Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-11-10
VIOLIN STORY TRUE ROMANCE
Dying Gift of Italian Laborer Who
Started 16-Year-OId George
Franz on Career.

lying 1It OF italian IaOOrer "nt
Started 16-Year-OId George
Franz on Career.
Morris Park, N. Y.-This is the
story of true romance-the romance
of shatterde violin.
-Four years ago George Franz, Il
years old, happened to go to rude
hut in the woods where Pietro Della
vagiano, an Italian laborer, lived il
solitude. The old man was ending his
toilsome day by playing on a bat
tered violin, sitting on the ground out
side his hut. 1t was squeaky and
harsh, mere bit of wood and strings
But Pietro with his bow drew such
lively strains that the boys gathered
about and listened to the airs that
the peasants of Italy love so well
When the others wandered off, George
Franz felt longing stir within him
and he remained to listen.
Stirred by the lads silent admira
ton, the old man played on until night
fall.
would you like to play?" asked
Pietro.
Il cannot" said the lad, "but
would like to learn"
II do not know the notes. l can
only play by ear, as they call it here"
said Pietro. But Ill show you how to
do that"
The desire to learn so moved the
boy that every spare hour from school
was spent at the dilapidatsd shack,
and little Franz practiced with such
diligence and enthusiasm, and discov-
cred sue hdexterity in lingering the
strings of Pietro's inferior violin that
his progress was rapid. His delight
knew no bounds when he found that
he could crudely saw out simple airs.
But. above all, an irresistible impulse
spurred him on.
A year passed, and another summer
came. Old Pietro still worked in the
neighboring fields, but his vitality was
fast disappearing. His constant after
moo vniistor was still the youthful
pupil, fired by his new-found ambition
Finally Pietro fell ill and was in a
grievous plight in his lonely hut. Graf
itude led George Franz daily to the old
mans side, and it was he who saw to
it that food and medicines sustained
his mentor. One day the sick man d.
rected his nurse to an old decrepit
trunk of obviously foreign make in
corner of the hut's single room, and
babe the little boy to bring him what
seemed to be bundle of old bandanna
handkerchiefs buried deep under old
clothes. From the wrappings Pietro
drew forth the broken violin and fon.
died the pieces while he muttered to
himself in his mother tongue.
At last the old fiddler realized that
his end was near. In almost his last
moments he told in feeble and broken
tones strange story of it's history.
Pietro declared that his great-grand.
father was a famous violinist in the
country about Naples and that his ia.
vorite instrument had been kept in the
family with almost religious devotion
to their forbear's memory despite the
poverty that fell upon them. When
Pietro's father died the treasure was
left to Pietro and his brother Bassanio
to be shared equally. Each took turns
in playing upon it, and lived in har.
mony until Pietro felt that he must go
to America, where gold was to be
found lying in the streets.
But Pietro begged Bassanio to let
him take the family heirloom with him
to the far away country, arguing that
he had the better right because he was
the elder, and because he could play it
better anyhow. A bitter quarrel arose.
Pietro was only 10 and headstrong.
Bassanio was two years younger and
just as determined to maintain his
right to the violin. At length, just
Is Pietro was leaving, he declared that
ne would take the old instrument any.
now. In blind rage Bassanio
;natched it up, and struck his brother
l violent blow, smashing the violin to
finders.
There" cried Bassanio, take it,
and never let me hear from you
again!" Fifty years had passed when
George Franz heard Pistro tell of his
owed possession, and during all that
line he had never had the money to
lave the violin repaired.
Take it, my boy" he said in broken
English. 1T is yours now. l have no.
body to leave it to. You have been
lind to me, and you have talent Have
t made whole again, but only by a
master. Keep it with you always. No
natter what happens, try not to sell
t, unless you are starving. Promise
ne that" The boy promised, and the
I'D fiddler died.
And with the violin clasped to his
hin, the boy dreams of becoming a
amous player. Experts believe the in.
trument is Stradivarius, the work of
he Italian who brought the craft of
iolin making to its highest perfection.
sO it ia worth MANY hundreds of dol.