The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1908-11-18

from it came in and began to talk.
"He wanted to see the yellow violin,
and when Tolma handed it out, ex-
planning that it was pledge, he acted
as though he intended to eat it, look
ing it over with the thoroughness of
rube conductor on narrow gauge
railroad.
ct is Cremona,' says he, and it
is sacrileged against. I knew it as
soon as l saw it in the window. l am
Girstman; here is my card
"He puts down his card. Both the
pawnbroker and had heard of Girst-
man, the celebrated violinist, then
playing in that section.
81 am Girstman,' says he, I will
buy this violin
''Tolma looked like a man that was
slowly strangling. He limited that it
was a piece Of entailed goods and
wasn't his to let go. But the other
fellow did not seem to follow him.
"T will give one thousand dollars
says he.
Nov I've seen men dumped, dazed
and breathless, into the arms of de-
spair by single whirl Of the roulette
wheel, but for a clear and complete
stoppage of mental machinery, Tolma
at that moment, had them beat to a
fare-you-well. But the violinist thinks
the whole thing is a stall.
"I will give two thousand says he,
little louder. He waits minute,
shower:ng glares on Tolma, then slams
his fist down on the counter, I will
make it three thousand
"He had out a bundle of money,
ready 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 side-show
Sampson and spared all over the
place. He demanded to know the own
er's name and where he was to be
found, but Tolma had, by this time,
begun to gather in some fragments of
his scattered wisdom, SO he refused
to give up. l could see him mentally
dramatizing scene in which hungry
man with valuable violin got all the
worst of it.
HE calmly allows to the musician
however, that the instrument is soak
ed for big sum, and that it was not
altogether according to etiquette to
herald the owners name about to any
great extent. But he'd find out, so he
said, when the party came in to pry
loose the mortgage, and if 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 to
give concerts for the following month.
81 meets the pawnbroker one night
jovial and elated, and had bundle
under his arm.
give got that VIOLIN says he, and
wrote that fellow Girstman this
morning that it was his at a price
GLOW much did you give? says l,
and he looks less happy.
"'The fellow that owned it was a
wiser plug than thought says he;
he knew all about the value of the
thing and refused to sell at first at
any price. He said he regarded the
violin as his friend-the last he had.
But kept after him and kept adding
to the price; and at last landed him
at the two thousand mark
"'And Girstman offered three says
I. You've got profit all right
"'He'll pay more than three says
Tolma; I think it's worth five. Any.
how, I am going down to see that
German that lodges in the same house
you do. l hear he knows all about
violins, and maybe he can give me tip.
1--WE walks down the street together
was unlocking the door when the
postman came along and handed me a
letter; then I took Tolma up and in.
troduced him to my friend the 'cellist
The Bavarian took the violin in his
hand while broke open my letter.
"'What!' laughs the 'cellist; this a
Cremona! 1t Is cigar box with stick
in it,
"Tolma turns as yellow as the violin
cts Guarnerius,' says he; why
you must be daffy!'
ga Guarnerius!' The German lean
: | GU UdCh anu AONnCu Will plcdSuIc.
had just got the drift of my letter and
was also doing some rocking on my
own account, while he continued:
"'Why, Guarnerius would not have
burned such thing in his stove
Look here
with a wrench he had the violin's
back off, and staring us in the face
was the legend: Made at Egg Harbor
N. j.
, I have been gold-bricked!' gasps
, Tolma.
"'It looks like it, says 1; Just lister
, to this and l reads my letter aloud
l "To Bartholomew Scanlon, ESQ.,
, Greetings: He who speaks to you in this
wise is the man of the yellow violin,
inclose you a one-dollar note which 70,
! kindly loaned melt is the same one
/. For this, MANY thanks. / am departne
from St. Joe with considerable speed
much content and $4,000. A gentleman Of
foreign birth, whom you have met usns
the name of Girstman, bears me com
pany. On the train we will cut equally
in two the roll which once graced the