Part 7 (1/2)

The glue at hand being fresh and very strong, a piece of steel wire or knitting needle of convenient length will be a desideratuh to enable the stud to be lifted thereby and held upside dohile a globule of glue is laid or dropped upon it It is then turned over and laid on the desired spot and pressed there

If the point of the needle is nicely polished it will allow of pressing, and a turn round will release it, leaving the stud in position; if on the other hand the point is too prolonged, rough and sharp, the stud will probably be pulled off again It will thus be perceptible that the best shape will be rather obtuse but very s or chilling, an additional pressure with a slue out froes and the work may be left to itself

A word or two as to shape Sometimes circular discs of sycae shape is frequently met with, and this I ale at each end there is a corresponding increase of holding surface with the least arain does not run with that of the joint, nor in exact opposition to it, but diagonally

There is a method much to be deprecated that was fashi+onable in so the e or square space and then fitting and filling with a stud When dry, the parts are levelled and glass-papered over This syste quite sood for a ti it, the supposed re in danger of disarrange even further heroic treatment

Should the studs when firm and dry seem to require a little finish, the chisel ular or sharpened surface doards, the thinnest shavings being taken carefully off A slight touching with glass paper may be allowed to take away the crudeness of the chisel rees have to be treated at other parts of the back, small studs may be used, particularly when the fractures are fresh, free froether has been effected, studs of not hth of an inch will be found sufficient It is scarcely necessary to add that they may be thinner in substance also If, however, there be sufficient substance of wood, the fractures and joints brought well together and fitting closely and neatly, then studs are better dispensed with altogether, the si less impaired

It must be always borne in mind that the smaller the amount of fresh wood introduced into an injured violin the better In instances where a part is lost or so broken as to be little less than pulverised, there is only one course open, that of paring down the sides of the aperture so that the fresh woodrepaired to the chief's satisfaction, the instrue which may be discovered shall be seen to for a ti up Just at the moment announcement is made of the arrival of a parcel directed to the chief, ”With care, fragile”

”Another patient for our hospital,” he observes ”Oh, it's froht from his remarks and careless er, if not into inextricable difficulties; let us see what is the matter

Open the box, James, take the fiddle out, there is probably a letter placed with it to save postage” James dutifully proceeds with the hile his chief retires tosoht, sir, there is a dirty envelope stuck between the strings and fingerboard” This is taken away and handed to the chief, who runs a se and releases the epistle, which runs as follows:--

SIR,--In this reat trouble as I walk the stairs down o to the bass, and when I was to pick him up he was bad break in one two place I aood doctor to finish hie

Truly yours, HERMANN GROSZHAAR

”Capital English for him,” says the chief, to which James answers in a careless sort of undertone, ”There's a little English, but less capital about him, wanted to borrow five bob fro taken from the case, is closely exa it here and there and holding it up to the light At last, handing it to James he says:--”Not so much as I should have expected after the terrible occurrence described in the letter; the fiddle is a good one, so it deserves proper attention, no matter ns it Just look about the case and find if you can the small piece that has come from this place in the front table”

James looks earnestly about the interior of the violin case without success ”No sign of it here, sir, there's nothing at all but a little bit of sweetstuff,” he says, taking out a small white disc from one of the side pockets

”Well, we et that box out with the odd pieces of old wood; I've no doubt you will find a piece that will rain of the pine to a nicety; we must have the upper table off, better do it first”

This proceeding, of a kind as described before, having occupied some minutes, the upper table is held by the chief while the assistant gropes a the odds and ends of pine and in a minute or two finds a piece which is pronounced to suit admirably ”Now, James, there appears to be only this portion seriously injured, and another, al It will be co, you will be careful to make the walls of this part contract as the descent is e-shaped You will at the same time be careful and bear in mind that this fresh ill have to rain will appear continuous and not broken to the eye of any person but the experienced critic

To please this person, however, you will have not only to h evenly, but so fit your wood as to be in the direction of the growth of the plank from which the table was cut

You see this aperture is on the slant or curve about e and part near the tail-piece Many repairers, even when inserting fresh ith exceeding neatness, neglect this precaution, and, in consequence, when the part is finished and varnished over, there is but little indication of repair when looked at froht, this fault is very conspicuous A frequent atte the part with dull varnish that will not allow of h; so is pasted over, obscuring the grain of the old and neood alike in the locality, and thuswhat is known as a botch”

For the execution of such repairs as these there will not be any necessity to open the violin They will really becrack while fresh will take the glue readily and be as secure as required when dry It should be placed along the line to the extreentle pressure alternately each side the glue will be gradually drawn in This should be continued for some time, until there is little disposition shown for lue will noiped off; should there be any tendency on one side or the other to ree which ainst, a piece of tape or ribbon tied round the violin at the part, and a se of soft wood inserted between the tape and the elevated edge, will bring it to a proper level, when it may be put aside to dry and harden

When sufficient ti to atthe crack wiped with a da is done neatly and cleanly, there will be very little evidence of da In such instances as the present there s with proper wedges, according to the length of the crack, the size of the violin and the h, or of the kind called by our French neighbours _boether without help will be es should be at once lance at the model

CHAPTER XIV

REPAIRING LOST PORTIONS--MARGINS OF SOUND HOLES--MATCHING THE GRAIN--FIXING AND FINIshi+NG OFF--REPLACING WITH FRESH WOOD LARGE PORTIONS OF UPPER TABLE--LOST PARTS OF PURFLING--RESTORING IT WITH OLD STUFF