St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-02-15
The Romance of q Violin.

While wandering through Creoledom
the other day CHANGED to stumble over
an interesting old second hand store-a
veritable Curiosity Shop. Long was |
entertained by the decrepit shopkeeper, the
old French gentleman who had seen bet
ter days "dgGnt1 glerre," and many were
the sad and romantic tales connected with
each part of his collection, but to me the
most pathetic was the following
More than half century ago there lived,
in Aquila, an Italian town in the province
of Naples, young boy who earned his
bread By the music of his violin. When
quite child he was left an orphan by the
death Of his father, from whom he inheri-
ted great musical talent and violin.
He began his career by wandering
through the streets playing on his violin.
After some years of this life, thinking
that he might do better elsewhere he con-
cluded to leave his home. The streets of
Aquila, where most of his time had been
spent, were the only home he knew, but
it was perhaps as dear to him as some of
our richer homes are to US. Yet what
caused him the greatest regret was that
he would leave perhaps never to see again,
the only friend he had ever had. This
was young girl who, in his poverty and
loneliness, had befriended him, and had
ever since been sister to him.
Let us pass over the next twelve years
of his life, and where do we now find him?
In Aqutla again. Is it possible that he
has never left there? No it is not. Since
we last saw him he has visited nearly all
the principal cities of Europe where, not
without much hard labor and discourage
ment, he worked his way to fame, till now
his name is known far and wide. But
why has he returned to Aquila2 Surely,
it he is now so great parsonage, he will
not wish to recall the poverty of his early
days. Instead of wishing to blot out all
recollection of his former poverty, he re-
ioices in it's remembrance for it was when
he was poor and miserable that the seeds
of love, which was strengthened by time
and by separation, were sown. He has
now come home to offer this love to the
dear friend of his childhood. Not only
does he find that his love is accepted, but
that it is returned with equal fervency.
They were soon afterwards married.
For eleven years they lived most happy
life, but at the expiration of that time our
poor hero lost his wife, a blow from which
he never recovered He now lavished all
his affection on his only child, q son of
nine or ten years. Like many another
strong man he had one weak spot and that
was for his child. He gave up everything
to his boy to whose slightest request he
never turned deaf ssear. Although in
easy circumstances he again took up his
profession of violin playing which he had
given up some years before. This was a
most unfortunate step. aud made of his
son an idle, good, for nothing man. In
stead of beng grateful to his father for all
his sacrifices he looked upon them as his
dus. After dragging his father all over
Euro.e he easily persuaded the now aging
man to come over to America. Here they
went from one city to another, the son
spending money right ard left, unheeding
his fathers frequent appeals to desist, as
his money was rapidly disappearing. They
gradually made their way to New Orleans,
where the last of the poor violinists money
was gambled away by this most migrate
full of sons. Soon the old man was COM
PEELED to part with his last memorial of
former days, the old violin which ne had
inherited from his father. This he was
now obliged to sell, or else to die of hun
ger. Be was too old and feeble to use it
now, and rather than beg for bread he sold
it and SO severed the last link that bound
him to sweet and better past. Soon af-
ter hearing of this sudden death of his son,
he sank into swoon, which heightened
into the sleep of DEATH Roberta.