The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1847-11-27


Thus did our young ex- barber of New York;
he studied by science what he had before
learned through his natural genius, and rose
slowly and gradually in his profession. Some
times his slight and ordinary appearance,
which made him look more boyish than he
really was-his quaint old world name-and,
above all, simplicity and Quaker-like pecu-
liarity in his dress and manner, aroused the
ridicule of his companions, who followed
music more for show than through real genius
and love of the art. But the story of his
early perseverance always disarmed them
and it was a common saying, with reference to
young Vandrest, that he who could make
violin, would surely learn to play it.
By degrees the young violinist rose into
note, and became received into society where
he could hardly have dreamed that he should
have ever set his foot. But it is happy
popularity in the domestic manners of the
new world, that real talent ever finds its way,
and takes its own rank in society. Thus many
a rich citizen was pleased to welcome to his
house Mr.. Vandrest, the young and unassum-
ing musician, whose gentle manners and ac-
knowledged talent were equally priced. The
barber apprentice of New York was utterly
forgotten. or only thought of as proof of
how much mans fortune lies in his own
hands, if he will only try.
In one of those elegant reunions which were
established when worthy Brother Jonathan
was first beginning to show his soul and mind
when Bryants songs, and Allston's pictures,
and Channings's lectures, first gave evidence
of transatlantic genius,-Vandresta again heard
the name which had never utterly gone from
his memory through all his yicissitudes =
Cora Dacres. He turned round and saw the
altered likeness of the girl who had held the
water to his lips on the night Of the ball.
She had grown into womanly beauty; but he
remembered the face still. She had not the
faintest memory of him-how could it be sos
Light and darkness were not more different
than the pleasing intellectual, gentlemanlike
man who was introduced to her, and the pale,
angular, and ill-clad boy whom she had pitied
and aided. Sometimes Vandrest thought he
would remind her of the circumstance; but
then vague feeling of sensitiveness and
shame, not entirely the result of the memory
of those poverty stricken days, prevented
him. He went home, and again his old violin
might have heard breathed over it the name of
Cora Dacres but this time not in boyish en-
thusiasm for whatever was pleasing and beau
tiful. but in the first strong, all absorbing love
of manhood, awakened in nature which was
everyway calculated to receive and retain that
sentiment in its highest, purest and most en-
during character
Reuben Vandrest (hate him not dear reader,
for having so unherolike name will engage
that if Cora loved him, she thought it most
beautiful and so would you, if any one dear
to you bore the same) WE'LL Reuben Wand
rest, who had hitherto cared for nothing OH
earth but his violin, soon learned to regard
Miss Dacres with the enthusiastic attachment
of an earnest and upright nature for with
all the allurements of a musical career, Reu-
ben continued as simple minded and guileless
in character as the primitive sect from which
he sprung. And Cora was worthy to inspire
the love of such man whether she returned
it or not, Reuben did not consider-he was
too utterly absorbed in the new delight Of
loving, and of loving her, to think of asking
himself :he question. He visited at her house,
and became favorite with her father-a
would be amateur, who took pleasure in filling
his drawing rooms with musicians and treat
ing them as costly and not disagreeable play
things.
But at last Mr.. Dacres was reused from his
apathy by the evident and close friendship
between his daughter and young Vandrest.
Though he liked the violinst well enough, the
hint of Reut en- marrying Cora sounded i'll in
the ears of the prudent man. especially when
given by one OF those odious good natured
friends with whom the world abounds. The
result was a conversation between himself and
Vandrest, in which, utterly bewildered and
despairing, poor Reuben declared his hidden
and treasured love, first with the shrinking
tinidity of man who sees his Utmost heart
rudely laid bare, and then with the firmness
given by consciousness that there is in that
heart nothing for which an honest man need
blush.
CONCLUDED MoNDAY.)