Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-07-16
Paganini Oufdone.


correspondent, by steamer down the
Rhine at in the afternoon. This gave
me an hour before dark in which to Wis
it the great cathedral, whose lofty
spires had been before me since twenty
miles away. Then l had an hour for
dinner, which | ate with great zest at
the Hotel du Dom, nearly opposite the
cathedral. Two hours and half were
then left before | was to take the night
express for Brussels. What should
do in that two hours and half? The
porter to whom | addressed this ques-
ton said | had better go around to the
Cafe Chantant for an hour. So told
him to lead the way. The Cafe Chant
ant found to be a large room, or small
hall, whichever one might please to call
it. AT one end was sample stage,
like concert platform. The floor was
filled with small square tables, with
two or three chairs at each table. The
chairs were nearly filled with people,
men and women, of very respectable
aspect. The scene was strange and
orderly and proper, and the concert,
which staid an hour to enjoy, was of
high musical order
The piece on the programme which
entertained me the most was per-
Torrance on the violin. 1t had just be-
gun rs | entered the room. The per-
former was handsome young fellow,
dressed in grotesque suit of many
oolors, and he was talking away to the
audience as | came in in very ami
mated manner. 1t seemed, as nearly
as could understand him, that he had
lost his violin bow, and unless he could
find some substitute for it he could not
do his part in tie concert. Did any of
the audience happen to have violin
bow with them? No! Well, that was
too bad! What should he doe Would
anything else answer instead of bow ?
Couldn't somebody lend him some-
thing, etc. OF course, all this was made
up. The object of the violinist was to
get hold of some nondescript objects
with which he could play on his violin
instead of bow, and so show his skill !;
and all his talk was simply to entertain
his audience so much the more. Pres
emily somebody handed him up a visit
ing card-a common, plain visiting
card. The violinist took it, looked at
it a moment inquiringly, tried its edge
with his finger. and then applied the
edge to the strings of his instrument
1t answered the purpose very well, and
he played quite nice tune. At the
end there was a burst of applause.
An officer of the army, who was sit
ting near the stage, passed up his
sword, and with the sword for bow
the clever young violinist, after a mo-
ment or two's 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 up an umbrella An
umbrella! How could anyone play on
the violin with an umbrella? But this
man did. He opened the umbrella, and
finding smooth place few inches in
length on the handle went to work with
it with ease, and succeeded surprising
~ well. The applause, when he had
finished, was hcarticr than ever, and
what had been before scene of mere
amusement on the part of the audience
seemed to rise into something like adj
miration.
And now the violinist good-natured-
~ 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 have to give up now. For mo-
ment he looked as if he would. After
examining the shoe with care for a mo-
ment, the yiolinist foundsa place on the
inner side, between the heel and the
toe, where the projecting sole furnish
ed short, sharp edge. When he had
found that, and felt it with his finger,
ne looked up with pleased expression
as if to say, guess that. will do. And
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 deafening round of APP
plause. With a low bow and pleas
ant smile, in moment he was gone.