The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-08

born Skin, knew tnat no miraculous IN.
spiration, even II it produced fiddler.
could bring forth music from wood
alone. Yet the impulse was on me
stronger than ever; and. absurd as IL
may seem, turned to Luigi with the
request on my lips that he would re-
string the useless instrument.
Luigi had been watching me atton-
lively: no doubt he had studied every
motion, every vagary OF mine since |
again began to handle the fiddle. See.
ing me turn toward him. he sprung
from his seat, and before | could speak +.
snatched the fiddle from my hands, re-.
placing II ut once in its case; then clos
ing the cover. he heaved u deep sigh Of
I relief. ! had no time To euireat. re-
mOnstrate. or resist. but a. he took the
fiddle from me, all wish TO distinguish
myself In a line that was not my own
left me, and almost laughed aloud at
the folly and presumption of which
had been mentally guilty. Yet It was
strange-very strange.
All" said Luigi, as he placed the fid-
die out Of sight under the table, $50 YOU
felt II also, my friendI"
Felt whaty"
"The-I don't know what to call it
the power. the sorcery of it,"
81 felt--dOn't laugh ut me-that had
the strings been there, |, who never
played u fiddle in my life, could have
| drawn exquisite music from that one
What does IL meany'
Luigi returned no answer TO nv in
qury, but said, ms II thinking aloud:
so II was no dream of mine. lie. the
cool, collected Euglishman-he felt IL
also. lie could not resist the impulse.
! II was no dream-no creation of my
/ ha 4
"Sce whaty" | asked. curious to know
what his wandering sentences meant.
u cannot tell you. You would not
| believe me-"
But what doyou mean by the sorcery
OF the addle2'
"Did say sorcery? Well. | know no
| other word that can describe it. Al
though tell you believe that fiddle is
the finest in the world, have onlyplay-
cd upon IL twice; and the second time
drew my knife across the strings, that
might never again be tempted to play
upon it without due consideration"
what is its history, thenp Where
did you get ity" | asked. by this time
thinking my friend was H'lnruI fro
some eccentricity that genius ucc. .u..-
ally exhibits.
ut was sent me originally from Lon
don. When found out its secret, 1
begged my agent in England TO ascer-
tain its history. After some trouble he
traced IL to a house where, for many
years, II had lain unnoticed in garrett.
Ihat house had once been q lodging
mouse; so doubtless the fiddle had be-
longed to some one who had sojourned
there for a time. | could learn no more
about u, save what it told me in its
music"
! saw Luigi was far away from any
wish TO jest, so paused before | asked
nm the meaning of his last sentence.
lie anticipated me, and said:
GU wonder at my words. Did you
notice nothing else strange about it2"
only q dark stain inside; as if wine
had been spilled into it,"
"Ahl" cried Luigi, excitedly, shat Is
III that sthe secret-the meaning of the
power II holds. If it were not for the
varnish that fiddle would be stained
outside and inside. That stain is from
q mans hearts blood, and that fiddle
can tell how and why he died.
u do not understand you,n
y do not expect you tor believe
newly should you? What have you,
an unimaginatiye Anglo-Saxon, to do
with marvelSp How, in the center of
great, cruel, material city, with the
ceaseless sound of traffic outside our
windows, should you expect anything
supernatural9 1t may be | only dream
ed IT. Perhaps you would not see it.
And yet, one night when / feel strong
enough, we will take the fiddle from its
case, and ] will play II TO you'll who,
until tonight, have not laid finger on
II for fiye years. And then, If its music
moves you AS it moves me, | dreamed
no dream. If not, will say it was
dream, and | may at last be able to use
this masterpiece of Stradivarius."
| begged him to name an early day
for the curious performance, but he
would make no promise; so we parted
for the night.
A month passed by; Luigi's London
engagement terminated, and he was GO
ing TO win fresh laurels at Berlin. |
had seen him two or three times every
week, but he had never referred to the
conversation which had taken place up
on the night when | drew the strange
violin from its case; nor had he offered
10 redeem his promise made on that oc-
casion. | had ceased to think about it,
or indeed only remembered 1t as Jest,
laughing at the idea of superstitious
man not being able to play on any par
ticular fiddle. Two days before he left
England he wrote me asking me to dine
with him that night, adding, II think |
.."J my VI Hld1lHk upon
the Stradivarius."
We dined at well-known restaurant,
and about ten O'Clock went to Luigi's
rooms to finish the night. The first
thing l saw, upon entering, was the iidI
dle-case lying on the table-Luigi's IA
vorlte bow and several coils of string
beside it. We sat down and talked on
various topics for about an hour, and
then | said:
IL SET. you have made preparations for
the performance. When do you intend
to begn?"
Luigi drew deep breath. my friend,r
he said, you will not blame me if my
playing agitates you; and remember,
when ! once begin INST continue To
the end; 1t is no pleasure TO nett is
rather deadly pain. But am curious,
and would satisfy my doubts.n
To be Continued.