WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 939, 5 March 1908, Page 18

WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.

News of a most roman ic adventure that happened to Mark Hamoourg during last year has just reached Australia. He was playing in Warsaw during one of the periodical “ revolutions ” there, and one night while walking home to his hotel, he was accosted by a man who told him that a cable had just arrived with the news ’.hat Mrs Hambourg was dangerously ill. Without stopping to inquire how his informant had found out the contents of a private cable, the pianist started off with him and was led down a side s reet, which he was told was a short cut to his hotel. In a lonely part of it he was seized, gagged, and half pushed, half led, along a passage to a small room where sat three masked men. The one who appeared to be the chairman assured him that no harm was intended, bu that one of the revolutionary societies was very anxious that he should play to them. Mark Hambourg, relieved to find that me news about his wife was false, entered into the spirit of the somewhat grim joke, and readily consen ed. He was informed, however, that it would be necessary to blindfold him. so that there could be no chance of his recognising any of those present. In this condition therefore he was led to the meeting chamber and there played several pieces to his unseen audience, which however, from the applause which greeted him at he conclusion of his strange recital, seemed to be a large one. He was at last allowed to depart, and the guide who first spoke to him led him back to his hotel, feeling none the worse for his adventure.