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everyday occurrences。
DEAR FATHER： Twice before I have written ＇ran the letter＇； and
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received no answer。 But I'm going to make one more effort for forgiveness。
May I not come to you this Christmas？ I have a little boy of my own now；
and my heart aches for you。 I know how I should feel； should he； in years
to come； do as I did。
I'll not deceive youI have not given up my art。 You told me once to
choose between you and itand I chose； I suppose； at least； I ran away。 Yet
in the face of all that； I ask you again； may I not come to you at Christmas？
I want you； father； and I want mother。 And I want you to see my boy。
〃Well？〃 said Simeon Holly； trying to speak with a steady coldness
that would not show how deeply moved he was。 〃Well； Ellen？〃
〃Yes； Simeon； yes！〃 choked his wife； a world of mother…love and
longing in her pleading eyes and voice。 〃Yesyou'll let it be'Yes'！〃
〃Uncle Simeon； Aunt Ellen；〃 called David； clattering down the stairs
from his room； 〃I've found such a beautiful song in my violin； and I'm
going to play it over and over so as to be sure and remember it for father
for it is a beautiful world； Uncle Simeon； isn't it？ Now； listen！〃
And Simeon Holly listenedbut it was not the violin that he heard。 It
was the voice of a little curly…headed boy out of the past。
When David stopped playing some time later； only the woman sat
watching himthe man was over at his desk； pen in hand。
John； John's wife； and John's boy came the day before Christmas； and
great was the excitement in the Holly farmhouse。 John was found to be big；
strong； and bronzed with the outdoor life of many a sketching tripa son
to be proud of； and to be leaned upon in one's old age。 Mrs。 John；
according to Perry Larson； was 〃the slickest little woman goin'。〃
According to John's mother； she was an almost unbelievable incarnation of
a long…dreamed…of； long…despaired…of daughtersweet； lovable； and
charmingly beautiful。 Little Johnlittle John was himself； and he could
not have been more had he been an angel…cherub straight from heaven
which； in fact； he was； in his doting grandparents' eyes。
John Holly had been at his old home less than four hours when he
chanced upon David's violin。 He was with his father and mother at the
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JUST DAVID
time。 There was no one else in the room。 With a sidelong glance at his
parents； he picked up the instrumentJohn Holly had not forgotten his
own youth。 His violin…playing in the old days had not been welcome； he
remembered。
〃A fiddle！ Who plays？〃 he asked。
〃David。〃
〃Oh； the boy。 You say youtook him in？ By the way； what an odd little
shaver he is！ Never did I see a BOY like HIM。〃 Simeon Holly's head came
up almost aggressively。
〃David is a good boya very good boy； indeed； John。 We think a great
deal of him。〃
John Holly laughed lightly； yet his brow carried a puzzled frown。 Two
things John Holly had not been able thus far to understand： an indefinable
change in his father； and the position of the boy David； in the household
John Holly was still remembering his own repressed youth。
〃Hm…m；〃 he murmured； softly picking the strings； then drawing across
them a tentative bow。 〃I've a fiddle at home that I play sometimes。 Do you
mind if Itune her up？〃
A flicker of something that was very near to humor flashed from his
father's eyes。
〃Oh； no。 We are used to thatnow。〃 And again John Holly remembered
his youth。
〃Jove！ but he's got the dandy instrument here；〃 cried the player；
dropping his bow after the first half…dozen superbly vibrant tones； and
carrying the violin to the window。 A moment later he gave an amazed
ejaculation and turned on his father a dumfounded face。
〃Great Scott； father！ Where did that boy get this instrument？ I KNOW
something of violins； if I can't play them much； and this！ Where DID he
get it？〃
〃Of his father； I suppose。 He had it when he came here； anyway。〃
〃 'Had it when he came'！ But； father； you said he was a tramp； andoh；
come； tell me； what is the secret behind this？ Here I come home and find
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JUST DAVID
calmly reposing on my father's sitting…room table a violin that's priceless；
for all I know。 Anyhow； I do know that its value is reckoned in the
thousands； not hundreds： and yet you； with equal calmness； tell me it's
owned by this boy who； it's safe to say； doesn't know how to play sixteen
notes on it correctly； to say nothing of appreciating those he does play； and
who； by your own account； is nothing but〃 A swiftly uplifted hand of
warning stayed the words on his lips。 He turned to see David himself in
the doorway。
〃Come in； David；〃 said Simeon Holly quietly。 〃My son wants to hear
you play。 I don't think he has heard you。〃 And again there flashed from
Simeon Holly's eyes a something very much like humor。
With obvious hesitation John Holly relinquished the violin。 From the
expression on his face it was plain to be seen the sort of torture he deemed
was before him。 But； as if constrained to ask the question； he did say：
〃Where did you get this violin； boy？〃
〃I don't know。 We've always had it； ever since I could rememberthis
and the other one。〃
〃The OTHER one！〃
〃Father's。〃
〃Oh！〃 He hesitated； then； a little severely； he observed： 〃This is a fine
instrument； boy；a very fine instrument。〃
〃Yes；〃 nodded David； with a cheerful smile。 〃Father said it was。 I like
it； too。 This is an Amati； but the other is a Stradivarius。 I don't know which
I do like best； sometimes； only this is mine。〃
With a half…smothered ejaculation John Holly fell back limply。
〃Then youdoknow？〃 he challenged。
〃Knowwhat？〃
〃The value of that violin in your hands。〃
There was no answer。 The boy's eyes were questioning。
〃The worth； I mean；what it's worth。〃
〃Why； noyesthat is； it's worth everythingto me；〃 answered David；
in a puzzled voice。
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With an impatient gesture John Holly brushed this aside。
〃But the other onewhere is that？〃
〃At Joe Glaspell's。 I gave it to him to play on； because he had n't any；
and he liked to play so well。〃
〃You GAVE it to hima Stradivarius！〃
〃I loaned it to him；〃 corrected David； in a troubled voice。 〃Being
father's； I couldn't bear to give it away。 But JoeJoe had to have
something to play on。〃
〃 'Something to play on'！ Father； he doesn't mean the River Street
Glaspells？〃 cried John Holly。
〃I think he does。 Joe is old Peleg Glaspell's grandson。〃 John Holly
threw up both his hands。
〃A Stradivariusto old Peleg's grandson！ Oh； ye gods！〃 he muttered。
〃Well； I'll be〃 He did not finish his sentence。 At another word from
Simeon Holly； David had begun to play。
From his seat by the stove Simeon Holly watched his son's faceand
smiled。 He saw amazement； unbelief； and delight struggle for the mastery；
but before the playing had ceased； he was summoned by Perry Larson to
the kitchen on a matter of business。 So it was into the kitchen that John
Holly burst a little later； eyes and cheek aflame。
〃Father； where in Heaven's name DID you get that boy？〃 he demanded。
〃Who taught him to play like that？ I've been trying to find out from him；
but I'd defy Sherlock Holmes himself to make head or tail of the sort of
lingo he talks； about mountain homes and the Orchestra of Life！ Father；
what DOES it mean？〃
Obediently Simeon Holly told the story then； more fully than he had
told it before。 He brought forward the letter； too； with its mysterious
signature。
〃Perhaps you can make it out； son；〃 he laughed。 〃None of the rest of us
can； though I haven't shown it to anybody now for a long time。 I got
discou