Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-07-11
THE DEMON VIOLIN.

Crazy Paolo they called him, Wine
whisky, little food and n nights lodging
constituted his hirc at Hoolcys TO bang
the miserable piano and play his violin
tho violin SO carefully locked IN his case.
He had finished a narrowing popular air
at the piano for the twentieth consecutive
time and stopped to take drink from
the glass at his elbow. Thrc or four big,
hulking men near by stood looking ut him
stupidity from under their broad felt hats.
The poker chips clicked ut the gaming Ia.
bles, Reagan, IN response 10 an order,
brought In q tray of liquors and cigars.
Paolo reached for his case and almost
revcrrntly took out his violin A little
preliminary tuning and 1t went TO his
shoulder The bow was drawn over the
strings, but SO softly that mono save him
self heard the sound, Again II glidcd over
the instrument, and then ii began to wan.
der back and forth--now slowly, now
swiftly, now tremulouSly
As the truant bars Of favoritc operas,
sad nocturncS and gay gavottcS poured in
10 his ycarning ear his face lit up with
strange joy The vacant stare OF tho men
near him changed to a dull curiosity But
thomuSiC was all for himself II WAS only II
moment $ delicious communion with his
violin he was having Too we'll he knew
that the next would bring u command to
play some horrible song or dance. But the
poker chips still clicked, tho men about
him said nothing, and PABLO continued &c
play for the single auditor-himSch
With the music his thoughts uncon.
sciouSly went back to Italy. He and the
violin had never parted since leaving the
little Palermo home. Tho old mother and
father had gone long ago; tho father had
left him all hN had--thc wonderful violin.
An, that was good of the old father, hut
Giovanni did not think So. Where was
Giovanni? \ wild boy WAS Giovanni. lie
did not like the fathers violin. 1t was tho
demon Of the family; Giovanni said ii had
brought and would bring nothing but mis-
fortune to them Tho old father had done
nothing but play It. and he had lived In
distress, died in poverty. 1t would have
been better had he left Paolo his curse
than his violin.
AS for Giovanni, he would have mono OF
music He would go away, anywhere,
and he would become rich somehow. Yes,
that was what he said. But Giovanni was
not muSirian--and complacont smile
stole over the lips of the pitirul wreck,
DcmonE Misfortune ISLANDERS on his dear
violin Had he not played to applauding
thousands in R0mc-in Iondon-in New
York? She had como to hear him, II was
true, hut was 1t the dear Ntulin'S fault that
the dark eyed actress, whom he married,
deceived him and ruined his lifcP
"llcrc! Paolo, you dago! Wake up
there and play us something lively, came
rough, good naturcd voice from behind
tho clouds Of tobacco smoke.
just then man came swaying into the
room, II reckless, drunken determination
on his face to assert himself in some bois
ferrous way. llc heard the command,
looked sullcnly toward Tho piano. Sudden
~ he seized the violin, tore II from tho
players hands, and swinging il about his
head brought 1t down upon tho piano,
smashing 1t to pieces. With shrick like
that Of II wild and wounded animal Paolo
gave n bound and caught tho man by the
throat 1t was all over In n moment
They were graphing on tho floor together;
tho man, drunk though he WAS, felt tho
hands strangling him were those of u mn
Mac He managed to reach his pistol
No ono saw exactly how 1t WAS done, but
the pistol was discharged and Pnolo arose
to his feet. The other was dead
Tho pistol shot, not the struggle on the
food instantly brought every one In the
room up standing They gathered excited
ly around, but Paolo, with u wall OF
grief flung himself upon tho piano and
pressed the shattered violin to his heart
Ho kissed 1t and talked to 1t carcssingly
plcadngly. 1t did not seem that he knew
he had killed man. He only knew that
his violin was dead; that II would speak
to him no more
Soon the room was crowded, for the
news had spread quickly. The dead man
lay strctchcu upon the floor, and tho crowd
gazcd morbidly ut him and then ut Crazy
Paolo hug2ing his violin. Presently the
sheriff hustled in, and all made why for
him. He picked up the pistol and laid IL
aside linn Reagan was the first to speak
Crazy Paolo killed him, but In self de
Tense
That what he did, sheriff, came the
popular western phrase in unison from the
crowd.
"Who is hey" asked the sheriff, bending
over the prone figure.
Stranger, some one volunteered
The sheriff threw back the dead mans
coat and started to search his pockets, He
soon held up an envelope and read aloud
the name in the address
Giovanni Legardi"-
Paolo stood beside him and snatched the
envelope from his hand. One glance at
the name and a wild glare Mt the crowd
that seemed to last a minute. Tho next
instant he was on his knees holding tho
face Of his brother close to his own and
seeming TO look through II. Slowly he
rose to his feet with dcspairing moan
Suddenly his eyes bpCnmp riVutCd tlDOn nm
object Before even one Of the spcllbound
crowd OWNED his intention the forgotten
pistol was in his hand, and another bullet
had claimed life, Crazy PaoO fell hcav-
lily to the floor, his arm thrown about his
victim.
The fall shook the fragile building. Tho
ruined violin dropped from the piano and
lay beside the brothers, Exchange.