The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-12-28

old people. Adolph Chester was Il
strange, eccentric old man, whose
life was passed in one atmosphere
music, With him harmony was q
devotion, a shrine CT worship, and
he had infused much Of his genius
into the adopted wait. While Dame
Ursula MANAGED to make 4 modest
living, sided by Eric, from the sale
of knit stockings and herbs raised
in the garden, the husband devoted
all his time to music. Once he had
sold o composition, and then his re
fined nature, Jared by contact with
quick, rough business men, had re-
turned to his darling theme, and be
coming more and more absorbed in
PLAYING his old violin, was adjudged
to he halfdcmcnted by his neigh
bOrs.
But what musician What di-
vine strains. he drew from the old
time-worn violin. What a jewel of
melody and beauty was that cracked
and aged instrument. Many q time.
recognizing its age, superiority and
value, musical sayants hHd offered
him fabulous amounts for tae violin.
1t was a genuine Strsdiyarjus, they
told lim-one Of sevcn Of lis pecu-
liar make in existence. To ali their
offers old Adolph Chester had smiled
negatively, and said sadly and pla-
eddy.
ave will sell the violin--whcn l
die
Thinking Of all this at that very
moment, Eric was moved to syinpa-
thy as lie noted Dame Ursula $ SOM
Der face. He glided to her side. OF
late there had been little money and
much of worry and dcstitution at
the humble cottage, and the absence
of usual preparation for the Christ
mas festivities WAS noted hy Eric
with some little disappointment
manifest in his handsome boyisl iea-
lures.
What has happened, good moth
err he asked softly.
The worst, my poor boy, replied
the old woman pathetica!ly. ~
debt is due-a debtor has run away.
We are destitute. To-day | told
Adolph. He must sell the violin
we must have bread, ] told him. lie
smiled sadly. 4 have given my
wears to music he said. To-day |
give my life, my violin, my jewel Of
harmony and sweetness, but not to
sell-instead, to benefit the world,to
bequeath to others the glory and rap
ture of the past, when true musi-
clans starved to give beauty and light
to the world These were his strange
words. He must be daft, Eric, to
leave lis to starve, and fortune in
the house. Since then lie has shut
himself in his lonely room, but the
violin is mute. What is that: Eric,
nv boy, :un. run! There was a
crash in his room. He may have
done himself some harm.
In flash Eric Winston was st
the door of the old musician s apart
ment. He burst open the door, his
mind filled with q thousand direful
apprehensions. One Glance showed
him that Adolph Chester was safe,
but the VIOLIN
1t lay mass of ruins upon the
table, and it's destroyer bent over it,
hammar in his hand. The cher
ished companion of his lonely years
lay in fragments before him. What
monstrous delusion could have in
duced him to this act, which wreck
ed fortune and made his life void
of delight?
Before Eric could speak to him
the musician gathered mp the pieces
Of the broken violin and walked
from the room and Tie house, &
strange, wild light in his eyes, his
pallid lips muttering:
"The temptation has passed.
What are nv deprivations to the
welfare of millions:'
Evening dawned. \ deep gloom
had settled over the cottage. What
did the strange actions Of the mad
musician mean? what would be the
result? Tortured with distressing
anxiety, Dame Ursula sat hy the
cherries hearth, Erie, sad and 81
lent. by her side.
One hour later the door opened.
Adolph Chester entered the room.-
He placed some gold coins in his
wife's hands She looked at him in
a startled way.
THE yiolin?" she quavered.
'Yes, the money-it is there"
'You- sold-the -violin--lor-
that
no, | sold it not; / gave it to
posterity. Too long have | seliishly
kept my secret. ! discovered long
since that the exquisite tone OF the
Stradivarlus lies not in the maker S
art, nor the strings, nor the age, but
in the wood.
In the wood?'
"Yes, the peculiar wood employed
in making it. ! broke it to learn
the name of that wood. | took ths
fragments to scientist told him
my story. He examined it and
found that the wood is now obsolete
in Europe, but exists in vast forests
in various portions Of America
He gave me money, because the Sc
cret was valuable. 1t is a secret ne
more. TO posterity | transmit it
Soon aspiring genius shall not be
forced to seek to learn the beauty
Of melody from poor, cheap instru
ments, but all the world shall have
a Stradivarius like my own, and not
only the antiquarian and man ot
wealth. Ny LIES purpose is wrought
| am content.
A calm dignity came INTO the mu
sician's face, placid JOY haunted
his eyes Right or wrong, his was
noble, unselfsh soul.
There was a quick knock at tn,
door. Dame Ursula, sadly mistrust