Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-07-15

health was attained. Being 70 Iorger
able to stroll about the Gar,lors. he
began gradually to frequent the draw
ing-room, where, throwing himself on q
sofa, he would rass lalt an hour or so
turning over book Of erg-avirqs. or
slipping glass of ean Sucyee. The oil;
ladies Of the house still! gossijel about
him a&d his pecnlilr ways, bnt if he
hesrd he certsinly did not heed them.
Christmas Eve approached. There
is Christmas custom III France that
takes the place of our stocking hauS-
ing, or that ~ equally dear TO its juve-
pileinhabitants. The little wooden shoes
are ranged ia order around the hearth,
and benefcent fairy is supposed to
come down tie chimney laden with
! various presenis and dainties with which
he fills them. 1t has been calculated
that one year with another the Christ
mas wooden shoe enriches the trade OF
Paris with two million francs.
On the morning before Christmas
several of Paganini's female critics
were in secret consultation together.
Before they separated one remarked:
1t will be for this evening, them"
Yes, for this evening; that S settled"
replied another.
just after Pagauini Lad enscorced
himself on his customary sofa that
evening, and was quietly discussing his
sugar water favored with dash of
orange flower. Nanrette entered and
announced that a porter had arrived
with case directed to oignor Paganini.
"There must be mistake" said he,
"I expect no ease"
Pardon, Monsieur" replied Nam
nette, there is no mistake, for l saw
tho namo myself on the lid in grea.
letters, CONNIE ca measuring with
her hands.
Then, said Paganini, he'd better
bring it ill.,"
Accordingly the stout porter was in
.roduccd, and brought into the room a
large sized deal-box, on which, besides
the address, were the words" Fragile
with care" paganini looked it over
with some curiosity, and calling for u
hammer proceeded to open the lid. His
skilled and muscular hands soon ac-
complished the task, and the company.
whose curiosity cansed them to trans
gress the bounds of good manners,
crowded around in order to see the con-
tents of the box.
After burrowing through quantity
of straw and shavings, the musician
drew out large packet. enveloped in
strong wrapping paper. and sealed with
several seals. Having opened this, a
secopd, third, and finally q fourth
envelope appeared. all sealed in like
manner, and at length the curious eyes
of the company were RECALLED with u
gigantic wooden shoe, carved out of II
piece of asb. and almost large enough
to serve as child's cradle. Bursts Of
laughter greeted the discovery.
"Ah!' said Paganini, with n long
drawn exclamation, "a sdtOt, and Can
guess, without indiscretion, who sent
; it. Some of these estimallo ladies
, wish to compare me to a child who
. always expects presents, yet never
gives any. Atoms done' We will try
| and make the wooden shoe worth its
) weight in gold"
SO saying, and absorbed in his own
idea. Paganini Withdrew to his own
apartment without saluting the COM
) pany, carrying with him the case and
its contents.
For more than four days be did moi
] reappear il the drawing. room. Nam
nette, when questioned, informed the
! company that he worked from morning
+ to night With carpenters tools. and, in
fact, the musician, whose hands were
/ wODdrously flexible and dexterous in
all things, had fashioned a perfect and
r sonorous instrument out of the wooden
shoe. Having stretched one silver
: string across i, his work was complete.
. A public notice appeared stating that
{ on New Years he lPaganinil would
give concert in the large hall Of the
, Villa Autetiana. The great master an
, nounoed thst he would play ten pieces,
half on the violin, half on q wooden
shoe. The tickets were limited to 100,
] at twenty francs each. There was; OF
) course, great rush to secure places,
and it is needless to state that the elite
| of the beaumonde, who, during several
months. had been deprived of the
i pleasure of hearing Paganini, attended
? in large force on the evening in ques-
/ tion. The faubuurg P0issonniers was
Z crowded with elegant equipages, the
concert ball was furnished with COM
/ Portable chairs and brilliantly lighted
' for the occasion. and expectation was
, on tip-toe to fathom the announcement
concerning the wooden shoe.
At length taganini appeared, smil-
] ing, with every appearance of sound
health, and was greeted with rapturous
{; applause as he played on his marvellous
violin some of those strains such as
q were never heard before, and may. alas
never be heard again. Then, in an
r ecstacy, he seized upon the wooden
o shoe, which, in its new guise OF violin
o still preserved somewhat its pristine
form. His whole being was alive with
8 enthusiasm as he began ono of those
{ wondrous imprOvisations which tran
a spoited his hearers into the seventh
heaven. This ode represented, first the
departure of q conscript-the tears
: the sobs, the wailings of his bcirothed
q then his stormy life on tho attle-tield
q and finally his return in triumph and
Y happiness to his love once more. A
/, merry peal OF wedding bells completed
the musical poem.
It Thunders of applause shook the hal
as showers of bouquets thrown by fail
!, and jeweled hands fell around the grea
artist. 4iyen the censorious cid gossips
Q were transported, and clapped and ap
d plauded with the rest. IL far corner
of the hall sat Nannette, sobbiny and
weeping bitterly, for the symphony had
r come homo to hsr and gone straight to
o her heart. At the end of the concert
q the receipts were counted and found to
o amount to 1000 francs.
"Here, Nannette," said Paganini to
the astoniShed and delighted girl, "you
have five hundred francs over the sum
required to purchase o substitute for
Henri; they will defray the marching
3 expenses of your bridegroom; but, 'aa
fvil" he continued, as a new thought
, struck him, You will need some
+ wherewith to start the n.enago. Here.
my girl, take the shoe violin and sell il
for your dowry."