Phil the Fiddler

H >> Horatio Alger, Jr. >> Phil the Fiddler


To begin with, Phil was carried to the village tailor, where an ample
wardrobe was ordered for him. His old clothes were not cast aside, but
kept in remembrance of his appearance at the time he came to them. It
was a novel sensation for Phil, when, in his new suit, with a satchel of
books in his hand, he set out for the town school. It is needless to say
that his education was very defective, but he was far from deficient in
natural ability, and the progress he made was so rapid that in a year he
was on equal footing with the average of boys at his age. He was able at
that time to speak English as fluently as his companions, and, but for
his dark eyes, and clear brown complexion, he might have been mistaken
for an American boy.

His popularity with his schoolfellows was instant and decided. His good
humor and lively disposition might readily account for that, even if his
position as the adopted son of a prominent citizen had no effect. But it
was understood that the doctor, who had no near relatives, intended to
treat Phil in all respects as a son, even to leaving him his heir.

It may be asked whether the padrone gave up all efforts to recover the
young fiddler. He was too vindictive for this. Boys had run away from
him before, but none had subjected him to such ignominious failure in
the effort for their recovery. It would have fared ill with our young
hero if he had fallen again into the hands of his unscrupulous enemy.
But the padrone was not destined to recover him. Day after day Pietro
explored the neighboring towns, but all to no purpose. He only visited
the principal towns, while Phil was in a small town, not likely to
attract the attention of his pursuers.

A week after his signal failure in Newark, the padrone inserted an
advertisement in the New York Herald, offering a reward of twenty-five
dollars for the recovery of Phil. But our hero was at that time
wandering about the country, and the advertisement did not fall under
the eyes of those with whom he came in contact. At length the padrone
was compelled to own himself baffled and give up the search. He was not
without hopes, however, that sometime Phil would turn up. He did hear of
him again through Pietro, but not in a way to bring him any nearer his
recovery.

This is the way it happened:

One Saturday morning in March, about three months after Phil had found a
home, the doctor said to him: "Phil, I am going to New York this morning
on a little business; would you like to come with me?"

Phil's eyes brightened. Though he was happy in his village home, he had
longed at times to find himself in the city streets with which his old
vagabond life had rendered him so familiar.

"I should like it very much," he answered, eagerly.

"Then run upstairs and get ready. I shall start in fifteen minutes."

Phil started, and then turned back.

"I might meet Pietro, or the padrone," he said, hesitating.

"No matter if you do, I shall be with you. If they attempt to recover
you, I will summon the police."

The doctor spoke so confidently that Phil dismissed his momentary fear.
Two hours later they set foot in New York.

"Now, Phil," said the doctor, "my business will not take long. After
that, if there are any friends you would like to see, I will go with you
and find them."

"I should like to see Paul Hoffman," said Phil. "I owe him two dollars
and a half for the fiddle."

"He shall be paid," said the doctor. "He shall lose nothing by trusting
you."

An hour afterward, while walking with the doctor in a side street,
Phil's attention was attracted by the notes of a hand-organ. Turning in
the direction from which they came, he met the glance of his old enemy,
Pietro.

"It is Pietro," he said, quickly, touching the arm of his companion.

Pietro had not been certain till then that it was Phil. It looked like
him, to be sure, but his new clothing and general appearance made such
a difference between him and the Phil of former days that he would
have supposed it only an accidental resemblance. But Phil's evident
recognition of him convinced him of his identity. He instantly ceased
playing, and, with eager exultation, advanced to capture him. Phil would
have been alarmed but for his confidence in the doctor's protection.

"I have got you at last, scelerato," said Pietro, roughly, grasping Phil
by the shoulder with a hostile glance.

The doctor instantly seized him by the collar, and hurled him back.

"What do you mean by assaulting my son?" he demanded, coolly.

Pietro was rather astonished at this unexpected attack.

"He is my brother," he said. "He must go back with me."

"He is not your brother. If you touch him again, I will hand you to the
police."

"He ran away from my uncle," said Pietro.

"Your uncle should have treated him better."

"He stole a fiddle," said Pietro, doggedly.

"He had paid for it over and over again," said the doctor. "Phil, come
along. We have no further business with this young man."

They walked on, but Pietro followed at a little distance. Seeing this,
Dr. Drayton turned back.

"Young man," he said, "do you see that policeman across the street?"

"Si, signore," answered Pietro.

"Then I advise you to go in a different direction, or I shall request
him to follow you."

Pietro's sallow face was pale with rage. He felt angry enough to tear
Phil to pieces, but his rage was unavailing. He had a wholesome fear
of the police, and the doctor's threat was effectual. He turned
away, though with reluctance, and Phil breathed more freely. Pietro
communicated his information to the padrone, and the latter, finding
that Phil had found a powerful protector, saw that it would be dangerous
for him to carry the matter any further, and sensibly resolved to give
up the chase.

Of the padrone I have only further to say that some months later he got
into trouble. In a low drinking saloon an altercation arose between him
and another ruffian one evening, when the padrone, in his rage, drew a
knife, and stabbed his adversary. He was arrested and is now serving out
his sentence in Sing Sing.

Pietro, by arrangement with him, took his place, stipulating to pay
him a certain annual sum. But he has taken advantage of his uncle's
incarceration to defraud him, and after the first payment neglected to
make any returns. It may readily be imagined that this imbitters the
padrone's imprisonment. Knowing what I do of his fierce temper, I should
not be surprised to hear of a murderous encounter between him and his
nephew after his release from imprisonment, unless, as is probable, just
before the release, Pietro should flee the country with the ill-gotten
gains he may have acquired during his term of office. Meanwhile the boys
are treated with scarcely less rigor by him than by his uncle, and toil
early and late, suffering hardships and privations, that Pietro may grow
rich.

Paul Hoffman had often thought of Phil, and how he had fared. He was
indeed surprised and pleased when the young fiddler walked up and called
him by name.

"Phil," he exclaimed, grasping his hand heartily, "I am very glad to see
you. Have you made a fortune?"

"He has found a father," said Dr. Drayton, speaking for Phil, "who wants
to thank you for your past kindness to his son."

"It was nothing," said Paul, modestly.

"It was a great deal to Phil, for, except your family, he had no
friends."

To this Paul made a suitable reply, and gave Phil and his new father
an earnest invitation to dine with him. This the doctor declined, but
agreed to call at the rooms of Mrs. Hoffman, if Paul would agree to come
and pass the next Sunday with Phil as his visitor. Paul accepted the
invitation with pleasure, and it is needless to say that he received a
hearty welcome and agreed, in the approaching summer, to make another
visit.

And now we bid farewell to Phil, the young, street musician. If his
life henceforth shall be less crowded with adventures, and so less
interesting, it is because he has been fortunate in securing a good
home. Some years hence the Doctor promises to give himself a vacation,
and take Phil with him to Europe, where he will seek out his Italian
home, and the mother with whom he has already opened communication
by letter. So we leave Phil in good hands, and with the prospect of a
prosperous career. But there are hundreds of young street musicians
who have not met with his good fortune, but are compelled, by hard
necessity, to submit to the same privations and hardships from which he
is happily relieved. May a brighter day dawn for them also!

I hope my readers feel an interest in Paul Hoffman, the young street
merchant, who proved so efficient a friend to our young hero. His
earlier adventures are chronicled in "Paul, the Peddler." His later
history will be chronicled in the next volume of this series, which will
be entitled "Slow and Sure; or From the Sidewalk to the Shop."

THE END