The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-09
Chaucers ''Steed Of Brass on which Pierre ear
ried off the fair Maguelone. afterward initiated
by Cervantes in his "Clavileno."
PAGANINI oUTDoNE.
Some Rare Feats Upon Violin by a Player
without Bow. n

Without Bow.
Foreign Correspondence San Francisco Call
The piece on the programme which entertained
me the most was performance or the VIOLIN
1t had just begun as | entered the room. The
performer was handsome young fellow, dressed
IN grotesque suit of many co!ors, and he was
talking away to the audiencea as ! came in, in q
very animated manner 1t seemed, as NEARLY az
could understand him, that he had lost his
violin bow and unless he could find Some substi-
tute for it he could not do his part in the
concert Did any of his audience happen TO
have violin bow with theml No! Well, that
vas too bad! What should he do? Would any
thing else answer instead of bowl Couldn't
somebody lend him something? etc. OF course
this was all made up. The object of the violinist
was to get hold of some nondescript object with
which he could play on his violin instead Of q
bow and so show his skill, and all his talk was
simply to entertain his audience sGmuch the
more. Presently somebody handed him up .
visiting card-a common, plain visiting card
The violinist took it, looked at it moment in
quirirgly, tried its edge with his finger and
then applied the edge to the strings of his in
strument 1t answered the purpose very we'll
and he played quite nice tune. At the end
there was burst of applause. Then he called
for something else-to see, he said, if he could
not do a little better
An officer OF the army, who was sitting near
the stage, passed up his sword, and with the
sword for bow the clever young violinist, after
a moment or twos experimenting, 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 something else.
A lady handed him up an umbrella An umbrella!
How could anyone play on the violin with an UNI
brelal But this man did He opened the UNI
brella and, finding smooth place few inchesin
length on the handle went to work with it with
ease, and succeeded surprisingly we'll The APP
plause when he finished was heartier than ever.
and what had been before ascene of mere amuse-
ment on the part of the audience seemed to rise
into something like admiration.
And now the violinist good naturally offered
to try once more. And what do you think was
handed up to him this timel A shoe-an old
shoe Surely he would have to give up now. For
a moment he looked as if he would. After ex-
aiming the shoe with care for moment, the
violinist found place on the inner side, be-
tween the heel and the toe, where the project
ing sole furnished Short sharp edge. When
he had found that and felt it with his finger, he
looked up with a pleased expression, as if to
say, guess that will do And do it did, for.
with shoe for a violin bow, he went on and.
played tripping tune that set everybody's feet
a-going, and when he had finished filed the
room with deafening round of applause. With
a low bow and pleasant smile, in moment he
was gone.