The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-14

of the inn and halted with loud explo-
sion tfor one of the gut cables had given
way from the damp and Stolldly undreSs-
Ing himself of his invention, robert Ross
crept out and sought the fireside. Toby was
there. with boots clean and shining hair.
and clean Sabbath coat. Even as Robert
looked. he sought In his green bag and from
its depths produced n comb Bob meant
shifting him without further parley. solely
on the ground of that comb, but Prlssy
brought him a mug of cider. and said: Let
l have that there coat to dry.n. Gracious,
how wet the poor man be. Then they all
crowded round and talked of his invention.
and Bob explained its salient features and
pieced the broken string. So the dangerous
tension passed away. and when his coat
was dry and he felt refreshed, he set off to
The rector seemed deeply impressed and
became thoughtful. Have you tried Its
toner he inquired.
screwed the cords up to G, ID and "A. the
apparatus creaking apprehensvely. Then
the rector rubbed the big bow with roSln
and pulling up his shirt cuffs, retired to the
rear flank, as a gunner sidles clear OF his
weapon before he ignites the fuse.
The effect Of the trial was superb, and re-
paid all that Robert Ross had suffered. The
top string beloved with a grinding pun
gency which developed kind of sneezing
string in the midst emitted large sour
boom, which ratified the teeth together I'M
less one clenched them: but the lowest
string-ah, that was a masterpiece. When
you got the bow home on that string, small
objects on tables and shelves danced SOL
EMMY, windows ratified, cakes of plaster de-
scended from the ceiling, lights fiuttered
and flickered and the air was filled with
quaking gloom. 1t was grand string, In
deed.
The rector having investigated the in
strument, explained where the different
tones and semitoneS might be found, and
they drove nails into the side of the some
while cricket bat to mark the positions;
bellows nail hObnail, brass nail, screw NAIL
tin tack; but the tin tack was the same as
bellows nail on the next string. So efficient
hours time Robert had mastered the bass
Of Life Let Us Cherish" and had blistered
his fingers severely by the friction OF the
various nailheads.
While the rector and his pupil were
studying, the door was flung open, and the
and a pail of hot water He stood open
mouthed for some moments. What is it,
John?" asked the rector.
Lord be praised, L though as old Dolly
We're down afore her time" said John.
Reuben Tummit, he come a-running round
TO /, and he said: John, one of youer cows
is down: if / was you / should go and look
to her purity. sharp. for she's powerful bad
by the sound So | says to he. Reuben. it
can't be one of ouer cows and he says.
1t is one O. yOuer cows, tell zee; tbs old
Doll come down, and / thought twas old
Dolly sure"
'.Oh no, it's Bob's Big One" said the
rector, and so il got christened.
That was a delightful evening for Bob.
Prissy watched him, and he made louder
sound. and more of il, than all the other
men in the room put together. When Toby.
crouching his cello, would clutch it's
neck and carve Savagely at II, Bob would
stand erect and touch up his center string;
but if Toby attempted any fancy work.
tickling and picking with his fingers. Bob
would let go the big string and drown him
head over, ears. 1t was fine. If Robert
strayed, the parson would cry to him,
First bellows nail, please, Ross" or Sec
ond hobnail, Robert as the case might be +;
and when he desired modulations. he called,
no aT1Cr 90
things went very smoothly, and the par
sons lady came in to see this wonderful in
strument which was keeping her fowls
awake.
For the ingenious young man the evening
was full of hints by which he profited
against the future. Accordingly. come next
week. when Toby walked over behind a
Warmster boy who carried his green bag
in state, there was blot moving two miles
Robert Ross driving a donkey cart with
his Big One therein. When ii was unloaded.
Law Robert; what be they tits on thy
planned that he had built a cupboard and
two drawers in the front to hold things,
and he got out from one a necktie and a
pair of boots. and some honey for Priss out
of the other.
Still his fancy urged him on to new
amendments, ard late next Tuesday after
noon the binder folk, hearing q great ratt-
ling and humping, perceived that Robert
had mounted his Big One on wheels and
was trundling, it down the hill. The axle
wished to perform on the vehicle.
Prissy appeared much impressed by his
ingenuity and his neckties; she was kind
to him, and when she looked the look there
was a tiny something at the back of IL
which made Bobs heart beat quickly Toby
purchased an iron peg for his instrument,
and weakly invested in a brass box for the
strings; but for some reason he appeared
to make no Roadway.
At last things came - crisis. II had
been a pouring wet We. I'll the Darle was
in flood. There was no getting on to the
hill from Warmster or from Malop either
for the swollen river ran between over ford
and bridge. But when Tuesday morning
dawned gray and dripping, Robert arose
with an idea. All the forenoon he labored
at 1T with pitch and with paint, and at the
turn of the day he embarked upon his Big
One. having slackened of the strings suffi-
GENTLY to afford comfortable sitting room.
After an uneventful passage he drifted
against a willow on the further side and
arrived at binder in time for practice.
Every one was aStOniShed TO see him, and
commended the young mans resource and
industry; but Prissy. as. they walked up to
the practice room, said that it was very
wrong of him to have gone on the water
upon his viol Bob asked why She an
swered very low. Because you might
have been drowned" Bob sat down his
craft inside the doorway of the empty room
arm for the humping of his heart dimmed
his eyes,. Should 'ee care then, Prissy?
Should zee. should 'ee?''
Prissy nodded, and began to cry, for fear
Long after this. and far from Dinder /
came up their garden one evening when
their son and his wife and children had
been paying them visit. for | wanted to
hear all about the boys. The old lady was
sprinkling linen: the old gentleman was
smoking and staring intently at his holly
hooks.
'.Ah. fine boys they be-" said Prissy: land
young Bob, he do take after his grandad
wonderfully, he do. And as fond o. music -
The old man awoke from his reverie.
Evening, parson,' he said.
What were you dreaming about, Bob?'
L asked.
That there old cradle" he answered. 1T
were double bass once. Ahr' And he told
me this which / have written.
Yes" said Prissy, with a sunny sigh,
its a-getting bit old now. But It's a
good old thing. It's been a cupboard and
a cart, and a boat. and a meal chest, and a
dresser, and a cradle and I'll be bound as
the old mans a-scheming to make some
thing else out on it yet. amt We. father?"
'Ah, / be-" said Bob. Il was just a
thinkin' then. tits the very thing as we
want for that chicken COOP
-Macmillan's Magazine