The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-20
THE SHOEMAKER

n LILLY kJ1l WILLIAM lLlk,
Ln mountain gtrt Saizburg noted II
only for boing the birthplace Of Mozart,
there dwolt once shoemaker Of the
naIno of Siobold Vcit Notwithstanding
tho lowl1nees Of his station, this disciple
of St Crispin burned incense assiduous-
" before tho muses. Lilzo tho village
Milton immortali1od by Gray, Herr
Volt had been debarred In youth by
Chill ponury" from the acquisition of
knowledge but maturcr days brought
him many rooompcnsing opportunity
for n glance ut tho pages Of wisdom
All was grist that gravttatcd to our
shoomakor'B mcntl millstoncs and tho
stores acquired thus promiscuously from
reading and hoarsay wero novw lost on
suffered to molder for want of oSprcs-
sion Indcod HIS application Of what
no CLEANED was frequently 80 inoppor-
tuno rs to excite tho hearty laughter of
his honest but critical noighbon Yet
no paid little hced to their Incrr1ment,
and today WIS Us ready to o1ouso tho
shortnees Of thoir boots with "brcvity
Is tho soul Of wit" as to assure thom
tomorrow that their old shoes wcro
brought "novcr too lato 10 mend"
Siebold was a bachelor from choice,
but often let parts of tho house quaint
rcd tiled, low ridgcd, many gablod
dwelling at tho end Of ono Of tho serpcn-
tino strocts characteristic Of Salzb1lrg.
AT tho tino wo peep into his lifo we
find him landlord Of Gabriel Stoes a
student Hor Volts proximity to 90
animated oyclopcdia proved such
stimulant to his lovo for learning az to
DO woll nigh incbriating. The moro
crcak Of tho stair, as tho scholar wont
to and fro WA sufficient to mako tho
shoomalsors imagination reel IN Visions
of the fotnst Of reason that tho worry stops
groancd to support
Occasionally In tho evenings tho stu
don't would drop into his hosts coy
worluoom and road him versions Of the
Greek and Roman writer's, and, carried
along by his listeners whole eouled at
tcntion and undisguised rapture, would
not infrequently continue tho inshriting
myths away into the night At such
times the simple toilor's delight cul1ni-
mated In nothing short of ecstasy. Once
when tho studont had retired with his
little rod margincd volume Of legends
his admiring auditor actually stolo into
tho vacated chair to satisfy himself that
All exchange Of scate did not entail,
priori, a transfer Of knowledge and
FASTENED to bed, where before long nc
lost sight Of sorvlid and hampcrng real
ity In tho blissfulncsss of dream that
brought In itB sequence the attainmcnts
of the professor Of ancient languages In
the worry college attended by his lodgcr
Ono summer evening. having Finished
his work carly, tho shoemaker sauntorod
out upon his porch TO smoke and nlodi-
tate tho whilo on rooont narration of
the studont'a Tho story took his fancy
so much as to incite him 10 action Dur
ing Herr Volts musings tho sun SGT.
Tho retired street grow still and dark.
Lights appeared horo and horo behind
small diamond shaped panos and en-
phasizcd tho descent of night Suddenly
knocking tho ashes from his moerschaum,
the shoemaker entered his doInicilo, and,
acting upon his cogitations took down
his timo worn fiddle and drew from Is u
few ntrains-a return to his former mis-.
tree@, music Away back In his youth
he could recall the days whom he han
died tho bow with no mean skill. but
for many year no had neglected music
to dclvo in tho moro alluring field of let
tcrA Now again ho applied himself to
his instrument with fcrvor which
mado use of ovory spare moment until
his old nrt returned go ravishingly that
the wondering neighbors strayed in to
hear him at his now caprice. But they
withdrew over with jocund faces, for
try as they would to refrain from smiles
Horr Volt was suro to elicit morriment
In tho end by some such observation as
"Wo'ro never too old to learnT'
1t was on morning after he had been
prncticing five months that the shoe
maker closed his shop locked up his
rooms and mounting the steep bare
steps that led to his lodger's quarters
left the key with Gabriel, adding that
he WIS not to be looked for until his re-
turn Leaving the youth at the head Of
tho stairway, key In hand, gazing Won
deringly after him, our itinerant musi-
clan covered carefully his violin with
his long gray cloak, drew his broad
topped wooden cap over his oyoa and
passed into tho street. free at that early
hour Of pedestrians He made his way
over bridge across tho Salzaoh to the
brown meadows beyond the town 1t
was most cxhilarating morning. The
Salzaoh, as 1t foamcd between tho peaks
sentinoling Its banks, tree clad Kapuz.
inerberg to the right gloomy. rugged
Monohsberg on the left, seemed to brawi
more jubilantly than ever of it's descent
from tho distant rHvroloSo Inc Tho c,,p