Wichita eagle., 1888-11-07
THE ENCHANTED VIOLIN.

Vlasin Doroschenka had this popularity,
that he went always with his gaze bent upon
the earth, though be had really no other mo-
tive for lowering his eyes than because it
was his custom to do so. He was poor, it is
true, but poverty is not an infamous thing,
Is every one knows. Perhaps it was because
the young girls did not love him as much as
possible, for when have you ever seen mad
caps act otherwise than thoughtlesslyf
Vlasin Doroschenka was a handsome boy,
yes, even the handsonest boy in Sotwinka,
bis features energetic and grave, his COM
plexion Of brown amber, his hair thick and
black, cut short upon the brow, forming a
whole to which two eyes, profound and
dreamy, gave something that was singu-
iarly gentle and sympathetic. The young
girls, those pretty Knockers, seeing him
always remain silent and pensive instead Of
singing and dancing like the others, the
young girls, I say, having formed their own
opinion of Vlasin, did not willingly follow
the same road as he
Nevertheless, if he showed himself so little
communicative and lowered his gaze with
such pers;stency, 1t was to lend more at
tsntive ear, not to that which was being
said TO him, but to that which was passing
within him, and the melody which he heard
there, yelled and mysterious, was an enigma
TO which he as yet was unable to find the
key.
He did not comprehend it any moro than
be coInpreheoded the conduct Of Dodena,
the daughter CT the rich Betzkor, who seemed
to detest him IL anything more than her COM
panious, and lifted her lip with little dis
dainful movement whenever she encountered
the poor boy.
Was it to study and penetrate this charm
ing sphinx that Vlasin concealed himself SO
frequently behind tree stump to see her
pass, behind a column to sec her pray, and
never took his eyes from her whenever she
was In seeing distance1
One evening Doroschenka was traversing
the village; the moon was up and stripping
with shadows the road that she whitened
with her rays, tipping with silver the coral
las Of the sleeping flowers and the margins
Of the well All at once he perceived a
human figure, tall, gaunt, and which seemed
to be striving TO hide itself in tho prickly
hedge At the same time be heard trembling
voice that stammered out prayers and sup
plications. VlGsin approached and recog-
nized tho old Abisch, a man much respected
and loved in the country side because of his
double talent of violinist and chiromancer.
They said, even, that he was something of
sorcerer, but sorcerer on y In the aIniable
acceptance of the word
"W hat is the matter with you, Abischg'
che young man demanded.
"What Is the matter2 What is the matter
with meg" cried the unhappy artist in a de-
spairing voice; "do you not see for yourself
that ferocious dog with my cap in his teeth,
and who wishes to tear me to piecesp And
looking closely Vlasin did indeed discover
tiny little pug dog which had stopped before
Abisch and played with his property as gayly
as any other young and inexperienced animal
would have done. He chased him away,
however, simply to reassure the old man,
who decided then, but not till then, to quit
his refuge all white with blossoms and sweet
with perfumes.
Il owe you my life vlasinl" cried the good
man with effuson; 81 shall never forget it,
swear i'll" and he walked away rapidly.
Some time after this he came upon Doro-
schen,1a alone upon the steppe, seated upon q
hillock, dreaming.
"What is the matter with you, Vlasinp' de-
manded the violinist in turn.
''What is the matter with me?" repeated
Dorcschenka- "God knows it doubtless but
lam ignorant of it. All the Same. little
every one diSlikes me, and why the young
girls turn away from me as if had the evil
eye"
as it soF' replied Abisch, sch bienl then
am going to give you a con1dant for your
troubles, q friend to whom you can open your
heart, and who will respond like an angel
whom you ask him questions"
"And it Isl
This. Doroschenka, this" and opening his
talas tho good Abisch drew from its folds
violin far from appearing new, and at the
game time pressed into his hands the bow
''Ah, thank you," said Vlasin, disappointed;
~ am unable to make it servo me"
Pardon me; it is unnecessary that you
should know how TO play it,"
Unnecessary Then is the violin en-
chanted" said the young man, still unde-
cided The old musician shrugged his shout
ders, smiled and, turning away, disappeared
under cover of the heritage Of the steppe, like
bird that regains in haste the shelter of its
leafy covert
Doroschenka remained alone with his pain
and his violin in the plain, immense and soil
tary, contemplating with the strangest and
most inexplicable sentiments tho mysterious
present of his Old friend. At last he took
courage and lifted it to bis shoulder.
"Why should ! not? he said to himself
Nobody can hear me-nobody but God
and perhaps it is not a crime to render upon
the wood that he has created harmonious
sounds that will chant his praises"
The Seeppe, green and undulating, unrolled
before him as far as the eye could reach, the
spirit Of the spring was in his soul, the bees
buzzed by hundreds in a sort Of pious muir
nuring, while above him sounded the clear
Bong Of the birds, losing itself in the blue air;
the light warm and golden. VlaSin rose up
end, throwing glance about him, drew the
bow across the chords and listened 1t
seemed to him as if the whole world had
hushed itself to pay attention.
Soon the notes, undecided and hesitating
at first, came fast and pressing; it was like
the vanishing of an evil charm under which
he, Doroschenka, anti then had been bound
End fastened. He perceived it himself, this
wealth OF dormant melody that was in him.
and which be mace 10 pass into the soaoToRs,
echoinS body OF the instrument in his hands.
He ooniprehended nothing Of this miracle
that had happened to him-he who had re-
ceived less from no one
No matter, ne remained there in the midst
OF that nature SO suddenly reborn in him
playing, singing, in tho full Joy of the liberty
that possessed hin-the liberty OF the eagle,
King of the air; OF the Cossack, king of tina
desert
In the village or at work il was with the
solicitude of a miser that he had his treasure
from the eyes of al, but when he found him
self alone again In the shadows OF the forest
or n the immensely Of the plain, when no