Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-30
TEE SHATTERED VIOLIN.

One night about a dozen years ago, when
the cream of first night" audience in
Paris flowed into the Sale d'Athenee
where the great Joachim was advertised tc
WELD his magic bow, among the rows Of
first vlollns II. Pasdeloup's famous orches-
ira, grouped upon the stage. sat Gustave
Thorez, a gentle old enthusiast, smartly
buttoned up in a well-brushed black coat
with trim, gray mustache. and the inevita-
bic bit of red ribbon in his button hole
On his final withdrawal, after repeated
calls to the 'front.' Joachim, in threading his
way through the crowded musicians, their
instruments and racks, passed close enough
to old chorez to be arrested by the look OF
rare and dreamy delight upon his wrinkled
face.
Thank you, mon ami the great artist
said, kindly laying his hand on Gustaves
violin. May your instrument never do
less noble service to art than it has rendered
tonight
To Gustaveh speech was likean accoIaole.
Thencetorward the violin, always dear,
would be sacred to him, owning but one
rival in his reverential love, His comrades
smiled when, the concert over, thev saw
the cie1tr alustache, shouldering his treasure,
march jauntily away, with a glow of color
in his pallid face
Nearing his lodging Gustave quickened
his pace to an almost martial tread. Mount
ing the five flights of interminable stone
staircase, he gayly hummed the verse of a
popular song.
She will have reached home by this,
and the supper Will be ready. Nv mouth
waters for the thigh Of that cold roast fowl
] sew her put away. Surprising that don't
tell her at once about my grand event
That win give zest to the salad aud cheese.
II will cheer up my pretty Gabrielle, for
she has been tritie triste OF late, I've fan
cied Pretty, willful little Gabrieile |
have sometimes feared that taking Made
moiselle Cheri's place in the Cendrillon has
turned her little head ITEMS but can
feel beforehand the rose-leaf touch of her
lips when she shall stand on tiptoe to give
her old father de'lr gros bons baisers upon
the cheeks ~
Gustave had reached the last landing.
and was fumbling at the door
Gabrielleln he called aloud on open
ing it.
No answer, and his face fell.
She will have been detained to sup, no
doubt with our good neighbor, Madame
Blanchett," he soliloquized stumbling
about in the dark to find his matches.
What no table spread for the hungry
cie,sr papa! Careless, petite Gabrielle ~
No light, no tempting little feast, no kiss
of welcome, no answering voice Not then,
or evermorel
People who cared to join in the mad
struggle for life and limb leading to a re-
hearsal of the Philharmonic Society of
New York, during that period of time be-
fore the society fell into its long and trance
like torpor, may have observed among the
yiolins upon the Platform of the Academy
of Music blurred and sketchy outline Of
the old Thorez who had appeared upon the
occasion of Joachim's debut at the Athenee.
The warlil1e mustache Topped directly !;
the eye had lost its power to CLEAN or
soften the red ribbon on the worn old
coat dropped ike the banner upon for
saken citadel
Gustave had traced Gabrielle TO America,
and had come in search of her, but in the
city of New York-that great and pitiless
receiver OF all unlawful foreign merchan-
dise-the clue was lost. Obtaining place
in the orchestra of a reputable society, he
had fallen into the groove of a solitary and
unfriendly life. Among the few who
noticed him at all, Gustave passed for an
honest old artist, whose harmless mania
was the worship of his own violin.
On Friday afternoon of a bleak Deem
Der day, at the close of the Philharmonic
rehearsal Gustave passed cut of Four
teenth street in Broadway, where, saunter-
ing aimlessly down the sunny side of the
block, he saw lady descend from car
riage in front of a fashionable shop. He
did not recognize the costly wrapping of
sealskin half shrouding a slender form,
nor yet the air of languid luxury But
whose was that beautiful yelled face, that
tress of golden hair, if not his Gabrielles..?
for Ill I,
violin against his breast and waited.
When she came out of the shop on her way
to the carriage he intercepted her With
ont glance she waved him impatiently
aside.
Gabrielle ~ cried Thorez with all his
broken heart in that single word.
The girl started, looked him in the face
and caught her breath.
You are mistaken, my good man, or
mad. Do you want charity, or shall have
TO ask the aid of policeman to help me to
my carriage?n
Gabriellel'' the old man said again, fall
ing back as If he was shot
At this iuncture an interposing police
man took Gustave in charge, and without
elaborate inquiry consigned him. with his
violin, to q nights lodging in the station
house.
From that night of despair dated the
downfall of his self-respect. His habits,
before respectable, lapsed through every
stage from bad to worse and worst Losing
his standing with musical societies of the
higher rank Gustave at the outset did not
find ii hard to earn living Upon the first
occasion when he was engaged to play tor
dancing at second-rate ball, Gustave
tiddled like mailman through the night,
and then went home to shed tears upon his
desecrated violin. After work in the or
chestra of petty theaters came music halls,
then low drinking dens. When once the
old musician came out of one of these
haunts to SINK home in the gray of morn
ing, he fell upon the icy sidewalk, and in
trying to save his violin, received a severe
conclusion of the brain.
Getting up from his cot at Bellevue
Hospital, after many days of prostration,
something Of Gustaves better nature came
back to him. The nurses in his ward,
finding the old fellow expert and bidable,
made quite q pet of him, and Gustaye
during his convalescence, began hoppin G
about in the sunshine Of human warmth
like a reviving sparrow.
One day in March, when the winds were
working havoc with hues and chimney
draughts the nurse of a pavilion ward
called old Gustave in TO try his skill
upon refractory stoye-pipe in her depart
ment.
Close by where he was set to work, q
screen surrounded one of the beds, and a
litter stationed there told too plainly that
the q feet Of the dead were about to be
carried out.
Here Thorez, lend hand, will you -
said his friend the nurse, coming from be-
hind the screen. Were short of elp this
morning, and I'm i'll 'Urry to get this poor
creature out of the ward at once I'm all
hupset with the night she's given me, and
| can truly say more pitiful case never fell
hunder my hobservation, at 'ome or ere.
Since she took the bad turn yesterday she's
done nothing but jabber French and call
papa papar She amt got friend on
hearth that hever see, and she such reg
lar beauty Heart disease it was, and
shame and misery that did the work.
Hits all ready now you take the feet, will
you ?''
..