it well.
at wouldn't fetch five cents" said
she, $50 no need of sellingit; but can
see our Bob dancing to it now, those
were happy times, and that minds ne Of
them"
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 know
The ravens are fed, she said 70 her
self. "Ill trust in God" And she
asked a blessing over the two yellow
bowls. Her husband shook his read.
There's the river anyway" lie NUT
tered to himself. "I'll never be town
poor, come what may
But now as they sat in silence low
rambling was heard. A storm was ris-
ing; the sky grew dark lightning
flashed; thun der rolled; the rain beat
upon the panes and some one knocked
upon the door. Peggy opened It. 4
gentleman stood there.
May l come in7" he asked, gai.y.
a have no umbrella. ! shall be
drenebed.'
ooh, come in, sir" said Peggy. She
Sd, chair for him.
David pushed his bowl away and sat
~ the empty fireplace, as be had an ex-
cuse fo- turning his baek upon the
stranger
Then his eyes lifted to the sro; over
the mantelpiece, where the Old violin
hung, and suddenly he gave cry.
"How wha: are you musical here :
You, sir-do vou play the violin q
Ne" answered David, roughly,
withou. looking round. "Neither ne
nor mine ever were tddlers."
Its pretty instrument, the fiddle
said Peggy, gently. y admire 20 hear
II, bu. M Old nan doa'r play. though
we got one, as see you notice That
was left here ny poor gentleman We
boarded, foreigner He died and he
gave rs The FIDDLE. He asked TIE to be
keerful Of i, SO he, sort Of fer his sake.
lie used 20 give IS such good tunes on
it, ouavery tunes way up and way down
that made ne think OF cour,in' times,
AM when was li.:le ga. and nanny
o1ddled ne up; real lively tunes.
"Yes-I suppose 50. Only good
musician could have owned such a yio-
lin. Win yon let me see il; It's SRA
darius, Il N no. mistaken
81 thought it was d real old, cracked
thing said Peggy. u used 10 wish
ke had new one; ard she landed il
down
"a stradarius " cried he gentleman.
"Good ,,eo.l lie, this IS treasure l. IS