The record-union., 1899-07-10

chief occupation. But ii also suggested
to us the thought that he might know
something of interest concerning the old
musician.
Herr Je,'' he exclaimed, in answer to
my question, 'sof course he's alive.
Everybody knows old Peters. I took
him home in my cab last night, and had
to carry him to bed. You see," said
he, lowering his voice a trifie, Peters
has some f1ddles that are said to be
very valuable. But he's been very
poor for ever SO long, and yesterday he
sold one of the fiddles for which, they
say, Doctor Klingel paid him two hum
dred marks. l don't know how true
this is; but the doctor must have paid
him a good price, for Peters drank rum
at the Grunerhof all last evening, and
when he stopped drinking it was only
because he had fallen asleep and rolled
under the table,
Good heavens!'' I cried, "have we
come too late? / never did have
Now, don't despair interrupted my
companion. Peters would not have
sold his best fiddles at such price.
OF this I am certain"
So off we drove-I very much cast
down by what We had heard, and my
companion obviously disappointed for
my sake though he pretended to be-
lieve that the old Russian would not
have parted with a favorite fiddle for
any such pitiful sum-
We found him at home. He had not
yet fully recovered from the previous
nights debauch, and seemed somewhat
startled by our visit-like a man who
long ago had severed all social ties and
remembered only vaguely the common
civilities of social intercourse.
"Old man Peters," as he was COM
monty termed in the village of Ober-
waId, was just such peculiar patch
work of nature as sometimes we en-
counter drifting aimlessIy about in the
byways of life. The external man had
been shriveling with the internal forces,
and though his physique was still
comparatively powerful one, the Rus
slams extended hand trembled violently
as he bade us welcome, and his shutting
walk betrayed the departure of physi-
cal control and elasticity. Wholly un-
prepared for visitors, he had evidently
been making an experiment universally
praeticed on certain remorseful occa-
sions, for his large and shaggy head
was swathed in huge discolored cloth
which at first made it impossible for
me to distinguish his features a
Approaching, / suppose, his untidy
and suspicious appearance, hep slowly
unwound the ill smelling cloth from his
head, and, with a tremulous sigh, bade
US be seated S.t-t
/ beheld a prematurely furrowed and
flabby faeej a broad. fiat nose, the pro-
cess of whose coloring must have been
a costly affair; weak and restless eyes.
and ears of such unusual size as 10
make one feel that natures judgment in
the distribution of human features is
not always to be relied upon.
And where have you been these
many months?" said Peters, turning to
my companion, .and what brings you
to Oberwald?"
'Oh, nothing more nor less was the
light hearted reply, than wish to see
you again before / return to America.
My friend, whom I ran across this af-
ternoon, became interested in what I
told him concerning your fiddles: and,
as he had nothing else to do, I per-
suaded him to keep me company. So
here we are
'.Ah," sighed the old man, my dear
beloved Cremonas have been my only
friends for many, many years. They
chide me. sometimes, and exhort me to
stay away from the Grunerhof and be
a better man. Often, when I come
home late, the Red One-whom 1 call
my wife-upbraids me bitterly for the
life I lead; and l caress her, soothe her,
promise to begin life anew, and 1 am
forgiven. But so often have yielded
to- temptation that I can no longer en-
dure the Red Ones reproaches. lam
-going-to-sell-her, he muttered
slowly. and, rising feebly from the
rickety chair. he shuff1ed about the
narrow room, mumbling incoherently.
/ certainly pitied the wretched musi-
clan, and would have spoken word
or two of gentle sympathy had not
detected iddle-case peeping out'from
beneath the coverlet of an iron cot that
stood pressed against the farther WALL
The sight stirred my Imagination to
such degree that for some moments,
was utterly unable to command my
voice. At last, however, 1 succeeded
in saying, quite calmly, Herr Peters,
VIII you not SHOW me the tteQ. One.
am ony a poor, dabbling amateur; but
l. too, love the art-children of Cremona
and might be disposed to purchase this
particular one if you will sell it to me
for reasonable sum-
The shutting ceased and a wild look
came into the watery eyes. There he
stood, irresolute. He seemed unable to
reach decision. My companion grew
restless and was about to address him,
when he staggered to the cot, drew
forth the iddle-case, and, in broken
accents said: Young man, / will show
her to you. 1t is useless for me to keep
her longer The Red One and must
part. If she passes into your possess
sion, I pray you guard her carefully"
And now came one of the most ex-
citing moments in my life. The case
was opened, and there lay the Red
One, Clothed in all her silken finery.
MY heart throbbed painfully as
stroked her neck and touched her glow
ing cheeks. 1 could have shrieked with
the pain of it all.
When I had recovered my compos-.
ure, said: And the other one-where
is. she?"