The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-01-18
A PAWNeRoKER's RULE.
To Him a Fiddle Is n Fiddle, ond Tie
VIII Loan Not More Than 81 on 1t.

VIII Loan Not More Than 81 on Ii.
ION O violin / will loan 81; no more"
declared n little old pawnbrOkcr Of the
local Latin quarter, replying to the Qucs-
ton of casual curio hunter who was
looking over the strange medley of odds
and ends that Uttered the dusty counters.
"Yes?' said the visitor politely. But
you refer, / suppose, to the general run
of violins. When an Instrument Is of
real value, you make an exception, Of
course" "Of course do not" rctortcd
the pawnbroker sharply. ITO me vio-
lin is a violin. and 81 is what 1 lend.
Oh, to be sure, they protest-often some
times they shed tears. They assure me
it is old, rare, worth don't knew what.
Very well,' 1 reply; then take it to q
musician. Me, l am q pawnbroker. and
lend 81 on fddles, provided they are in
good order
'No, did not always have this rule"
admitted the old man, smiling grizzly.
81 thought once that I knew something
about violins myself. My father was
musician and played for 90 years in the
orchestra at the French Opera House.
l was brought up, as you might say,
among fiddles. But pshaw, let me tell
you what they did! One day u man
came here with dirty old case under
his arm. He took me back in the pas
sage to open it and said, 'Sh-s-s 1t is a
Stradr Well, to tell you the truth, it
was a very fine looking instrument. eX-
amined it carefully, and it had all the
marks. 1t was signed a. s. As for
the man, he told the usual story-poverty
and so on-but he told it we'll / was
more than half convinced, still l took
him to my friend Edgardo, who had a
repair shop on the me- ! corner and was
known connoisset When Edgardu
saw the fiddle, his e! as stuck out. An
tonic Stradivarius! lie whispered in my
ear. led him into the hall. Are you
sure it is genuine?' asked. I stake my
life,' said he. Well, lent the man $500
and promised to keep the fiddle for him
six months.
"In q week or so another musician In
distress showed up-a friend of the first
man. He had a Maggini burnt amber
varnish, seventeenth century. l took him
also to Edgardo, who was enchanted.
y gu are in luck he said privately. There
is a colony of these fellows, just from Eu-
rope. They are very poor and lave nag
nifcent nddles. You will get them ali
lent $3.50 on the Maggini. In month
L
Gaglanos. Altogether | advanced 500
on them. Then one day the orchestra
leader from the French opera came into
the shop. He was distinguished man
and wore the red rosette of the Legion in
his buttonhole. We got to talking about
violins, and, to surprise him, | brought
out the Strad. give you ICY word that
/ thought the man would never got
through laughing. But l YVES already on
my way tn Edgardo's. and whlt do you
think? His shop was closed, cleaned out
for rent. | never saw him again. nor the
FIVE worthy musicians. The tiddlcs | sold
for 81 apiece. 1t seems there Is facto-
ry in Brussels where they make them by
the gross. Since then l have established
my rule-a violin is violin, and as col
lateral it is worth 81, if in good repair.
When they protest. | say: Go to a mu-
stefan. l nm not n musician. | am a
pawnbroker.' New Orleans Times
Democrat.