“Put it in the back closet and lock the door.”

She insisted: “Hide it quick, I implore;

The Lord in his wrath will blow the house o’er!

Don’t you know better than to tempt God in that way,

While the lightning and thunder His power display?”

I admit that I did not know, but in my heart,

Then tender in years, was lodged a dart

It took years to remove; even now when I start

Upon my new violin some music to play

I wonder sometimes if in some mysterious way