The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-02-28


due time | received a letter from the
solicitor. ann ,uncing THAT he had re-
ceivcd a letter from Madrid. hur-
cicd 10 lis Office and was informed
that the violin was for sale The price
wts Sl3,IU0 and that 1 could have it
for two months by advancing $2iU. 1t
must, however, be returned i'll Also
lutely the same condition, for If there
was a scratch or mark l was TO nhll-
gate myself to retain the instrument.
reported the conditions to my faith
e. and asked his advice. He declined
to give any counsel, as later o might
regret whether I bought the violin or
not. All he would say was that the
money was ready at any time, and
that | should show the instrument to
experts in Paris and Berlin.
My mind was quickly made up.
There was some delay in taking pos
session, as the old dealer would not
give it up until he had received ex-
press orders from Madrid. This caus-
ed a delay of more than a week. But
one day l crossed the English channel
with my treasure tucked under my
arm.
In Paris I showed it to the best max
ars. All pronounced it genuine and Of
'ered more than $4,000 which I was
to pay.
In Berlin it was just the same. My
room at the hotel was haunted by vio-
lin makers until Il could hardly get
rid of them. was thoroughly salts
led, and one evening stole off to Co.
Hennagen, taking coupe in a first
lass train to myself to guard against
eft. was heartily received by my
friends in Copenhagen, who congratu-
| ated me on my success, and also, on
I The splendid instrument I had gained.
After an interview with my father l
| went to his attorney, who in the mean
| ime had received the Sapish papers
| from his English correspondent.
1t was decided to see if the violin
| ,ould not be obtained for less than
! $4,000, and letter offering smaller
sum was sent to Madrid. The reply
was somewhat surprising, as the own
| ar declared that the transaction was
I'll a mistake, and ordered that the
violin be forwarded to him without de-
| lay.
| The fright I received was indescrlb-
able, and had not my father lmmed-
lately telephoned to the attorney and
received an encouraging reply that
the transaction could not be broken
and that the violin was virtually mine,
might not to this day have been able
10 play violin. The terms of the con-
| .ract were down in black and white,
md all that remained was to forward
the money, which was done the same
lay. That same evening large gath
| ring of friends with musical taste
was present at my fathers house. The
program was to be Beethoven concer-
to- on a Stradivarius violin which mad
never before been played upon,
At 4 o'clock l retired to my cham
ber and put on the strings for the llrst
time, also adjusting the pin and bcidge
which 1 had obtained in Berlin from
, he best violin maker. They are there
| till. Both were made from Italian
-ood. taken from an old Niccolo Am
ati double bass. l, who had never De-
fore been nervous, felt my fingers
remble as 1 prepared the violin.
At last the evening came, and there
had not been made a stroke of the bow
across the strings. I did not know II
the violin would answer all expecta-
tons. Possibly the tone might be
harsh and unyielding, as many un-
,laved violins are liable to be.
! Dinner was over, when my father in
2 few hearty words welcomed me back
% little Denmark and wished me sue
cess with the glorious violin, which 1
had brought from my last tour. This
iolin which the master had made as
remembrance of his beloved son and
/; rom which there had not yet been
( ,oaxed a tone, although it had been
| l,assed from hand to hand for gener-
alton, had seen both poverty ana
wealth, although having been MADE
1876 wears before my birth, he hoped
had been made for me, and would re-
main with me all my life, to give 1t
ioy and success. Hearty applause
greeted my fathers sentiments, and l
| gave my accompanist the sign. In the
music room all were in the highest
expectancy, as we appeared, and sat
in perfect silence. AS the introduc-
ton began l felt gently and carefully
over the strings to tune the lnstru-
ment which had not yet felt the touch
of a bow. The inroduction for the
piano ended and the soloist fell IN
, with an octave movement. l played
; forgetting all in my sympathy for the
violin. and dreamed myself away into
: the unknown realms where my violin
I,,,ys loads mo when I play.