Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-24

4 spitf supp ny MS eau Sucree, when
usual noise was heard in the corridor
Presently Nicette entered and annonncsd
that a porter had arrived with a case al
rected to SSignor Paganini.
II don't expect any case" said he. .shpt
suppose he had better bring it inn
Accordl ngly, stout porter entered.
bearing good sized deal box, on which.
besides the address, were the words
| Fragile, with care" Paganini examined
1t with SC me curiosity, and, having paid
the messe lger, proceeded to open the lid
His long, thin, but extremely muscular
| fingers accomplished this task without
| dif1cuity, and the company, whose curl
osity caused them somewhat to transpress
the bounds of good manners. crowded
around in order to see the contents of the
| box.
The musician first drew out a large
packet, enveloped in strong brown naner
and secured with several seals. Having
A., opened this, second, and then a third en-
| Velope appesred; and at length the curious
| eyes OF twenty persons were RECALLED with a
| gigantic wooden shoe, carved out of piece
OF ASH, ana almost large enough to serve
| for chill's cradle. Bursts of laupbter
| hailed the discovery.
| AMI" said Paganini, "a wooden shoe
guess tolerably well who has sent it. Some
OF these excellent ladies wish to compare
me TO CHI Id who always expects presents
and never gives any. Well, be it so. We
Will see If we cannot find some method of
making tbs shoe worth its weight in gold"
so saying, and scarcely salutinc the
company, paganini withdrew to his own
apartment, carrying with him the case and
| its contents.
During three days he did not reappear in
the drawing room. Nicette informed the
company that he worked from morning
tlll night With carpenters tools. In fact,
the musician, whose hands were Won
drously flexible and dexterous in other
things besides violin playing, had fash
Toned perfect and sonorous instrument
ont OF the clumsy wooden shoe. Having
enriched 1t with one silver string his work
was complete. Next day a public notice
appeared that on New Years eve Paganini
would give a concert in the large hall of
| the Villa LItetiana
The great master announced that he
would play ten pieces-five on violin, five
on wooden shoe. The price of the tickets
was fixed at twenty francs each. OF these
only 100 were issued, and it is needless to
add that they were Immediately purchased
by the elite of the beau monde, who dur
ing several months had missed the pleasure
OF hearing Paganini. The appointed even
ing arrived; the hall, furnished with COM
Portable chairs, was prepared and lighted
Tor the occasion; elegant oquipages were
stationed along the Faubourg Poisson
Mere, and expectation was on tiptoe to
know what The announcement respecting
the wooden shoe could possibly mean.
At length Paganini appeared, smiling.
with every appearance of renewed health,
and on his favorite violin played some of
those marve ous strains which never failed
TO transport his auditors to the seventh
heaven OF delight. Then he seized the shoe,
which, in its new guise of violin, stin
preserved SO newhat of pristine form, and,
his whole being lighted up with enthusi-
asm, he commenced one of those wopdrous
improvisations which captivated the souls
of his hearers. This one represented first
the departure of a conscript, the tears, the
Eyailing of his betrothed, then his stormy
life in the camp and on the field of battle,
and finally his return, accompanied By
triumph and rejoicing.
A merry peal of wedding bells completed
the musical orama. Long and loud were
the thunders of applause; even the old
ladies who disliked Paganini could not re-
frain from clipping and bouquets, thrown
by fair and jeweled hands, fell at the feet
of the musician. In corner of the hall.
next the door Nicette was weeping bitterly;
the symphony of the conscript had gone
straight TO her heart. At the end of the
concert the receipts were counted; they
amounted to 1000 francs
Here, Nicette," said Paganini. You
have 500 francs over the sum required to
purchase substitute; they will pay your
bridegroom's travelling expenses"
Then, after pause, he continued: "But
you will want something wherewith to be-
gin housekeeping. Take this shoe violin
or this violin shoe, and sell it for your
dowry."
Nicette did so, and received from a rich |
amateur G,0O0 francs for Paganini's wooden
shoe.
1t is now, we believe, in the possession
of an English nobleman, who was former
ly British ambassador at Paris