The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-06

violin gently to its bag. folded his arms
and waited for what would happen.
Sir Charles himself crossed the lawn.
with Phoebe, his daughter, far too ex-
cited TO remain quietly behind. close at
his heels. Sir Charles, grave and state
y. thanked him for his music. said
nothing about the prosecution of tres
passers and held out 5 shillings.
But Contradini had not made music
for 5 shillings; not yet was he Robinson,
So Sir Charles, the fine old gentleman,
begged him to be his guest.
Have you far 10 go for your lOdg-
ing?" asked Sir Charles, when they
parted.
But half a mile.''
But the village" began Sir Charles.
sorely puzzled.
ct sleep-at the Hotel Haystack,"
quoth Contradini, laughing.
And so he did, despite Sir Charles
protests and offers of a bed.
I 1t IS needless to tell Of the evenings
Contradini played behind his bush.
! Sometimes. driven by the necessity Of
obtaining money for food (for he would
/ take nothing from Sir Charles), he
/ would wander away. but never to be
| absent more than few days. The per-
mission he made rule of asking before
]
always did he talk with Sir Charles
| yet always with his daughter, Phoebe
/ And there grew. up between them the
prettiest flower Of love, planted by Con-
/ tradini's music, but summed into full
| radiance Of blossom by the merry
whimsical. wholly lovable personality
! Of the musician.
But when the summer had nearly
| gone for many days Contradini did not
I r.a., oh
and the rain began to drop from gray
! skies and the leaves TO fall. So autumn
/ passed and winter and the wonder OF
the spring, and Sir Charles almost for
got the wandering musician, mention
/ ing him but rarely. Only his daughter
| remembered him always, but mentioned
him not at all. And she knew he would
I come again.
! on an August evening in the year fol
| lowing a carriage stopped at Sil
Charles door and a gentleman alighted
Dressed wholly in black, his appear
! ance was that Of a man of wealth-bu
IL was Contradini. Sir Charles for {
! moment did not recognize him, bu
! Phoebe. peeping over banisters, raI
| and hid herself in her bedroom for IL
other reason than that she knew hi
had come for her and that he must no
know how glad she was.
]
made history for Sir Charles and PhOe
be, telling them how he had gone bacl
/ to his father and played to him ant
been forgiven. He had found him al
! old man, rich. but full Of care, and hi
! loved the music. that could soothe anC
rest him. So through the winter Con
tradini had worked with his elder
brother in his fathers business. Blu
the old man died before the spring
came, and scarcely three months after
ward his brother seeking trade ovel
| seas, had been drowned, so that to him
| the prodigal, had come all the wealth
! AS for his plans for the future, thel
| were simple; ne would sell the business
buy an estate in the country and live
in an old house, companioned by ole
/ trees and old turf, and-although this
he did not tell at that time-marry
! Phoebe.
All of which in due course he did, anc
| Contradini became Robinson. Only III
! still treasures the old brown fiddle. ano
If he sleep no longer under haystacks
vet cares little for a roof. He loves
! best to wander through the meadows
and over the grassy uplands, preferrine
for his concert hall some tangle OF
trees, with roof patched only by thf
sky. and for his audience the laborers
! in neighbOring fields.
Perhaps one day you may chance &c
| hear him.-ChicagO Chronicle.