Phil, the Fiddler Part 24

Phil shook his head, smiling.

"Don't let Jimmy have it. He would only spoil it," said Mrs. Hoffman. "I don't think he would succeed as well in music as in drawing."

"Will you play something?" asked Jimmy.

Phil willingly complied, and for half an hour held Jimmy entranced with his playing. The little boy then undertook to teach Phil how to draw, but at this Phil probably cut as poor a figure as his instructor would have done at playing on the violin.

So the afternoon wore away, happily for all three, and at five Paul made his appearance. When supper was over Phil played again, and this attracting the attention of the neighbors, Mrs. Hoffman's rooms were gradually filled with visitors, who finally requested Phil to play some dancing tunes. Finding him able to do so, an impromptu dance was got up, and Mrs. Hoffman, considerably to her surprise, found that she was giving a dancing-party. Paul, that nothing might be left out, took a companion with him and they soon reappeared with cake and ice cream, which were pa.s.sed around amid great hilarity; and it was not until midnight that the last visitor went out, and the sound of music and laughter was hushed.

"You are getting fas.h.i.+onable in your old age, mother," said Paul, gayly.

"I think I shall send an account of your party to the Home Journal."

"I believe it is usual to describe the dresses of the ladies," said Mrs.

Hoffman, smiling.

"Oh, yes, I won't forget that. Just give me a piece of paper and see how I will do it."

Paul, whose education, I repeat here, was considerably above that of most boys in his position, sat down and hastily wrote the following description, which was read to the great amus.e.m.e.nt of his auditors:

"Mrs. Hoffman, mother of the well-known artist, Jimmy Hoffman, Esq., gave a fas.h.i.+onable party last evening. Her s.p.a.cious and elegant apartments were crowded with finely dressed gentlemen and ladies from the lower part of the city. Signor Filippo, the great Italian musician, furnished the music. Mrs. Hoffman appeared in a costly calico dress, and had a valuable gold ring on one of her fingers. Her son, the artist, was richly dressed in a gray suit, purchased a year since. Miss Bridget Flaherty, of Mott Street, was the belle of the occasion, and danced with such grace and energy that the floor came near giving away beneath her fairy tread. [Miss Flaherty, by the way, weighed one hundred and eighty pounds.] Mr. Mike Donovan, newspaper merchant, handed round refreshments with his usual graceful and elegant deportment. Miss Matilda Wiggins appeared in a magnificent print dress, imported from Paris by A. T.

Stewart, and costing a s.h.i.+lling a yard. No gloves were worn, as they are now dispensed with in the best society. At a late hour the guests dispersed. Mrs. Hoffman's party will long be remembered as the most brilliant of the season."

"I did not know you had so much talent for reporting, Paul," said his mother. "You forgot one thing, however."

"What is that?"

"You said nothing of yourself."

"I was too modest, mother. However, if you insist upon it, I will do so.

Anything at all to please you."

Paul resumed his writing and in a short time had the following:

"Among those present we observed the handsome and accomplished Paul Hoffman, Esq., the oldest son of the hostess. He was elegantly dressed in a pepper-and-salt coat and vest, blue necktie, and brown breeches, and wore a six-cent diamond breastpin in the bosom of his s.h.i.+rt. His fifteen-cent handkerchief was perfumed with cologne which he imported himself at a cost of ten cents per bottle. He attracted general admiration."

"You seem to have got over your modesty, Paul," said his mother.

"I am sleepy," said Jimmy, drowsily rubbing his eyes.

As this expressed the general feeling, they retired to bed at once, and in half an hour were wandering in the land of dreams.

CHAPTER XVII

THE PADRONE IS ANXIOUS

The next morning Paul and Phil rose later that usual. They slept longer, in order to make up for the late hour at which they retired. As they sat down to breakfast, at half-past eight, Paul said: "I wonder whether the padrone misses you, Phil?"

"Yes," said Phil; "he will be very angry because I did not come back last night."

"Will he think you have run away?"

"I do not know. Some of the boys stay away sometimes, because they are too far off to come home."

"Then he may expect you to-night. I suppose he will have a beating ready for you."

"Yes, he would beat me very hard," said Phil, "if he thought I did not mean to come back."

"I should like to go and tell him that he need not expect you. I should like to see how he looks."

"He might beat you, too, Paolo."

"I should like to see him try it," said Paul, straightening up with a consciousness of strength. "He might find that rather hard."

Phil looked admiringly at the boy who was not afraid of the padrone.

Like his comrades, he had been accustomed to think of the padrone as possessed of unlimited power, and never dreamed of anybody defying him, or resisting his threats. Though he had determined to run away, his soul was not free from the tyranny of his late taskmaster, and he thought with uneasiness and dread of the possibility of his being conveyed back to him.

"Well, mother," said Paul, glancing at the clock as he rose from the breakfast table, "it is almost nine o'clock--rather a late hour for a business man like me."

"You are not often so late, Paul."

"It is lucky that I am my own employer, or I might run the risk of being discharged. I am afraid the excuse that I was at Mrs. Hoffman's fas.h.i.+onable party would not be thought sufficient. I guess I won't have time to stop to shave this morning."

"You haven't got anything to shave," said Jimmy.

"Don't be envious, Jimmy. I counted several hairs this morning. Well, Phil, are you ready to go with me? Don't forget your fiddle."

"When shall we see you again, Philip?" said Mrs. Hoffman.

"I do not know," said the little minstrel.

"Shall you not come to the city sometimes?"

"I am afraid the padrone would catch me," said Phil.

"Whenever you do come, Phil," said Paul, "come right to me. I will take care of you. I don't think the padrone will carry us both off, and he would have to take me if he took you."

"Good-by, Philip," said Mrs. Hoffman, offering her hand. "I hope you will prosper."

"So do I, Phil," said Jimmy.

Phil thus took with him the farewells and good wishes of two friends who had been drawn to him by his attractive face and good qualities. He could not help wis.h.i.+ng that he might stay with them permanently, but he knew that this could not be. To remain in the same city with the padrone was out of the question.

Meanwhile we return to the house which Phil had forsaken, and inquire what effect was produced by his non-appearance.

It was the rule of the establishment that all the boys should be back by midnight. Phil had generally returned an hour before that time. When, therefore, it was near midnight, the padrone looked uneasily at the clock.

"Have you seen Filippo?" he asked, addressing his nephew.