Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-09
A VERY FINE FIDDLE.
How Its Sale Very Much Astonished Pet,
liant Small Girl.

How Its Sale Very Much Astonished Petu-
liant Small Girl.
Kate Chopin in Harper's Young People.
When the half dozen little ones we're hungry
old Cleophat would take the fiddle from its
flannel bag and play tune upon it. Perhaps
1t was to drown their cries, or their hunger, or
his conscience, or all three. One day Fifne in
a rage, stamped her small foot and clinched her
little hands, and declared:
'It's no two way! I'm goin' smash it, dat
fiddle, some day in 'ousan' piece'!"
''You mus'n' do dat. Fifne," expostulated
her father. '.Dat fiddle been OLE AN you an
me tree time put togedder. You done Yard
me tell often 'nough bout dat Italien wat
give it to me wen he was die, long yonder
befo' de war. An he say, 'Cleophat, dat
iddle-dat one part Of my lfe-w'at goin' live
wen be dead-Dieu merci!r You talkin' too
fas', Fifne."
well, I'm goin' do some'in' wild dat fiddle,
POI" returned the daughter, only half Modified.
''Mine wat say
So, once when there were two great carry
lnSs-on up at the big plan tation-no end of ladies
and gentlemen from the city riding, driving,
dancing and making music upon all manner
OF instruments-Fitne, with the fiddle in its
flannel bag stole away and up to the big house
where these festivities were in progress.
No one noticed at first the little barefoot girl
seated upon step of the veranda and watching,
lynx-eyed. for her opportunity.
''Its one fiddle got for sell" sho announced.
resolutely. to the first who questioned her.
1t was very funny to have a shabby little girl
sitting there wanting to sell q fiddle, and the
child was soon surrounded
The lusterless instrument was brought forth
and examined, first with amusement, but
soon very seriously, especially by three gentle
men: one with very long hair that hung down,
another with equally long hair that stood UP,
the third with no hair worth mentioning
These three turned the fiddle upside down
and almost inside out. They thumped upon
it, and listened They scraped upon it. and
listened. They walked into the house with it,
and out of the house with it, and into remote
corners with it. All this with much putting of
heads together, and talking together in
familiar and unfamiliar languages. And,
twice as beautiful as the one she had brought,
and a roll of money besides!
The child was dumb with astonsbment, and
away she flew. But when she stopped beneath
big chinaberry tree to further scan the roll OF
money her wonder Was redouDled. There
was far more than she could count, more than
she had ever dreamed Of possessing Certainly
enough to top the old cabin with new shingles;
to put shoes on all the little bare feet and food
into the hungry mouths. Maybe euough-and
Fitines heart fairly jumped into her throat al
the vision-maybe enough to buy Blauchette
and her tiny calf that Uncle Simeon wanted to
sell.
Its just like yo' say. Fiine," murmured old
Cleophat huskily, when he had PLAYED upon
the new fiddle that night ats one fine fiddle
n, like you say, it shine like satin But some
way or udder tan de same. Yair, Fifine, take
it-puti it side. blieve me, an goin' to play
de fiddle no mo-"