The Chilhowee echo. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1899-19??, 1899-11-18

buried nef lace In nef Wnlue apron.
''But, Nicette, could you not purchase
a substitute for him."
Monsieur is jesting," she said; chow
could I ever buy a substituted"
"Does it cost very dear?"
"This year men are tremendously
dear, on account of the report that
there is going to be war. Fifteen
hundred francs is the lowest price"
The musician pressed Nicette's little
plump hand between his long, sallow
fingers, as he said:
eff that's all, my girl, don't cry; we'll
see what can be DONE"
Then, taking out his pocket-book, he
wrote on blank leaf:
'Mem. To see about giving con-
cert for the benefit of Nicette."
A month passed on; winter arrived,
and Paganini's physician said to him:
'My dear sir, you must not venture
out of doors again until after the month
of March,"
''To hear is to obey" replied the mu-
stefan.
During the winter comparative de-
gree of health and strength returned to
Paganini. Having no longer the pleas
ant, shady arbors of the garden as ref
uge, he began gradually to linger lit
tie in the drawing-room. After dinner
he used to throw himself on sofa of
crimson velvet and pass half an hour in
turning over volume of engravings
or in slipping glass of sugared water
favored with orange-fowers. The old
ladies of the society gossiped on about
him and his odd ways, but he affected
mot tQ hear and carteiplad did not2haad
them
Christmas eve approached. On the
anniversary of the birth of our Lord a
custom exists in France very dear to its
Juvenile inhabitants. A wooden shoe
is placed at the corner of the hearth,
and benefcent fairy is supposed to
come down the chimney laden with va
rious presents and dainties, with which
he fills it. 1t is calculated that, one
year with another, the Christmas wood
en- shoe enriches the trade of Paris with
100000 francs.
On the morning of the oath of Decem-
Der four of Paganini's female critics
were in consultation together.
sit will be for this evening"" said one.
Eyes, for this evening; that's set
tied, replied another.
After dinner Paganini was, according
to his custom, seated on the drawing.
room sofa, slipping his eau sucre, when
an unusual noise was heard in the cor.
ridor. Presently Nicette entered and
announced that porter had arrived
with case, directed to Sig. Paganini.
81 don't expect any CASE" said he
"but suppose he had better bring il
in.
Accordingly stout porter entered
bearing good sized deadlock, on which
besides the address, were the words
''Fragile, with care" Paganini exam
ined it with some curiosity, and having
paid the messenger, proceeded to oper
the lid His long, thin, but extremely
muscular fingers accomplished this tasl
without much difficulty, and .the com
pany, whose curiosity caused them some
what to transgress the bounds of goot
manners, crowded around in order t.
see the contents of the box.
The musician first drew out large
!, packet, enveloped in strong, brown pa
per and secured with several seals
; Having opened this, second, and ther
: a third envelope appeared, and at length
} the curious eyes of twenty persons wer'
RECALLED with gigantic wooden shoe
, carved out of piece of ash, and almos
/ large enough to serve for child's era
, die. Bursts of laughter hailed the dis
covery.
| "Ah!" said Paganini, "a woodel
shoe. l can guess tolerably well whit
has sent it. Some of these excellen
ladies wish to compare me to a chill
who always expects presents and neve
, gives any. Well! be it so. We will
: see if we cannot find some method O
( making this shoe worth its weight il
: gold"
So saying, and scarcely saluting tn
company, Paganini withdrew to his owl
/ apal tment, carrying with him the cas-
: and its contents.
During three days he did not reap
pear in the drawing-room; Nicette in
1 formed the company that he worke
from morning till night with carpen