The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
THE OLD FIDDLER'O STORY.
Told at the Fall Of The Curtain After the First
Act Of The Opera

When the curtain went down on the first
act of the opera the old white-haired fiddler
among the first violins, who had but recently
joined the orchestra, turned to his compan-
ions and told the following remarkable story
as he thrummed the strings Of his own
instrument:
During a recent visit to the old country
in search of health / thought it would be
an excellent opportunity to find choice
instrument. / Travelled slowly through sun
ny Italy constantly on the alert for some
sign that might lead to the finding of such
a violin as l had always had in mind but
which had never seen. One day l came
to dusky looking little shop with the sign.
'Violins Repaired and Old Violins for Sale,
staring through the little window. 1 enter
ed, and found myself in low-walled IT ON
redolent with tie musty smell of antiquity.
Upon the shelves which extended on either
side of the room were a number of yiOlins.
some labeled with the owners name and
some with the date of making. And such
an array of violinsi There were Violins
1000 years old +!
1.-The proprietor came forward with very
pleasant make-yOursell-at-hon ne sort of an
air, and / at once made known the character
of my visit. He said 1t would give him
great pleasure to show me through his
stock, ard if / found anything l wanted, all
right, and if not it was all the same TO him,
as the pain at parting with one of his pets
was SO great that the money part of the
transaction could not make up for it.
HE at once began TO explain the history
of some of the different instruments. AT
last coming to one of the odest-looking
and at the same time one that showed that
it had always been we'll taken care Of, he
began something in this vein: Here is
violin that is human. 1t has been in the
same family for over 800 years, and readily
recognizes any member OF that family. al
though many generations have passed away
since they came into possession oil this won
derfnl instrument OF course, was par
alyZed with wonder, and could not imagine
what all this meant l asked the price OF
it. The price of it?' he exclaimed, in wild
surprise. 'The price of it? Would a mother
sell her child?
II now began to understand what he had
meaut when he called it human, and-told
him that intended no harm in asking the
question:; | really wished to buy tue finest
violin in the world. He smiled and replied 1:
If you will come here this evening at 9
o'clock you can see the most wonderful
sight ever known to mortal man. At that
hour every night since the viUlin has been
here the little girl who now owns IL comes
to caress it. 1t is truly 4 wonderful sightp
| thanked him and promised to be there. |
spent the intervening time soliloQuiZlDg and
the mysterious violin were really human.
a human viOlinl Whoever heard of such 4
thing? What does il mean? / kept saying
to myself over and over again.
'W hen night cane l FASTENED to the little
shop again, feyerish with excitement When
l entered there was an oppressive stiffness !;
not a sound Of any kind was heard.
walked TO the rear and found the proprietor
with his elbows on his knees and his head
in his hands. apparently III deep thought.
spoke to him, and he looked up with a
wild, implorlng look, which changed to one
of delight when he recognized me.
"0h, it's you, is it? Glad you came.
have often wished that some one could be
present when the child | told you of is
here. 1t is almost time for her to come.
All, there she is. Now for the most Won
derful, most sublime
she did not have time to finish, for al
at once from the old violin on the shelf
came the clear and distinct do with Won
derful vibration and sweetness, as though
a master hand had drawn bow across it,
No sooner had the first sound died away
than it was succeeded by another. The
old man reached up and took II down and
handed it to me. As | took the instrument
il repeated the do again and again; not
only could L hear the sound, but | could
feel the constant vibration of the whole
violin. At last | recovered from my aston
ishment and asked what it all meant. The
old man smiled, and told me that it was as
much Of mystery to him as it was to me,
but that alw avs rs soon as the little girl en-
tered there was a continuous sounding of
the violin until she took it.
81 handed it to the little girl, and to MY
surprise the sound of the vibrations ceased.
She stepped to the case i'll which the bows
we're kept, and, taking. one, began 10 play.
And such music; such divine music. l
never heard its equal before and l never ex-
pect to again."
AT this juncture there was a sharp rap
ping by the conductor with his baton as he
called the players attention 10 the score.
The musicians played it as if they were in a
hurry to get through tue act When the
curtain was rung down again one of them
reached far forward and whispered to the
white haired old fiddler in hollow, excited
voice: We'll. what then?"
well, l awoke," was the solemn reply
N Y Sun,