Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1925-11-19
The Builders Of
Violins
q. 1895. western Newspaper Union.l
BY HOMER B. KING

box, playing a violin while waiting to
load for the other side; a strong-faced,
slender-bodied 10y, in mans years,
dressed in Uncle Sans khaki
During my first talk with him he
told me he was American born, of Aus
trlan parents by trade q carpenter, AT
heart a maker of yiolins, who, since
childhood, had lopged 70 build an in
strument that would sing the joy Of
his soul.
"Oht'' he exclaimed, IF J could only
put into it the greatness Of my happi-
ness. the song that continuously sings
dances within me-but I've failed.
5 avs ! think that within the next
VIII live soul huBbling with mirth,
hut always ereeps in the note of sad
ness-and put 1t away and build
another
A year later I. with several physi-
clans, was detailed 10 accompany home
a shipload OF our sick heroes and Lit
chafsy was one of them. He was
propped up on his cot, and instantly
his eyes arrested me, and he smiled
his same old smile
Hello, doctor !" he called. TO
gether we iourneyed from our happy
land, so we travel back. | am so
happy" he continued as |, trying to
smile, held his hand. Il want so much
to get back TO my violins. You see,
with these steel legs l can't go back
to my carpenter work, therefore | can
spend all my time putting music into
my pieces of wood"
That he had come out of the wars
hell with his soul still flaming, his
creed of joy, filled me with surprise
which he saw, for he said
THAT back there is nothing already
/ have forgotten its awfulness. 1t is
only for a moment that sorrow has
triumphed- happiness will beat 1t
back"
"Where is your violin?' | asked.
Il gave it away. because the last
time | played it there in the hospital
1t would not dance-it only cried and
cried, and with it tie men wept, and
grew angry, for was going home
and it should have spoken MY joy
so | threw II aside, saying i win
build me another tiat will not sing
such notes.
Yesterday. n his little room adjoin-
ing his smaller workshop, | found him
smiling though a mere shadow of his
former self-tut his eyes were
changed, In them lived and burned all
the sorrows of world-sorrow his
heart would not let him speak, yet
under them lay his soul, crushed.
He hobbled with me to his shop
where lay his last soul-builded instru-
ment; jewel in shape and beauty.
Worshipfully he gazed upon 1t, caress-
ing 1t as tenderly as a mother yearn-
ing over her frst-Gorn.
Twice before | failed" he said
softly. "and each was greater than be-
fore. Each wept and moaned in sor-
row, and l Sold But this time
l have not faH fed II See the wood,
grown in sunnySItalH. Not yet has II
sounded !" His8voice fell to a whisper.
But | know, as though II had spoken,
the song Of joy it wiz sing. My heart
already hears its gIorious notes, its
melody of purrst NAappiness, that will
set the world toaswaying in an ecstasy
of delight"
Before | left | prevailed upon him
to let me bring few friends. You
know how we gathered in his little
shop; how be tenderly lifted the in
t-tr bad ne nd
YOU must have seen by the expression
of his eyes that he seemed to be look
ing into another world; that his smile
was infinitely tender. Then you saw
the bow touch the strings heard
glorious sound pour forth, filling not
only the little room but all outside
To me the walls vanished and |
heard the marching of soldiers the
thunder of tramping horses, the roar
ing of motors, the purring of machine
guns, the shrieks, groans, yells,
prayers, curses of maddened and tor
tured men. In all its horror, war
screamed from the wondrous instru
ment. Then came the saddest notes
the ear of man ever heard; It was the
prayers, meanings, borrowings of a
world of mothers, sweethearts, fathers,
friends, world stricken. Suddenly ii
stopped, and we, with hearts feating
to suffocation, watched him, the maker
of it all, look In wonderment al the
instrument that so terribly deceived
him.
Over and over ne turned 1t, seem
ingly unable TO fe-ognize it. Bewil-
dered. he looked A $ box and back,
and ! saw death ..fllrg his features.
Then he smiled, AMI death, overtaking,
froze it, Yet his eyes lived and
glowed with a fire kept alive by the
great God, and again he played This
time the notes sang in volume of
unearthly rejoicing ana beneath were
the wondrous dancing notes he had
sought so long.
Under its magic rhythm the world
must have moved and sung. Higher