The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-16
PLAYING THE FIDDLE
And Using n Visiting Card, sword
Umbrella and Shoe for a bow.

And Using a Visiting Card, sword
Umbrella and Shoe for a how.
reached the city of Cologne (writes
the Rev. Edward Abbott) by steamer
down the Rhine at 6 in the afternoon
This gave me an hour before dark In
which to visit the great cathedral, whose
lofty spires had been before me since
twenty miles away. Then had an hour
for dinner, which l ate with great zest at
the hotel du Dom, nearly opposite the
cathedral. Two hours and halt were
then left before l was to take the nlgnt
EXPRESS for Brussels. What should do
! in that two hours and half? The por-
| tier to whom I addressed this question
said I had better 90 around to the cafe
Chantant for an hour. So told him to
lead the way. The cafe Chantant found
to be a large room or small hall, which
ever one might please to call it. At one
end was a simple stage, like concert
platform, The floor was filled with small
square tables, with two or three chairs at
each table. The chairs were nearly all
filled with people, men and woman, OF a
very respectable aspect. The scene was
strange, but orderly and proper; and the
concert, which stayed an hour to enjoy,
was of high musical order.
The piece on the programme which
entertained me the most was perform
ance on the violin. 1t had just begun as
I entered the room. The performer was
a handsome young fellow. dressed IN
grotesque suit of many coicrs, and he was
talking away 10 the audience as L came
in in a very animated manner. 1t seemed,
as nearly as l could understand him,
tnat he had lost his violin bow, and I'M
less he could find some substitute for 1t
he could not do his part in the concert.
Did any of his audience happen to have
a. violin bow with them? No. Well,
that was too bad! What should he do!
Would ANYTHING else answer instead of
bow? Couldn't somebody lend him
something? etc. Of course a this was
made up. The object of the violinist
was to get hold of some nondescript OBJ
iects with which he could play On his
violin instead of bow, and to show his
skill; and all his talk was simply to en-
terrain his audience so much the more.
Presently somebody handed him up a
visiting card-a common, plain wishing
card. The violinist took it, looked at it IL
moment inquiringly, tried its edge with
his finger. and then applied The edge to
the strings of his instrument. 1t an
swercd the purpose very well, and he
played quite Il nice tune. At the end
there was a burst of applause. Then he
called for something else, to see, he said.
if he could not do Il little better.
An officer of the army, who was sitting
near the stage. passed up his sword, and
with the sword fora bow the clever young
violinist, after Il moment or twos cXperI-
played another nice tune, over
which there was more applause, louder
than before. Then he handed the sword
back to the officer, and asked for some
thing else. A lady handed up an UNI
brella An umbrella? How could any .
one play on the violin with an umbrella!
But this man did. He opened the UNI
brella, and, finding smooth place few
inches in length on the handle, went to
work with it with case, and succeeded
we'll. The applause when he
had finished was hearticr than ever, and
what had been before a scene Of mere.
on the part of the audience
seemed to rise into something like admi-
ration. And now the violinist good
naturally offered to try once more. And
what do you think was handed up to
him this time? A shoe; an old shoe!
Surely he would nave to give up now.
For a moment he looked as if be would.
After examining the shoe with care for a
moment, the violinist found a place on
the inner side, between the heel and the
toe, where the projecting sole furnished
a short, sharp edge. When, he had
found that, and felt it with his finger,
he looked up with pleased expression,
as if to say, 1 guess that will do. :sAnd
do it did; for with the shoe for violin
bow he went on and played tripping
tune that set everybody's feet agoing,
and when he had finished filled the room
with a dcafening round of applause.
With low bow and pleasant smile, in
moment ne was gone.