The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-06
THE SHATTERED VIOLIN.


 when the cream of first night" audi ence in Paris flowed into the Salle d'A,henee, where the great Joachim was advertised to weld his magic bow among the row Of first violins ;n PAsde!oup's Ia nous orchestra, grouped upon the stage, sat Gustave Thorez, a gentle old enthus- fast, smartly buttoned up in a we'll brushed black coat, with trim, gray mustache, and the inevitable bit fred rib bon in his button hole.
 On his first 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 Thorez to be arrested by the look of rare and dreamy delight upon his wriukled face
 Thank you, mon ami," the great art. ist said, kindly laying his hand on Gus tave's violin. May your instrument never do less no 1le service to art than it has rendered me tonight 1"
 To Gustave his speech was like an ac- cslade Thenceforward the violin, al- ways dear, would be sacred to him, own ing but one rival in his reverential love His comrades smiled when, the concert over, they saw the vieux mustache, shouldering his treasure, march iauntily away, with glow of color in his pallid face.
 Nearing his lodging, Gustave quick ened his pace to an almost martial tread Mounting the five fights of an 1T termin- able stone staircase, he gayly hummed the verse of popular song
 She will have reached home by this, and the supper will be ready My mouth waters for tue thigh of that cold roast fowl saw her put away. Supposing that don't tell her at once about my grand eveutf That will give zest to the salad and the cheese It will cheer up my pretty Gabrielle! have sometimes feared that taking Mdlle Cheii's place in the Cendrillon has turned her little head. Tiens but l can feel beforehand the rose leaf touch of her lips when she shall stand on tiptoe to give her old father deux gros bons baisers upon the cheeks r
 Gustave had reached the last landing and was fumbling at his door.
 Gabrielle 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 Mme Blanchett," he soliloquized, stumbling about in the dark to 6nd his matches What no table spread for the hungry vieux papa! Careless petite Gabrielle r
 No light no tempting little feast, no kiss of welcome, no answering voice Not then, nor evermoTe
 People who cared to join in the mad struggle for life and limb leading to re- hAarcal nF khA ~fI New York, during that period of time be fore tho society fell into its long and trance-hke stupor, may have observed among the violins upon the platform ot the Academy of Music blurred and sketchy outline of the old Thorez who had appeared upon the occasion of Joachim's debut at the Atneaee. The warlike mustache Topped drearily; the eye had lost it's power to gleam or soften; tho red ribbon on the worn old coat dropped like the banner upon forsa sen citadel.
 Gastave had traced Gabrielle to Amer ica, and had como in search of her, but Tn the city Of New Yoxk-that greedy and pitiless receiver of all unlawful foreign meschandise-the clew was lost. Ob- taining place in the orchestra of reput. able society, he had fallen into the groove of solitary and uafiendly life. Among tho few who noticed him at all Gustavc passed for an honest old artist whose harmless mania was the worship of his own violin.
 One Friday afternoon of bleak De cember day, at the close of the Philhar- monic society rehearsal, Gustave passed out of Fourteenth street into Broad way, where, sauntering aimlessly down the sunny side of the block, he saw a lady descend from carriage in front of a fashionable shop. He did not recognize the costly wrapping oi sealskin, half shrouding the sleader form, nor yet tho air of languid luxury. But whose was that beautiful yelled face, that tress of escaping golden hair, If not his Cab rielle'st
 GssPing for breath, Gustave held his violin against his breast and waited Whea she came out of the shop on her way to the carriage he intercepted her. Without glance she waved him impa- tiently 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 arc mistaken, my good man, or mad. Do you want charity, or shall l have to ask the aid of policeman to help | me to my carriage2"
 4Gabrielle!" the old man said again, falling back as ii he had been shot.
 At this juncture an interposing police man took Gustave in charge, and with cut elaborate inquiry consigned him, with his violin, to nights lodging in the | station house.
 From the night of despair dated the downfall of his self-respect. His habits, before respectable, lapsed through every stage from bad to verse and worse. Los ing hts standing with musical societies of the higher rank, Gustave at the outset did not find 1t hard to earn livelihood Upon the first occasion when he was en. gagged to play for dancing at a second rate ball Gustave fiddled like q madman