Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-06-12
THE SONG AND THE SINGER.

tu0 Cliy III 4hotSCifioS fOt eho S'%A
months of his leave Of absence. II
seemed strange retirement for a
young man, for in the town he knew
no one, and in the depth Of winter
Marseilles was no tempting residence.
The officer lived in a garret looking
out upon the street, which had for its
sole furniture a harpsichord, bed
and a chair. Little but paper ever
entered that apartment where food
and fuel were both scarce; and yet
the young man generally remained
indoors assiducusly writing, or raih-
er dotting something upon paper, an
occupation he alternated with music.
Thus passed many months. The
young man grew thinner and paler,
and bis leave of absence seemed like
| Iy 10 bring no convalesence. But he
was handsome and interesting, de-
spite his saIlow hue. Long hair, full
beaming eyes that spoke Of intelli-
gence, and even genius, and frank
ness Of manner prepossessed all in his
favor, and many a smile and look Of
kindness came TO him from beautiful
eyes that he noticed not nor cared
10 notice. In fact he rarely went
out but at night, and then TO walk
down to the booming sea which
made kind OF music 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 within, but
be never entered, either his purse or
inclination failed him. But he al
ways with care examined the name
OF the piece and its author, and then
walked away to the sea-shore to
muse and mediate.
Shortly after his arrival in Mar
seilles, he visited one after another,
all the music sellers and publishers
in the town with a bundle OF manu-
scripts in his hand; but his reception,
was, apparently, not very favorable,
for he left them all with frowning
air, and still with his bundle of man,
uscripts. Some had detained him
a long time, as if estimating the val
ue he offered for sale; but these were
no more tempted than the others TO
try the Saleable character of the
commodity. The house he lodged
in had attached TO il large garden.
By permission Of the landlord, the
young man often selected it for his
evening walks, and despite the cold,
would often sit and muse in rude
and faded bower under a wall al
one Of the gables. Here he would
I occasionally even sing, in low tone,
one Of his own compositions. 1t thap-
pened once or twice that when he
+ did so, female head protruded from
the window above him, seeming TO
listen. The young man at length
noticed this.
"Pardon. lady," said he one eve-
ming, "perhaps disturb youi"
"Not at all" she replied, 81 am
fond of music, very ford, and the
airs you hum are new to me. Pray,
il not a rude question, whose are
theyl"
"Citoyenne," he answered diffident.
ly, "thev are my own"
"lndeodr' cried the lady with ami.
nation, sand you have never yet
published theml'
81 shall never try again." he mur-
INJURED, uttering the last word in q
low and despairing tone, which
however, reached the ears OF the
young lady.
"Good night, citoyenT" said she
and she closed 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
: murmuring of IFS believing waves
to forget the cares of the world, hi:
poverty, and his crushed vision o
glory and renown-!he daydream o
,, superior minds-a dream far o(tenel
punishment than a reward; for o
those who sigh for fame, few indeed
are successful. v-
; Scarcely had he left the house
: than a lady habited in cloak ant
: hood, entered il; and after some
: what heightened conferences with hi
!, cdncierge, ascendedto his room, ant
: remained there about an hour. A
= inc end Of that time she vanished
It was midnight when the compose
I returned. He entered with Difficult
: ty, the Cerberus of The lodge bein,
] asleep, and assembled to his wretche'
room. He had left it Uttered and dir
liy, without light FIRE and wood. T,
Ibis surprise a cheerful blaze sent it
q rays beneath the door. He opene
! lii, ,snot without alarm, and found hi
: apartmentneatly ordered, a fire burn
: ing, a lamp, and on the table SUI
y per. The young manfrowned, an
J. looked isterhly at the scene.
rrrt .--.-f. -. -.o.,o,