186.—A KIND ACT.
Paganini was not, as a general thing, noted for deeds of charity. In fact, he became quite a miser in his later days. For this reason the following incident is all the more peculiar.
He happened, in the course of a walk on the streets of Vienna, to come across a miserable little fellow sawing away on an old fiddle. On inquiry the great violinist learned that the boy was trying to maintain an invalid mother and several little brothers and sisters by his street playing. Paganini, touched by the boy's destitute circumstances, took the old fiddle and began to play in his marvelous manner; and after a crowd had collected he himself passed around the hat and collected a goodly sum from the bystanders, adding to it all the money he had in his own pockets.
187.—PUBLIC CRITICISM.
Critics who give vent to their ideas in public places should be sure of their neighbors before using a loud utterance.
Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream" overture was first given in Paris. There had been reserved for the composer a seat in one of the prominent boxes, and in the same box were some well-known musical amateurs who were, as it happened, ignorant that the composer of the music to which they were listening was in their company.
After the music had progressed for some time one of the gentlemen got up to take his leave, saying, "Yes, it is good, very good, but we shall not relish the rest;" and they left the box, ignorant of Mendelssohn's presence. Perhaps their idea in leaving was that they were satisfied and pleased and had had the worth of their money, and did not care to undergo an attack of musical
