Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-12-26

| Amati, the master,
he who astonished the world with the
perfection of his work, and who has not
since been approached in skill, though
the moderns excel in so many things?
The violins of to-day, pert and foppish
in lustrous varnish and glossy as mir
rors, are not valued as we are nor can
they approach US in interpreting those
other masters to whose grand compost
tions and soaring thoughts we violins
give vitality and voice.
Beginning my active career in Italy,
I have outlived many owners, but 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 1 do to properly estimate
her worth.
Of italian descent, small but shapely,
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 a ravens glossy
plumage, her cheap dress did not sue
coed in obscuring her beauty the
shapeliness of the little form which had
the easy movements of a queen half dis
guised in beggar's 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 I
loved her and why.
All know that 1 have a voice which
is a marvel, but it is shy like all real
talent, and responds only to the master
l. -
stands. Inez had a voice as clear and
clean as that of bird. bell like in ring
ing tone, full of lights and shadows
which broke forth in song, sometimes
capering merrily as insects do in the
sunlight, sometimes ripping with tune
full laughter like that of a mountain
brook, sometimes vibrating with deep
emotion, sometimes sobbing with
unshed tears. And II L 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 a locality
where haggard sights and sounds were
but too common; but evil did not mar
this soul of noble inspiration and in
Stlnct- You may splash mud upon
diamond or dust upon the opal, but you
cannot reach with it the flame 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
fame of the really valuable gem.
And Inez had lover, a 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
music. and ran together as do two
strea mlets 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