Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-12-27
The Old ViOIiniSt's Christmas


He was old and feeble and poor-iust
one of those examples of a man who bas
lived too long. Slowly he wended bis
way down the crowded street until la
reached that sign which marks the Dor.
der line of hope and despair for so MANY
human hearts-the three balls. Poverty
shone from his threadbare coat and worn
shoes, it trembled in his old hand, if
quiyered in his thin lips and looked from
his great. thoughtful, hungry eyes
Proud blood flushed the pallid features
of the old man as he approached the
broker. More years than man has vet
lived seemed weighing upon the bowed
head, and not only the deep set, hungry
eyes, but every feature of that patrlcian
old face expressed the humility of
despair. He was facing the hardest trial
that comes to the children of men-the
self-confession of failure.
There, on the pawnbroker's ledger,
which, like the roll of the recording an,
gel. marks the downfall of many a soul
and suffering enough to redeem it,. was
writ the name of this old man. and over
OF the shelf in a rough case Law lis
Amati-the child of his old heart, the
mistress of his soul Yes, he had failed
ard in the ever active, eXacting drama
of the world there was no part for him
to play.
Il haven't any money" admitted the
old man. But it's Christmas eve. and
if you will allow me to sit here and lend
me my old violin | will play you
! { br;c+,,,os ooroI rbopcodI-v
There was a pleading in the old voice
| that would have opened harder heart
than the keeper of the shop beneath the
three golden balls.
The night had grown old. and it lacked
less than an hour of the day which was
It. bring peace to the world. The old
musician shivered; it was the cold of the
world without and the chill of a heart
within that quivered from his very soul
| The touch of loved one brings to life
again all the glory of our dead selves.
| Youth to old age--strength to weakness
light to dull aching eyes-courage, am
bition, love, laughter-all it awakens
erently its keys and strings were
| touched, as the old violinist drew the bow
| that was so perfectly welded to his
|
eyes was less hungry now and the hand
was steady again. The hoary old head
was no longer bowed in grief and shame
hut dropped to touch the bosom of his
| love.
Out on the night air foated the Joyous
notes of the "Hosanna, Hosanna to the
Highest Loudly they rang-and then
the echo. soft and silvery, quivered mo-
ment. 1t was the pulse of the soul
throbbing in one magnificent blending Of
harmony. All the hunger and want and
mortifying failure were forgotten and
the soul. young and strong in its glory
scared out in the tones of the Christmas
anthem
Then for moment came the shadow of
the present. The face became white
again and the old hungry light shone
from the eyes anew. All. how could he
ever have parted with this companion Of
his soul tried hours? Food purchased at
this price would choke him now. but
hunger is a persistent foe. 1t will wiring
from the heart almost any loved object.
You who know luxury or comfort. who
have never felt poverty's heaviest curse
real, desperate, despairing. aching hunger
may not see this truth. but there j.
nothing under Gods heaven that twists
the heart into distorted shapes. destroys
ideals and compels us to surrender that
which our hearts would bleed for under
any other conditions like hunger. It's fire
strikes into the heart and brain. and
breaks a spirit which could face any
other ideal, and so the violin had lain
silent for many days.
AGAIN the bow was drawn. though age
had crept up to palsy the feeble limbs.
Softly the "Miserere'' moaned from the
violin "Ah. l have sighed to rest me,
deep in silent grave gently tremblel
the melody, while in minor key the
obligato sent forth its wall. Wonder
fully sad flowed the music from the old
violin
Then. as the cathedral chimes rang out
the tidings that Christmas day was
born, the Gloria in Excesis Dec" rushed
forth in one magnificent soulburst from
the strings of the violin. The old hand
was firm and supple now; inspiration
shone from the aged face.
GLORY to God on high''-the tones
seemed to soar beyond the sad old world
upward. upward until it seemed Ia
touch the star studded dome and beyond
u the throne most high.
Peace on earth"-the benediction
seemed to strike into every soul The
battle for earthly gain-the selfish pas
slons, the heartaches ana sins-all all
we're forgotten-peace. peace on earth
Fainter and fainter trembled the last
glad notes.
The snowy old head rested against the
loved Amati. The face was as white a
the Christmas snow without-but the
lips smiled, Peace on earth-peace, peac,
to the soul that slumbers.- New Nork
Herald