The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-03-01
Tue STORY OF MY VIOLIN
BY AxEl SKOvGAARD

that as a lad had gotten chicken
bones crosswise in my throat.
At last one day left the hotel
with my double sharpened penklife In
my pocket, to visit the dealer.
wandered pensively thrue Regent
and Cockspur streets. On the left of
Trafalgar Square I had the National
Gallery. and on the right, some dis
tance away. saw the houses Of
Parliament and Westminster Abbey,
where Haydn lies buried. In the
Strand I came near being run over,
but reached Ludgate Hill just as the
roaring train rushed over head. How
angry st. Paul's cathedral looked that
Did it know that went with a sharp
ened knife ..i my pocket? Intuitively
reached after my knife. 1t was
there and rushed down Cannon
street.
On London bridge met several
wagons full of butchered cattle and
my courage rose at once. l gazed In
fascination at the bloody carcasses
of COW and sheep in order to accus-
tom my eyes to the blood, and / felt
myself so strong that neither raw
meat nor blood sausage could alright
ell me. Then l wandered on and plan
ned how / could cut Geep into the
funny old dealer. The awesome tow
er loomed up before me thru the fog.
Then came the thot-suppose should
be discovered and thrown into prison
for life before l could escape to Amer
lea with my cherished violin
1 braced myself and jumped on
passing omnibus. Shame on you,
AXel. Here lies the best and hand
soonest of all instruments and calls
you. Will you stand by and see it put
In the iron chamber to remain anoth-
er hundred years, perhaps. the one
for life and help you to become a
great artist? No, and again, no. Down
with the dealer. Thus / mused as l
bumped about on the top of the rat
tling omnibus, passed thru Borough
Hill and Blackman streets and was
come in my bloody dreams thru New
ington causeway, when | was awak-
ened by an unpoetical voice crying,
Fare, please"
| searched my hind pocket my side
pockets on both sides. my three vest
pockets, but found nothing except the
sharp penknife and bitten pencil
Also the coat pockets were empty, ev-
en the great coat. | had forgotten to
der without money is not to be ad-
vised As far as the omnibus was con
cerned, | was set off at the Elephant
and Castle.
Now what can be done in giant
city like London without money? With
money anything is possible. said
to myself. and repeated the sentiment
two or three times and was suddenly
startled by my own thots Surely,
with money one can do anything, even
to buying new Stradvarii | who have
plenty of money at the hotel and at
home in Denmark. 1t was good idea.
and | was almost ashamed of myself
because | had not tnot of it before
dealer any more than was necessary,
70" possibly he would consent to sell
me the violin when he learned that
his life depended upon it.
Pondering over this new idea. sat
down in one of the attractive chairs
in the square and sought to collect my
thots. First of all | asked myself
what is the value of first class
Strad?
AS is we'll known, Stradivarus fash
ioncd his best instruments between
the years 100 and 1920, while the
choicest were made between l709 and
l7i5. Viotti's violin is from 1904 and
is valued at $4,000. The violin own
ed by the virtuoso r. w Ernst. but
now the property of Wilma Ueruda
Halle. cost Carries Halle $4,000. Frans
Ries had had one from 1910 which
cost $4,000. One in the poss ession
of Sarasate is dated 1913 and is own
ed by the Spanish crown, which has
loaned it to Sarasate for life. This is
the one he usually plays upon. The
other he owns himself and is from the
year 1924 and is gift from Queen
Isabella of Spain. The value is not
less than 1000.
Joseph Joaquin has three. Tho