Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1849-11-14
MARSEILLES HYMN.
THE SONG AND THE SINGER.
BY r B.. ST. JOHN.

vOlutiOn of 1889, in the year 1872, when
young officer in delicate health took up hi
quarters in the city of Marseilles for the 81
lnenths of his leave of absence. 1t seemed
strange retirement: for a young man, for in tn
town no knew no one, and in the depth of wiz
ter Marseilles was no tempting residence. In
officer lived in a garnet looking out upon IN
street, which had for its sole furniture a harp
sichord, a bed, a table, and a chair. But littl
paper ever entered that apartment, where foo
and flel were both scarce; and yet the youn!
man generally remained in doors all day asst
dously writing, or rather detting somethin!
upon paper, an occupation which he alternate'
with music.
Thus passed many months. The young mai
grew thinner and paler, and his leave of absence
appeared likely to bring no convalescence. Blu
he was handsome and interesting, despite hi
sallow hue. Long hair, full beaming eye:
that spoke of intelligence, and even genius
frankness of manner, all prepossessed in hi!
favor, and many a smile and look of kindnes.
came to him from beautiful eyes that he motto
ed not nor cared te-Hotice. In fact he rarely
went out but at night, and then he walked
down by the booming sea, which he seemed
to love. Sometimes, it is true he would hang
about the theatre door when operas were about
to be played, and look with longing eye with.
in; but he never entered-either his purse OF
mis- inclination failed him. But he always ex.
amined with care the name of the piece and
its author, and then walked to the sea shore,
to muse and mediate.
Shotly after his arrival in Marseilles, he Vi
and publishers in the town with a bundle of
rnapneor;pfs T., bon1. hit b;c roaopfson vyo, n n
parently not very favorable, for he left them
all with a frowning air, and still with his bum
die of manuscripts. Some had detained him
a long time, as ifin estimating the value of the
goods he offered for sale; but these were no
more tempted than the others to try the salea-
bic character Of the commodity. The house
he lived in had attached to it a large garden
By permission of the landlord, the young man
often selected it for his evening walks, and,
despite the cold, raw evenings, would some
times sit and muse in a rude and faded bower
under a wall at one end of the gables. Here
he woold occasionally even sing, in a low tone,
some of his own compositions. 1t happened
once or twice that when he did so, a female
head protruded from a window obove him, SEEM
ing to listen. The young man at length noticed
this.
pardon, lady" said he one evening, perhaps
l disturb you" .,s
aNot at all" she replied; q am fond of mu-
fond-and the airs you hum are new
to me. Pray, if not 9 rude question, whose
are they!!"
@Caoyenne," he answered efficiently sthey
are my own"
sIndeed," cried the lady with animation, sand
you have never published them!"
Il shall never try-again," he murmured, ut
tering the last word in a low and despairing
tone, which, however, reached the ears of the
young woman
sGood night eioyen," said she, and she clos
ed her window. The composer sighed, rose
and went out to take his usual walk by the sea-
beach; there, before the grandeur and sublimity
of the ocean, and amid the murmur of its
believing waves, to. forget the cares of the
world, his poverty, and his crushed visions of
glory and renown-the day dream Of all supe-
rior minds dream far oftener a punishment
than a reward; for of those who sigh for fame
few indeed are successful.
Scarcely had he left the house, than a lady,
in a cloak and hood, entered it; and
after a somewhat heightened conference with
his concierge" assembled to his room, and re-
there about an hour. At the end of
that time she vanished. It was midnight when
the composer returned. He entered with diff
Guilty, the Cerberus of the lodge being asleep,
and ascended to his room. He had left it litter
ed and dirty, without light, fire or food. To
his surprise a cheerful blaze sent its rays be-
meath the door. He opened it, not without
alarm, and found his apartment neatly ordered,
fire burning, a lamp, and on the table supper.
The young man frowned, and looked sternly
1t the scene. .a5a#3e# ts =
aWo dares thus insult my poverty! Is it not
that | am starving with cold and hun
yer-that | am rejected by the world as a use
ess wretcbed thing; incapable Of welding eth
II sword or pen, but ] must be insulted by cha
ity? Fire, light, and food, all sent to me by
me who knows my necessity. And yet who
,nowss Perhaps my mother may have discover
d my retreat. Who else could have acted
hus? My mother, / bless thee both for the
ction and for respecting my concealment!" And
he invalid officer sat down to the first hearty
neal he had eaten for weeks. He had left his
ZONE because his friends wholly disapproyed
f making music a profession, and wished him
o employ his leave of absence in learning
occupation. His mother so pressed
Inn, that he saw no recourse but q soldiers last
hance-a retreat For two months no trace
f the fugitive had been seen-two months
pent in vain efforts to make his chosen. career
upport him; and nov, doubtless, his mother
ad found him out, and had taken this delicate
of respecting his secret and Furnishing his
ride.
Next morning the young man awoke with an
ppetite unknown to him of late. The gene
food Of the previous night had restored
is system, and brought him to a perfect state.
.ukly, sufficient wine and bread remained to
his craving, and thenhe sat down to think.
III his efforts to get his music sung, or played,
/ published had been vain. Singers knew him
ot. Publishers declared him unknown, and
le public seemed doomed never to hear him,
they never had heard him; a logical con-
squence very injurious to young beginners in !