Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-06-19


full and cozy.
The violins in different stages of de-
velopment hung on the wall, and some,
which We're finished, had quite q deco
rative effect with their lustrous chest
nut brown or rich browning yellow
When Teddie opened the door and
hoped in on his crutch-which he al
ways did without knocking, he was so
sure of welcome-he saw George
Stag sitting on wooden chair in the
middle of the room with sunshine all
about him; drawing the most delicious
tones out of the violin which he held.
Teddie knew that violin. 1t was the
Nicholas Amati Of 1923. George had
told him all about it. Teddie used to
wonder how SUCH thin shell of wood
could have stood over two hundred and
fifty years Of existence and be SO pol
ished and sound.
The young Leipzig man looked over
his shoulder at Teddie and nodded,
without intemupting his playing from
the manuscript piece of music before
him. Teddie knew what that music
was, too. He had heard 1t frequently
the past three weeks, and his quick ear
had caught up all the airs. 1t was a
new comic opera which had never been
produced at all yet, but was going to
| be given in week now at Georges the
| alter.
Teddie hoped softly over to chair
and climbed up on it. He could get
around very quickly with his poor
crutch, he was so accustomed to it, and
though it looked as If walking was
painful for him, it really wasn't.
AS George struck into lively militia
ry air-for the opera had something to
do with soldiers-Teddie broke in with
his whistle, and kept perfect time. He
delighted in this duet with George, and
George liked it, too, for the whistle was
very soft and flexible and melodious.
Teddie could go through all the changes
and variations of the air and not fat or
strike wrong note once.
He had whistled that air through
and then second one and was midway
in the third, trilling out the long high
notes like o little wren, when man
opened the door, The concert stopped
at once.
'Tts good, isn't IT.. Szag9" said the
man. at sounded frst-rate as 1 came
up the stairs. tell you, it will be a &c
"a big 60 It's so catchy. Go ahead
and play some more.
The man was quite resplendent, Ted.
die thought. He wore blue coat with
fur on the collar and cuffs, and the
shiniest of tall hats, just as glossy as
the back of the violin over there on the
wall. Then he had a ring on his finger
which spat out fire when be turnei
his hand in the sunlight and made Ted
die blink. Teddie, in fact, was abashed
by his splendor into silence for few
minutes. Then the man spoke up.
"Who was that whistling? This
KIDD" looking at Teddie. "Why, are
you lame, sonny? That's too badl Bu
you go ahead and whistle with him.
like It,"
So Teddie, who was not bashful, bu
simply retiring, whistled away while
George wrung the bright music from
the strings. When the piece had beer
played through, the man said to George
suddenly:
Look herel I've got an idea. Tha
little chap whistles immense; it's {
pleasure to listen to him. How would
you like to make q few dollars b,
whistling, sonny?"
''I'd like It," said Teddie, wonderin,
if he would be engaged to whistle will
George at the theater. If he coul(
make any money by his whistling, hi
) mother wouldn't be so hard on 1t
Teddie thought. She had reproache,
him SO often for not being able to d
anything for the family, and he reall,
felt 1t himself. He Sat up straight Il
the chair, his small blue eyes widel
opened.
"What's the matter with that bo
going round to some places an
whistling the most taking airs fror
the opera after it's brought out? Doe
he know them by hearth"
"Effery wone," said George, gravely
S with quite German accent.
= "Then look here, sonny" said tn
g man. "For week after this opera
: brought out you go round to som
r places that l will tell you and jus
9 whistle three or four of the airs
|, will get the people familiar with then
+ don't you see? Isn't that good ide;
Q Szag2"
! ia Das ist gut" said George, grave
r ly. Then George said he could G
' around with him the first night to thre
h places that Mr.. Gamer mentioned, an
g see that he didn't get run over.
r "All right. VIII his folks let him
n it2 I'll give you three dollars wee
# and pay your car fare. That's prett
IS good for little chap like you to get fc
It simply whistling. 1wouldn't want yo
y to do it for more than fortnight"
U George said, in his slow way, that h
thought Mrs. McDougall would be pc
q fectly willing, and explained that thel
d was no Mr.. McDougalli in the family, S
d opposition need not be looked for
IS that quarter. Mary Teddle's siste
n might not like it, but George fancie
a she wouldn't care If he went along wit
l. the boy. If the truth were told it o.
e Cured to George, who was quiclzt
u with his thoughts than his words, tn;
l. looking after her little brother migl
; commend him somewhat to Mary, whol
p he regarded as very pretty, sweC
n sort of girl-a very sweet girl.
: Mrs. McDougall was breathless wit
. wonder when she learned that someor
- wanted to pay the boy for "whistlin
y loike burrud." She recovered promp
"a ly, however, and gave her august san,
zion to the scheme.
> So 1t came to pass that people eros
J ing Broadway and Twenty-third stree
n and around three or four of the pril