The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-31
MAC DONALD'S VIOLIN.
[From the Chicago Tribune.l

From the Chicago Tr1bune.1
The fitful light of one greasy lamp
cast shadows of strange shapes over the
faces of the motley crowd in Campbelfs
bar room. Campbell had the somewhat
dubious distinction of owning the only
saloon within miles of the dynamite
camp, and CampDells purse fattened
accordingly, especially on paynights, of
which this was one. A queerly mixed
crowd was in the dingy barroOm, native
Canadians, Scotchmen and Italians, all
employed at the same work, clearing
out the roadbed for the big canal. OF
course money was being spent freely,
and of course Campbell, stolid as the
pine bar, urged his guests to feel per-
fectly at home.
life of the crowd. Big old Scot, as he
was, he had a heart as light as a feath-
er, and was up to all sorts of rough,
boyish pranks. Yet he was an ugly
customer when crossed and all the ug-
lier when he had been imbibing too free
ly. The boys" knew this we'll enough,
and took precautions accordingly. All
evening there had been unrest in the
crowd, a feeling that something I'M
pleasant was bound to occur before the
saloon was closed for the night. The
little room was hot and sitting and the
air was none the clearer for tobacco
smoke. All this, perhaps, contributed
not a little to the strained feeling. There
More than one incipient row had been
nipoed in the bud by the cautious
Campbell, but at last the long-expected
trouble developed, and, of course, big
Sandy was concerned in it. He had
lust been treating the others to a couple
of tunes on an old violin, the sole must
cal instrument the camp possessed, and
was about to hand it to Campbell for
safe keeping when Wiry little Italian,
who had been listening to the perform
ance, suddenly pushed himself forward,
exclaiming:
you no playa. Give me thata~
maka music
'sWhatw exclaimed Sandy, angrily.
eye wee fule, wad We set oop as feed
ler Sit doom, mon, sit doom! Dinna
greet a me lik that"
'Playa, playa. Let me playa, say.
showa how maka music. Nota
screecha''
The other occupants of the little room
had prudently retired from the two
men and they were facing each other
in the center of the room. The flush
of anger that had mantled Sandy's face
now gave way to a smile of contempt as
he looked disdainfully at the little Ital-
ian and said:
''Wee mon," shaking a long finger at
him. if We were a bittee bigger [ wad
HART ye for yer wards. Sin were tae
stay here longer 1 MIGHT en- moo be
tempted tae dae sac. Sin We wad play,
fin a feeble. 1 wull gaze haIne an TAX
mine WI me-"
Without another word, the violin
tucked firmly under his arm, the big
! Scot turned to the door, waved a fare
well to the crowd, and with a quick
step passed into the darkness of the
night. Campbell heaved &, sigh of relief
| as the door closed after him. The Ital-
/ ian as if at loss what to do, his face
| convulsed with passion, stood all alone
/ in the room. Presently he too SUNK out
/ and the jewellers speedily forgot both
men.
Meanwhile Sandy, his drink logged
/ mind occupied with nothing but the
though of speedily reaching the rude
/ cll1msily into the bed of the canal, gilt
/ tering white in the moonlight. He, in
common with other workmen, lived in a
plain cabin of boards in the little set
/ Element near the scene of their toll. His
house, If it could be dignified with that
/ name. was SOME distance beyond the
others, but he soon arrived at it with
| out rnishap on the road With unsteady
/ hands he lit the candle stump that was
| to light him to bed. This done, he sat
| down on his bunk and passed his hands
/ caressingly over the old violin.
s.Puir auld feeble" said he, slowly,
/ s.ye've stood wi me through mony a
sad day. An to think a wee Italian
poop wad daur try tae play an ye.'
/ Muttering low in1precations on the
| italian he laid the instrument down and
/ rolled over into the bunk. In five min
1 l1tes he was sound asleep. and naught
but his heavy breathing was to be
heard.
one, two, three hours passed. Mid
night came. And with midnight a low,
opening, opening Slowly. A matted
shock of black hair became visible in
| the door way, followed instantly by the