Part 7 (2/2)

As the repairing now under consideration is of a kind requiring not only skill, but experience in the handling of the tools and necessary appliances connected therewith, ill still suppose ourselves in the trained repairer's rooms at the rear of his premises, and that professors and amateurs frequently call at the shop in front with violins of various kinds with all sorts of injuries that they are desirous of having put right

Just at this lides in, followed by her footht a violin that has been laid aside and forgotten for a long tienerations in fact, it used to be in repute as a violin by Crereat progress under the guidance of one of the most eminent perfor order if it is worth the expense

The foot that holds the lid down, the hinges being out of working condition, and places it on the counter; the lid being raised, a strong mousy odour comes forth

Our chief takes the violin from the hands of the man and turns it over, raises his eyebrows and relected, the case having been left openretreat afforded them” ”Yes,” is the lady's rejoinder, ”I believe the case was found a little way open, my friends have not been musical at any tiood violin, Mr ----?”

”Good, madam? it is very fine, one of the masterpieces of Cremona The s have gone nearly half through one of the wings”

”Wings!” says the lady ”I was not aware of there being any wings to a violin” ”No, s is a technical terht cut line at the lower end of the sound hole We shall have to open the violin to repair that part properly”

”I hope that will not ruin the instrument,” observes the lady ”Can you not do the repair without?” ”We could, ma'am, if ished to save time and run a risk” ”Oh, please don't run any risk with it, now that I know that it is a valuable instrument I must ask you to take extra pains and do it in your best manner”

”If you would like to see the violin open, I will get my assistant to do it now, it will take but ait here again”

There is not , the upper table has not been very obstinate, and James soon reappears with the loose parts, which he hands to his chief The lady, rather eager at first to see if there is anything curious about the inside of a violin, rather shrinks ahen it is brought near ”It is in a very dirty condition,” the chief observes, ”but we shall soon get that all right,” he adds, ”by giving it a wash”

”But will not wetting it spoil the tone?” the lady asks ”Not in the least, ma'am,” is the reply ”In fact, it will be irease and filth that the vibration would be seriously interfered with When it is quite clean there will be more freedom, and the true character of the tone declared”

The lady having departed, the chief takes the violin parts to the workrooht so too, sir,” he replies, ”got so the s”

”That will require careful work, James, think you can do it sufficiently neat and make the neood match well?”

”I think so, sir Some of that old pine that we had sent us last ill ive it a clean out first, James” This is at once coe and stubby brush, followed by the application of a clean dry rag or duster, the interior presents a fairly clean appearance

”I see you have been careful about the label, James It was not possible to decipher it when sht, original ticket without a doubt Joseph filius Bringdone, the chief takes the brush wetted with the benzine and carefully brushes about the corners and other parts where the grease has refused to come away under the ordinary treat of the cloth held in readiness

”There,” he says at last, ”it is quite fresh and wholesoain”

”Now, Ja a clean sweep of the ragged parts with the knife or letting in angular portions in the Ger close at it perhaps the best ill be to act both ways, cut that part straight through and fit the splinters along there”

”Yes,” says the chief, ”I think that ill save as much of the old material, if not more, than any other Take pains with it and s are clean and sharp”

James retires with the upper table to his bench, where the different necessary excisions are proceeded with

The next stage is that of glueing pieces of wood at the back of and across the sound holes The object of this is to getholect of this precaution es caused,it After the necessary tiins theof the parts with pieces of old wood from the carefully hoarded pile in a box kept for the purpose; first one piece, then another is tried, until the right one is obtained for each require of the thread or grain The surfaces to coer ones only at present, the slue is applied to the parts which are to be united and they are pressed together, help toward adjustlued across