Evening journal., 1892-01-11

sofa, slipping his eau sucres, whom an IN |
usual noise was heard In tho corridor.
Presently Nicette entered and announced
that a porter had arrived with case d. |
rected 80 Signor Paganini
Il don't expect any case" said he; "but
suppose he had better bring IL i'm
Accordingly, stout porter entered,
bearing good sized deal box, on which,
besides the address, were the words,
Fragile, with care" Paganini examined
il with some curiosity, and, having paid
the messenger. proceeded to open the lid.
His long, thin, but extremely muscular
fingers accomplished this task without
difficulty, and the company, whose curl
oeity caused them somewhat to transgress
the bounds OF good manners, crowded
around IN order TO see the contents Of the
box.
The musician first drew out large
! packet. enveloped In strong brown paper
and secured with several seals Having
opened this, a second, and then a third en-
| velope appeared, and at length the curious
| eyes of twenty persons were RECALLED with a
| gigantic wooden shoe, carved out Of "A piece
OF ash, and almost large enough to serve
for a child's cradle. Bursts OF laughter
hailed tho discovery.
"Ahln said Paganini, "a wooden shoe.
/
OF these excellent ladies wish TO compare
me 10 a child who always expects presents
and never gives any. Well, be It so. We
will see il we cannot find some method Of
making this shoe worth It's weight IN gold"
SO saying and scarcely saluting the
| company, paganini withdrew to his own
apartment, carrying with him the case and
I its contents.
During three days he did not reappcar in
| the drawing room. Nicette informed the
company that he worked from morning
till 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 a perfect and sonorous instrument
ont Of the clumsy wooden shoe Having
enriched IL with one silver string his work
was complete Next day public notice
appeared that on New Years eve Paganini
would give concert in the large hall Of
the Villa Lutetiana.
The great master announced that he
would play ten pieees-hve on a 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
d. ing arrived; the hall, furnished with com
} Portable chairs, was prepared and lighted
, for the occasion; elegant equipages 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,
5 with every appearance of renewed health,
dc 20 viz ~
those marvellous strains which never failed
4 to transport his auditors to the seventh
heaven of delight Then he seized the shoe,
8 which, in its new guise of violin, still
4 preserved somewhat of pristine form, and,
! his whole being lighted up with enthusi.
d asm, he commenced one of those wondrous
{ improvisations which captivated the souls
of his hearers. This one represented first
Z the departure Of conscript, the tears the
e wailing OF his betrothed, then his stormy
] life in the camp and on the field Of battle
and finally his return, accompanied by
8 triumph and rejoicing.
y A merry peal of wedding bells completed
4 the musical drama. Long and loud were
d the thunders of applause; even the old
b ladies who disliked paganini could not re-
o frain from clapping, and bouquets, thrown
d by fair and ieweled hands, fell at the feet
~ OF Int inWNltlNils III n NhEnIA VI Ant HdAl
=, next the door, Nioettewas weeping bitterly
the symphony Of the conscript had gone
s straight to her heart. At the end Of th,
o concert the receipts were counted; thel
q amounted 70 1900 francs.
+ Here, Nloette," said Paganini, "yot
+ have 500 francs over the sum required K
Il purchase a substitute; they will pay YOU
+ bridegroom's travelling expenses"
4 Then, after pause, he continued; "Bu
d you will want something wherewith TO be
ID gin housekeeping. Take this shoe violin
81 or this violin shoe, and sell it for you
dowryn
II Nicette did so, and received from ricl
ID amateur 6,0OO francs for Paganini's woodei
a. shoe
~ It is now, we believe, In the possessio
lie Of an English nobleman, who was former
be ~ British ambassador at Paris.