The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-20

Il got weeks job counting lumber
down the railroad next day, and II was
full month before | had TO play a
return date at Tolma's. While | was
IN the midst of my battle. big man
with bushy hair, soft bat and an
eye.glass with a wide tape hanging
from it came In and began to talk.
"He wanted to sec the yellow violin,
and when Tolm8 handed 1t out, ex.
planning that 1t was n pledge. he acted
as though he intended to eat 1t, look
Ing 1t over with the thoroughness Of a
rube conductor on a narrow gauge
railroad.
1t is a Cremona.' says he, and 1t
is sacrileged against. | knew 1t as
soon az ! saw it In the window. am
Girstman: here is my card
He puts down his card Both the
pawnbroker and had heard Of Girst
man, the celebrated violnist. then
playing in that section
~ am Girstman, says he, I will
buy this violin
"Tolma looked like man that was
| slowly strangling. He hinted that it
was piece Of entailed goods and
wasn't his to let go, But the other
fellow did not seem to follow him.
=" 1 will give one thousand dollars,
says he
Now I've seen men dumped, dazed
and breathle9s, irto the arms Of de.
spair by a single whirl of the roulette
wheel. but for clear and complete
stoppage of mental machinery, Tolma
at that moment, had them beat to a
! fare,you.welI But the viollnist thinks
the whole thing is a stan.
II will give two thousand says he
little louder. He waits a minute
showering glares on Tolma, then slams
his fist down on the counter i Will
make 1t three thousand i
He had out bundle of money
:eGdy to pay before the pawnbrOker's
almost fearful notes appeared to make
him understand the situation. When
he did understand, he grew alarming;
he tossed his hair like a side.show
Sampson and spared all over the
place. lie demanded to know the own
er's name and where he was to be
found. but TClma had, by this time
begun to gather in some fragments ot
his scattered wisdom, so he refused
20 give up. | could see him mentally
dramatiZing a scene in which hungry
man with valuable violin got all the
worst OF It, HH
"fle calmly allows to the musician
] hft ha fl.a a. .esta tg
ed for big sum- aud that II was moi
altogether according to etiquette tC
Herald the owners name about to any
great extent. But he'd find out, 80 he
said, when the party came In to prS
loose the mortgage, and II the goods
were on the market would let the gen
tleman know Immediately When
left, the musician was excitedly ex
planning just where he intended tC
give concerts for the following month
II meets the pawnbroker one nigh
about a week later and he seemed
ioyial and elated, and Fad a bundle
under his arm,
1--we got that violin, Gays he, 'anC
| wrote that fellow Girstman thi
morning that il was his at a price
How much did you giyeY says |
and he looks less happy.
THE fellow that owned 1t was
wiser plug than | thought, says he
he kneE all about the value of tn,
thing and refused TO sell at first u
any price. He said he regarded tn
violin as his friOnd--the last he had
But Kept after him aud kept addinl
10 the price: and at last ! landed hin
1t the two thousand mark
''And GirGtman offered three, say
|. You've got profit all right
Hell pay more than three say
rolma; 1 think it's worth five. Any
how. ! am going down to see tina
German that lodges in the same hous
youl do i hear he knows all abou
dolins, and maybe he can give me a tip
I'VE walks down the street together
, was unlocking the door when tn
postman came along and handed me
letter; then ! took Tolma up and II
troduced him to my friend the 'celllst
The Bavarian took the violin In hi
hand while broke open my letter.
WHAT laughs the 'celist this
Cremona! 1t 10 cigar box with a site
in it,
"Tolma turns as yellow as the violir
Its a Gnarnerius, says he; why
you must be dafy!'
"a Guarnerius! The German lear
ed back and rocked with pleasure.
had just got the drift Of my letter an
was also doing some rocking on IN
: own account, whia he continued:
why, Guarnerius would not hav
burned such a thing in his stov'
I Look here
with a wrench he had the violin
, back OFF, and staring us in the fac
/, Sas the legend Made at Egg elan bo
\. j.
, " 4 have been gold-brickedv gasp
rolma.
1T looks like It, says | (; Just liste
to this and reads my letter aloud
ITO Bartholomew scanon. Esq.
Greetings; lie who speaks to you In thI
wise is the man OF the yellow violin.
! !nclOse you one-dollar note which go