Next spring a young man by the name S boarded next room of mine. He was conscriptod to the japanese army when he was 15 and was discharged from the service and got a job in the town office. I have to descrive a mysterious eoisode of violine 32 years afterward, as I believe it is a destiny to mention it.

Whenever I practice violine in my room, he used to come in my room saying violine tone is certainly charming and he also said he had played it when he was stationed in Siberia.

Lenin's force defeated Russian army, many Japanese fisherman on the coast of the Amur river were killed in the battle, so the Japanese government decided to dispatch army force to protect Japanese in that area. His army corps were transferred to Havarovsk to guard against wireless base.
While he stayed tｈere,　he wished to play violin at his off duty, so he went in second hand music instrument store and asked for inexpensive violin, the proprietor showed him an old violin in a case and price was $12.50. He tried it and tone was fairy good, so he bought jt. Every time he played it, many japanese soldiers enjoyed and it could be heard even in far distant station.

I was listening intently to his story, I asked him if it were good and hand made instrument, to my inquiry he replied it had good tone and may be hand made instrument, because it had hand shaped parts which prove it.
He wanted to bring it back home, but unfortunately soldiers were not permited to carry bulky baggage, so he asked officer to carry it back home with his baggage. In the meantime he was again transferred to Korean border and brought it to Korea. In his off duty he used to play it in a little shack behind quarter.

This year he was discharged on the place and wanted to bring it back home. But one of soldier friends asked him to leave it at his care, but he was being uncouth fellow, he was unwilling to leave with him, but thinking soldiers in lonely place need someconsolation durig off duty, so he left it at his care.

I told him that I have been looking for hand mde violin for a long time and said I can not expect fine and living tone of violin unless it is hand made instrument. I have asked him time and again whether he was willing to sell it to me. He after thinking a while, said he was very much moved of my zeal in obtaining hand made violin said yes. He will at once write his brother who is to be discharged from army short and let his brother bring it back home. At any rate he said he will write him at once expecting it may reach him in time.

I have been waiting every day wishing it might be brought back wihout much trouble. On certain day when I came back from school, next door border S was already back from office and in a little while Mr. S knocked at my door and found him carry violin case and said his letter to his brother reached in time and his brother came back yesterday and brought violin to his office today, but very regrettable thing happened that front board of instrument cracked three places by 10 centimeter. He tried it in his office, but unfortunately tone could not produce at all.

I asked him how much will be the charge, but he refused to accept any money nor any other present stating that he was glad to have it back from soldier friend with no trouble. He said if I think it constraind to have it for nothing, a handkerchief do to satisfy my obligation to him. Thus my long coveted hand made violin came to my hand at last. I told him I will have it repaired at any cost to repay his kindness.

Fact is strange more than fiction had proved and the the story of violin episode will be disclosed from now on.




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