Cupid the Fiddler.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXIII, Issue 1180, 12 February 1897, Page 7

Cupid the Fiddler.

(Macmillan's Magazine.)

So soon as he could, he walked the 13 miles to Leverell, and returned the same day in the strength of his love with measured drawings of hia ideal, which he stuck up in the little office above the oiill pool and pondered over while he made out his if other's bills. The traditional design seemed to a him capable of improvements ', he did not admit the necessity of making curved sides unless a man had only billets to work with, so he planned his viol wirh straight sides, hollowed squarely by the bridge. And, for that he was a larger man than Matthew Slocombe of Leverell, he built it about nine feet high. The strings he arranged to tighten with an invention of his own, baspd upon the principle of the millsluice, and he designed to actuate the three scr*wa with a bed-key. These, and other developments,' cost him many sleepless nights ', and when he had perfected his designs, he sent to the blackctntth for the machinery and by the carrier for the timber from Sandbury, and for five weeks he wrought in his spare time, rising 'early and working late, and only once calling over at Dinder for a mug of cider. The fingerboard gave him the greatest trouble ; but by cutting up his cricket bat he finally won a very fair result. On the third day of the fifth week, when the carrier brought his strings, ho found that his slnice-arrangpinent did not provide sufficiently fine adjustment, and that unless he tuned his strings at both ends, he could not approach within a tone of the note he desired. Aci cordingly he put nuts at the bottom, and twisted them round with a spanner.

Placed in thfi sack-scale, the embodimentof Robert Ross's ambition weighed 96 ponnds ' } and it was with a face lit with honest pride and anticipation that he hoisted it on to his back one Tuesday afternoon and set off to prove it at Little Dinder. He invented some ropework wherrwith he clothed himself, as it were, with his viol, and kept it clear of the earth ; but he took a long time to mount the hillside, albeit, the •wind was at his back, and before he had traversed two of the 11 miles he was feeling: tired, strong man though he was. For this reason he took off his coat and hitcted it ovtr the projecting neck of the machine, presenting thereby such an unnatural and even appalling appearance, as to make every living creature shy wildly from. him. By the time he had won Dinder Down he was pale and faint ; he would perhaps never have arrived at his destination had he not discerned another figure, o£ somewhat similar aspect, blotting the expanse in the. direction of Toby's home.

But try as he might, there was no making headway with 96 pounds of machinery bearing him 'Jown \ and Robert witnessed his rival disappear over the edge of the plain half an hour and more before he gained the road ; and while he staggered and slid upon the white mud (for it had rained, and the wind blew high), he bitterly reflected that Toby was all the time warmly ensconced in the corner of the settle, probably joking with Prissy. The fcale which blew off the hill compelled Robert into a run. Some one saw him, and raised such a cry of ' Lawk-a-mussy ! what's that a coming down th f ill V that everybody cance out, and 10, a great bird shaped creature like a pterodactyl, flapping black wings and souttling on muddy legs !

The apparation raced stiffly up to the door of the inn and halted with a loud explosion (for one of the gut cables had given way from the damp), and stolidly undressing himself of his inventior, Robert Ross crept out and sought, the fireside. Toby was there, with boots clean and shining hair, and clean Sabbath coat. Even as Robert looked, he sought in his green bag and from its depths produced a comb. Bob meant smiting him without further parley solely on the ground of that comb, but Prissy brought him in a mug of cider, and said ' let I have that there coat of dry 'n. Gracious how wet the poor man be !' Then they all crowded round and talked of his invention, and Bob explained its salient features and pieced the broken string. So the dangerous tention passed away, and •when his coat was dry and he felt refreshed, he set of to exhibit at the Rectory. The Rector seemed deeply impressed and became thoughtful. ' Have you tried its tone V be inquired. Robert had noc done so. They therefore screwed np the cords to G D and A, the apparatus creaking apprehensively.: . Then > the Rector rubbed the big bow with rosin and, pulling up his shirt cuffs, retired to the rear flank as a gunner sidles clear of his weapon before he ignites the fuse. The effect of the trial was superb, and repaid all that. Robert Ross had suffered. The top string bellowed with a grinding pungency which developed a kind of sneezing sensation at the back of the palate ; the string in the midst emitted a large sour boom which rattled the teeth together unless one clenched them ; but the lowest string ah, that was the masterpiece ! When you got the bow home on that string small objects on the tables and shelves danced -solemnly, windows rattled,

cakes of plaster descended from the ceiling, lights fluttered and flickered, and the air was filled with quaking gloom. It was a grand string indeed ! The Rector having investigated the instrument, explained where the different tones and semitones might be found, and drove naita into the side of the somewhile cricket-bat to mark the positions ; bellows nail, hob nail, brass nail, screw nail, tin tack; but the tin tack was the same as the bellows nail on the next string. So efficient did the system prove, that in an hour's time Robert had mastered the bass of ' Life let us cherish,' and had blistered his fingers severely by the friction of the various nail heads.

