The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-19

uhu SsUJeN IntO auG StrCCf-
brothers tribulation-for news Travelled
with great slOwncss In those days This
proved lucky as Guissepc babe the boy
keep house for him, and took the boai
TO the city
Once installed at the farm house, An
tonic began work. The tools and mate
rlalS necessary were unearthcd and II
cosy nook in the orange grove became a
right pleasant workshop He had re-
pcatpu Amntrs secret rules over and
over to himself until he knew them by
heart. So. stepped I'm the odor of the
blossoms, hardly pausing to take food
or drink. he hewcd and carved, glued
and Vanished, lifted and reiitted-cast-
ing aside failure after failure, until at
last hope dawned upon his labor
vi.
Meanwhile the recovery OF the strick-
Ell Maestro Amati had been OF the slow
est. All Crcmona-cven his rivals-felt
sorry for him; and the great Dukes of
Lom hardy and Tuscany sent messages
OF coincidence, and dclicacieS to soothe
ms suffering. But all this did not bring
MN back his burnt violin, or restore to
nm the chance of Il victory AT the VIC
lin-maker's festival Then too Antonio
StrhdiVarius, his apprentice had chosen
this particular time TO desert him, and
go gallivanting off to the farm at Cas-
tella Nuova. such, complained Amau.
was the ingratitudc OF the young, OF
course he had little Tcrcsina. and his
brother Giuseppe to nurse him: BIZ,
ieresina was mere baby, and Cuts
eppe II sood-natu red, was stupid. He
would have liked to see Antonio nv his
bedslde-to be able 10 talk about viz
ms ana the like with the boy. If was
certainly atroctous conduct on Anto-
mo part to run away to the country
at this juncturc.
AS the morning of the violin-makers'
iestlNal grew nearer, the Maestro grew
more and more restless and petula,ft.
The leeoh who attended unon hin,
feared another attack of fever: and mnt
without reason. since n reference IN the
icstlNal or glance at his useless hirn
Ell hands would send Amati off inio
Il paroNysm OF grief Even when no
Lombard duke came in person IN CO.,
him, surrounded by glittorinr rain
ne rei FUSED to be consolcd; ana he was
even rude to his eminencc OF prruyio
the papal representative Had M, hna,,i
inc SOUNDS or brush and file ana fret-
saw In the orange grove behind tba CO
Tie NuoNa farmhouse-had he soon III,
earnest face OF Antonio bent over an ~
most completed violn--hc might have
ieit iar Inherently. But it was nearly.
two miles to Castle Nuova, Won SEQ a.,
Antonio worked in secret '"
Boom! went the culvertne oyor tho
River Gate: and "clang! clangr" sounl.
ea all the church bells big and ut,Jo
through the town of Crcmcna Tho
Vioiin-makcrs' festival had begun ola
Amati stuffed his fingers i'm his oar. IN
smut out the joyful sounds GO forh,"
ne cried to his brother and Htt,a ,pnro
Sina-"Go forth ia the town hail In;o,
yourselves: but leave me alone i'm nv
misery. Let me turn my face tn tbn
wall. and forget"
'fhen he drove his brother and daurh-
ter out of the sick chamber. drew HE
h'nelnes across the easement, and sat
uowH IN me darkest corner TO chew the
cud OF misfortune. OH that the resti
val day was over! Never had he wish
cd for the flight OF time so earnestly he
fore
The hours passed slowly For a long
tihe silence reigned without. No doubt
the citizens were all at the town hail.
attending the great contest or violin
makers. He wondered who would win
the lanfel-crown. Martina Bandini pcr
maps, or GioVanni-Galleazo Rncca. Yet
these men. compared to himself were
nut common workmcn. They knew
nothing of the great secret.
"Boom" sounded the River Gate cul
Ncrin once more: and once more the
bells changed Il clamorous chorus. The
prize had been awarded: the crown
placed upon the victors head. j,uc,y
victor! lis woulE surely be made syndic
for the ensuing year: and thousands of
gold pieces would rain in upon him
from the four quarters Of civilization
The Maestro ground his teeth i'm envy.
Iiark! The crowds were filling tho
city with uproar-chcering the success
full maker. of course. The noise was
coming towards the Via Santa Veronica.
too. Gould they not take some other
route for their triumphant march? Did
they mean to torture him?
Yes. The mob was certainly heading
for his street. Their voices grew louder
and loudcr-camc nearer ana nearer
He could distinguish their "vivas." con
pied with some ones name. Was it
that of Rocca? Or, had Bandini carried
OFF the crown?
In spite of his distracted condition the
Maestro felt a touch OF curiosity. he
would like TO find ont who had won
None in the crowd would notice If no
opened the easement 4 little way Hn
did so; and the excl2mations OF the al
vancing procession became palmer. No.
they were not shouting for Bandlni-
nor yet for Rocca. He could not make
out the name. Perhaps some miserable
foreigner had conquered.
Az thp pNrnnp nf tho ofrnat o1,,o.. -