The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-11

fed Rossini. For moment he seemed
to ponder the full meaning Of the offered
wager.
well, IL you have 10000 francs to risk
l am willing to call it bet in the pres
ence of these gentlemen. Go on and
prove your claim if you can"
Nothing is easier for me-" responded
the stranger calmly. 1.-THE watch plays
more than one of your compositions, mas
ter. 1t also contains your postscript, and
within it is engraved an inscription which
Is worth hundred times the value Of the
entire watch"
In amazement Rossini watched the
stranger as he took the timepiece and
touched several blind springs which open
ed the outer case and showed an inner
casing with the composers portrait 10
miniature. while the mechanism played q
selection from the opera "Tancredi."
"Deo aun diavolo!" exclaimed Rossinl,
you have won the bet, and IL am a
ruined man. I've offended the king and
lost my watch. You must be a magician.
How do you know the secrets of the
watch?"
The stranger laughed heartily. Don't
take the matter to heart, signor. l am
Michel Plivee. the maker Of this watch,
and only know its secrets. Take it
back. do not want it. l wagered in
jest, but l am glad that you appreciate
my workmanship, great MASTER"
Plivee explained to Rossini the intricate
mechanism, but when the composer in
CURED about the inscription on the por-
trait casing to which Plivee had alluded
the latter requested him not to urge him
for an answer.
But the curiosity Of the wizard of
Pesaro" was reused. and he insisted on
being shown the inscription.
Plivee was silent for moment, but
finally he took the watch and pointed out
the inscription.
"Thcrc 1t Is. Look close and you will
find three numbers-G 81, 61-on the re-
verse Of the plate. That is all can tell
you"
"What!" calculated the master. us
that all? Are these three numbers worth
hundred times more than the watch? 1t
can't be right. What do you mean!"
ut is secret ! dare not betray yet"
sighed the famous matchmaker.
But Rossini insisted now more than be-
fore ON its being interpreted to him. He
wished to know IL he should choose the
figures for lottery numbers, and be asked
II there was something about 1t that
might be figured out by Unemployment
Of arithmetic.
But Plivee remained imperturbable and
would not disclose the secret.
"Thpn when will Won tell me the mean
Ing of those mysterious agures? asked
Rossni impatiently.
when time is," was the melancholy
answer.
The secrecy Of the meaning of the 6E.
ures left deep impression on the natu-
rally supersttious temperament Of the
composer. and bis Intellectual attempts to
discover 1t caused him many sleepless
hours. He continued to be friendly with
the matchmaker, but whenever he ap-
preached the latter for enlightenment re-.
gardng the inscription he was informed
that the time had not arrived,
The 10th dry of November, 1850. was
4 dull, rainy day. Rossini was sitting a.
usual in his study daring the cary morn
Ing hours. He had been working on
prelude for new composition, the frag'
mentary score Of which was strewn
about on the floor. but he had given 1t up
In despair. He was sitting BY the win
dow, looking into the garden which sur
rounded his house. .....
The drlzzle Of the rain and the chirp Of