While the Rector and his pupil were studying, the door was flung open and the cowman ran in with ft look of great anxiety and a pail of hot water. He stood open mouthed for some moments. ' What is it, John T asked the Rector. ' Lord be praised, I thought as old Dolly were down afore htr time,' said John. Reuben Tummit, ho come arunning round to J, and he said : ' John, one of youer cows is down ; if I was yon I should go and look to her purty sharp, for she's powerful bad by the sound.' So I says to he, • Reuben it can't be one of over cows ; and he says, ' It is one of youer cows I tell 'cc ; 'tis old Doll come down ;' and I thought 'twas old Dolly suie.'

' Oh no, it's Bob's Big One,' said the Rector, and so it got christened.

That was a delightful evening for Bob* Prissy watched him, and he made louder sound, and more of it, than all the other men in the room pnt together. When Toby, crouching over his 'cello, would clutch its neck and carve savagely at it, Bob would stand erect and touch up his centre string ; but if Toby attempted any fancy work, tickling and picking with his fingers, Bob would let go the big string and drown him head over ears. It was fine. .If Robert strayed, the parson would cry to him, ' First bellows-nail, please, Rosp,' or 'Second hob nail, Robert,' as the case might be ; and when be desired modulations, he called; 'Look out, Robert, sharp coming !' So things went very pmoothly and the parson's Hdy came in to see this wonderful instrument which was keeping her fowls awake.

For the ingenious young man the evening was full of hints by which he profited against the future. Accordingly, come next week, when Toby walked over behind a Warmster boy who carripd his green bag in state, there was a blot moving two miles ahead of him on the plain, which blot was Robert Ross, driving a donkey cart with his big one therein. When it was unloaded, ' Law, Robert ! what

be they tits on thy fiddle V people inquired. Then Bob explained that he had built a cupboard and two drawers in the front to hold things ; and he got out from one a necktie and a pair of boots, and some honey for Priss out of the other.

Still his fancy urged him on to new amendments, and late next Tuesday afternoon the Dinder folk, hearing a great rattling and bumping, perceived that Robert had mounted his big one on wheels and was trundling it down the hill. The axle was detachable and took ofl when ho wished to perform on the vehicle.

Prissy appeared much impressed by his ingenuity and his neckties ; she was kind to him, and when fche looked the look, there was a tiny something at the back of it which made Bob's heart beat quickly. Toby purchased an iron peg for his instrument, and weakly invested in a "brass box for the strings ; but for some reason he could make no headway.

At last things cime to a crisis. It had been a pouring wet week and the Darle was in flood. There was no getting on to the hill from Warmster or from Mallop either, for the swollen river ran between over ford and bridge.

But when -Tuesday morning dawned grey and dripping, Robert arose with an idea. All the forenoon he labored at it with pitch and with paint ; and at the turn of the day he embarked upon his big one, having slackened off the strings sufficiently to afford comfortable sitting room* After an uneventual passage he drifted against a willow on the further side, and arrived at Dinder in time for practice. Every one was astonished to see him, and! commended the young man's resource and industry ; but Prissy, as they: walked up to the practice room, said that it was \ery wrong of him to have gone on the water upon his viol. Bob asked why. She answered (very low),. ' Because you might have been drownded.' Bob set down his craft inside the doorway of the empty room; and said bravely, groping out with one arm (for the thumping of his heart dimmed his eyes), ' Should 'cc care then, Prissy 1 Should 'cc, should 'cc V Prissy nodded, and began to cry for fear — for fear—

Long after this, and far from Dinder I came up their garden one evening when their son and his wife and children had been paying them a visit, for I wanted to hear all about the boys. The old lady was sprinkling linen, the old gentleman was smoking and staring silently at his hollyhocks.

* Ah, Gne boys they be,' said Prissy, aud young Bob, tie do take after Iris

granddad wonderful, he do. And as fond o* music !' The old man awoke from his reverie. ' Evening, Parson,' he said. ' What were you dreaming about, Bob V I asked. ' That there old cradle,' he answered. * It were a double bas* once. Ah !' And he told me this which I have written. ' Yes,' said Prissy, with a sunny sigh, 'It's getting a bit old now. But 'tis a good old thing. It's been a cupboard and a cart, and a boat, and a meal chest, and a dresser, and a cradle ; and I'll bp bound as the old man's a--schen> ing to make something else out on it yet, ain'typ, father? 'Ah, I be,? said Bob. 'I was just a-thinking then, 'tis the very thing we want for that chicken coop.'