The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-07-01
PAGANlNi AND HIS CHILD.
How tho Famous violinist Furnishe'

uow tho Famous Violinist Furnished
Amusement for His Son.
This is the description friend gives Of
how he found Paganini; Il went to Pa
ganinis lodgings, and can not easily de-
scrioe the disorder of the whole apartment
On the table was one violin, on the sofa an
other. The diamond snuff boxes which SOW
ereigns had given him were on the bed and
one of them among his child's toys on the
floor; music, money, caps, watches, letters
and boots pele mele here and there; chairs,
table, and even the bed removed from their
place; a perfect chaos, and Paganini in the
midst of it. A black silk hat covered his
still deeper black hair, yellow tie loose
round the neck, and a jacket Of chocolate
color hung on him as on a peg, He had
Achillino in his lap, who was very ill-tem-
pered lecause he had to have his hands
washed Suddenly he broke loose from his
father, who said to me- i am quite in de-
spair; don't know what TO do with him.
The poor child wants amusement, and am
nearly exhausted playing with him.
Barely were the words out of his n'oulh,
when Achillino, armed with his little "oooeh
sword, provoked his father to deauiy GUN
bat Up got Paganini, catching hoiu vi an
um brella to defend himself 1t was too
funny to see the long, tim inquire oil fagan-
mi in slippers refreshing from his SOD, whose
head bareIv reached up to his fathers
knees He made quite furious onslaught
on his father, who, retreating, shouted,
.Fnouchl enough! l am wounded hut tho
IittJe rascal would not he satisfied ere he
saw his adversary tumble and fall down
yanquished on the bed But the time passed
and we had to be of, and now the real COM
edy began. He wanted his white necktie,
his polished boots, his dresscoat Nothing
could be found All was hidden away. And
by whom! by his son Achillino.
The little one gigSled the whole time
seeing his father with long strides travelling
from one end of the Dom to the other seek
his clothes What have you done with all
my things he asked where have you
hidden themn The boy pretended to b.
very much astonished and perfectly DUMB
He shrugged his shoulders, inclined his head
Sideways and m;mically indicated that he
knew nothing whatever of the miShap
After long search the boot were discoS-
cred under the pillowcasc, the necktie was
lying quietly in one of the boots, the coat
was hidden in the portmanteau, and in the
drawer of the dinner table, covered with
napkins was the waisteoat Every time
2aganin found one of tho missing objects
he put it on IN triumph, perpetually accom-.
panied by the little man, vino was delighted
to sec his father looking for the things
where the child knew they could not be
found bus Pnganini's patience with hun
WAS unwearied Orleans Times Demo
GRAFT
A sad aud Suiid French City.
The little sad and solid city of Cognac is
on the rlver Charente, IN the department to
which the river gives name, and not so far
from its mouth as to prevent small steam
ers from ascending, having IN tow barges
destined to carry to the neal Us: seaport its
valuable distilled product, known in com
merce as Fine Champagne" One COMES
hlther across the green and comparatively
level plateau which extends parallel with
the ORE to the south OF Saumur, Or down
the fiat willow and poplar-sst valley OF the
Charente from Angouleme, which at this
season is dotted with wild flowers and
shines like emerald
Cognac has not more than 5000 Or %,
coo inhabitants, and the population is enc
OF tne quieteSt anu most uHuelnohstrdliNe III
France The place is so still that 1t appears
forever like Sunday in a country village
The narrow and crooked streets, grown up
from country lanes, are stony, but cars
rattle over them rarely, making the little
brandy metropolis seem like an inland
Venice. 1t surprises the stranger that there
should be anything ancient on romantic
about the name Cosnac TO the American
cognac is something to sip slowly on ac-
count of its latent fires or TO put into bis
coffee as a commonplace nnale to Il full
dinner. But the real Cognac whence the
fiery and proSaic liquid emanates Is place
of ancient renown-the birthplace Of king
and the enc of some of the most thrlliin
events in the history of France Cor, San
Francisco Chronicle.