, 1882-07-14
The Artists First Triumph.

1ue ArllSt 5 tlrSC triumph.
Behind the Alps is the land Of
miracles, the world of adventure.
We do not believe in miracles all
venture, on the contrary. is very
dear to us We listen to it with viii
lingness and such one as only
happens to genius took place.in Bo-
logna, in the year 1884. The poor
Norseman, Ole Bull, whom at that
time no one knew, had wandered
thus far southwark. In his father
land some persons certainly thought
that there was something in him !;
but most people, as is generally the
case, predicted that Ole Bull would
amount to nothing. He himself
felt that he must go out into the
world in order to cherish the spark
into flame, or else to qUench it en-
tirely. Everything seemed at first
to indicate that the latter would be
the case. He had arrived at Bolog-
ma, but his money was spent, and
there was no place where there was
any prospect of getting more no
friend, not countryman, held forth
helping hand toward him he sat
alone in poor attic. in one of the
small streets.
1t was already the second day
that he had been there, and he had
scarcely tasted food. The water-iug
and the violin were the only two
things that cheered the young and
suffering artist. He began to doubt
whether he really was in possession
of that talent with which God had
endowed him. and in his despondency
breathed into the violin those tones
which now seize our hearts in so
wonderful manner those tones
which tell us how deeply he has suf-
fered and felt. The same evening a
great concert was to be given in the
principal theater The house was
filled to overAowing; the Grand
Duke of Tuscany was in the royal
box; Madame Malibran and Mon
sieur De Beriot We're to lend their
able assistance in the performance
of several pieces. The concert was
to commence, but matters looked in
auspicious the managers star was
in the ascendant Monsieur do Ber-
lot had taken umbrage, and refused
to play. All was trouble and con
fusion on the stage, when, in this
dilemma, the wife of Cossini, the
composer, entered, and in the midst
OF the managers distress related
that on the previous evening, as she
passed through one of the narrow
streets, she had suddenly stopped
on hearing the strange tones of an
instrument, which certainly resem-
bled those of a violin, but yet seemed
to be different She had asked the
landlord of the house who it was
that lived in the attic whence the
sounds proceeded, and he had re-
piled that it was a young man from
the north of Europe, and that the
instrument he played was certainly
Tyre, but she felt assured that It
could not be so; it must either be a
new sort of an instrument, or an
artist who knew how to treat his
instrument in an unusual manner.
At the same time she said that they
ought to send for him, and he might,
perhaps, su, ply III, place of Mon
sieur de Beriot, by playing the pieces
that must otherwise be wanting in
the evenings entertainment. This
advice was acted upon, and mes
senger dispatched to the street
where Ole Bull sat in his attic. To
him it was a message from heaven.
Now or never, thought he; and,
though i'll and exhausted, he took
his violin under his arm and accom-
panied the messenger to the theater.
Two minutes after his arrival the
manager informed the assembled au-
dience that young Norwegian, con
sequently young savage" would
give specimen of his skill on the
violin instead of Monsieur de Beriot
Ole Bull appeared The theater
was brilliantly illuminated. He per
ceived the scrutinizing looks of the
ladies nearest to him; one of them,
who watched him very closely
through her opera-glasses, smilingly
whispered to her neighbor, with a
mocking mein, about the difident
manners of the artist. He looked
at his clothes, and in the strong
blaze of the light they looked rather
the worse for wear The lady made
her remarks about them. and her
smile. pierced his very heart. He
had taken no notes with him which
he could give to the orchestra he
was consequently obliged to play
without accompaniment, But what
should he play ? Il will give them
the fantasies which at this moment