The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-12-31

| Amati, the master,
be who astonished the world with the
perfection of his work, and who has rot
since been approached in skill, though
the moderns excel in so many things
The violins of to-day, pert and foppish
in lustrous yarnish and glossy as mir
rors, are not valued as we are nor can
they approach us in interpreting those
other masters to wi. ose grand compost.
tions and soaring thoughts we violins
give vitality and voice.
Beginning my active career in Italy,
! have outlived many owners, butt now
repose in glass front cabinet in Chica-
go. 1t was at first in a very humble
home, about the only thing of real value
the home possessed, except my mistress
and owner, sweet-faced, sweet-voiced
Inez Mardatti. You should see her and
know her as / do to properly estimate
her worth.
OF Italian descent, small hut shapeiy,
with cheeks of the swarthy red and
brown, which is my complexion, too,
eyes of deeper brown through which
her soul gazes, teeth OF polished pearl,
hair blue-black like ravens glossy
plumage, her cheap dress did not sue
ceed in obscuring her beauty or the
shapeliness of the little form which ha,!
the easy movements of queen half dis
guised in beggars garb. When she laid
her cheek against mine, and charmed
me into the proper mood until our
voices melted into one, you would have
understood in an instant how much 4
loved her and why.
All know that i have voice which
is marvel, but it is shy like all real
talent, and responds only to the master
ly touch it loves, knows and UNDER
stands. Inez had voice as clear and
clean as that of bird, bell like in ring
Ing tone, full of lights and shadow :
which broke forth in song. sometimes
capering merrily as insects do in the
sunlight, sometimes ripping with tune
ful laughter like that of a mountain
brook, sometimes vibrating with deep
emotion, sometimes sobbing with
unshed tears. And |? laughed, cried,
rejoiced, walled, or broke into cata-
racts of jubilant praise in touch and
tune with her. Our hearts and voices
were twins. What wonder that they
rioted In JOY or sobbed in sympathy to-
gether?
Inez was poor, and lived in locality
where haggard sights and sounds were
but too common; but evil did not mar
this soul of noble inspiration and ii:-
Etinct. You may splash mud upon "A
diamond or dust upon the opal, but yol
rannot reach with it the fame in the
heart of the one or the wondrous chang.
ing iridescent light of the other.
Stains do not penetrate to the inner
altar upon which burns the sacred
flame OF the really valuable gem.
And Inez had lover, brown-eyed
youth as poor as herself and as deeply
devoted to the spirit of song. He. too.
played the violin, though not as she
did, nor did he. like her. inherit, as the
only costly gift from an otherwise poor
grandfather, an heirloom like myself.
He had been true friend to the often.
times almost friendless girl, who, since
the death of her old grandmother not
long before this story opens, had often
needed protection, solace and advice
think their souls first mingled in
ihusic, uhu run toSttncT US 10 TWO
streamlets which join hands to travel
together TO the vast and boundless
ocean. We are all travellers to eternity;
it strengthens two clear streams To
unite their currents until they create
a river large enough to mirror the
whole earthward side of heaven. in
stead of small fragments thereof. What
are souls but lenses, rejecting at differ.
ing angles, true or false, the light of
heaven, the flashes of inspiration, the
goodness of God?
He proposed to her in palace beside
which those of European kings were
dull and lusterless. They had strolled
TO grove some distance from the great
city, crowning hill which overlooked
Lake Michigan. 1t was mid-October.
end the grand transformation scene
with which nature closes her summer
dreams was at its height. Over them
were the forest arches gorgeous in
crimson and gold; on either hand
stretched aisles festooned with drapery
tuch as no loom ever produced. each
aisle ending in glorious vista of earth |
or sky. Leaves softly fell in golden |!