The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1852-11-18
WHOLE NO. I4l7


STRAUSS AND ms SoFHIE wALrz.--
Strauss, the wallz-hero, loved the daughter
Of Count. Sophie was her name. He
would have given worlds to have won bnt
once glance Of love from this beautiful be
ing, but she was cold and stern. Madness
indeed II was for poor wandering musician,
with nothing but his violin, TO dare TO love
the high-born Sophie, who had rs many no.
bic ancestors as he had waltzes. crash
impcrtinenee," said Sophie; and when he
came TO give her brother lesson she scarce
" dcigned TO give him look. Shortly af-
terward Sophie became the betrothed Of the
Count Robert, Lord Chamberlain, who could
also boast as many proud ancestors as the
fair Sophie, but beyond these and his titles
he had nothing else.
| One day Strauss chanced TO be alone
with Sophie: he declared his love, and be-
sought her TO give him but one word or look
ere he was driven 10 despair. But no tears
or protestations could move her, she was as
cold as the inanimate marble. 81 am the
affianced bride of Count Robert" she said,
, haughtly, "and if it were otherwise think
you I would become the wife OF poor
mnsicianr' She turned scornfuIly away
and left him alone in his grief and despair.
d L
/ heart Of Sophie unhappily came too late; il
eight dsys She would become the wife Of
Count Robert.
The ceremony was TO be performed in q
grand saloon of the city and theCount called
on Strauss to request him to lead the oFches-
trn On the occasion, and to honor his bride
with the composition Of the new waltz
Strauss, the most miserable man Of Gods
universe, promised him both. "He wishes
to wound me yet more deeply" said the un-
happy man 10 himself. "but / pardon him,
and nv PRAYER to heaven is that she may be
happy, and that she never repent her
choire." But his waltz thought strikes
him. il shall be the interpreter of his passion
and bis Grief to Sophie, it should challenge
her pity- IL not her love. Oh! what glorious
mower. 10 be able to speak, to reproach, TO
nlsal. and through the divine art. To work!
10 work, When all the great city slept
Strauss took his violin, opened his window,
rnzed ont in the cold night, and improvised
, and muaned forth his sad tale otwoe to the
, bright stars shove, who looked kindly down
D on the desolate snd heart-stricken.
2 The dsy Of the wedding came at last
5 The fearful agony Of love Ind given him
I waltz, every measure of (which spoke long
ing sorrow and despairing woe. The hal!
glistened and shown with bright jewel ana
brighter eve, but Sophie was more glorlously
beautiful than them all Strauss, q haggard'
emaciated man, with brilliant and piercing
black eyes, sharp and strOngly-marked fea-
lures, dressed from head to foot in black, as
though he had assumed his mourning IlVery
for the bride now dead to him, stood sad ana
silent in the gallery above, directing the
movements Of the orchestra. SOPHIE danceo
. now with one, now with another OF the weo-
ding guests, and as often as she paused a.
Ter the piddy whirl of the dance, turned her
eve towards the pale and griet-stricken
Strauss.
twas more than pity she felt, it was
remorse, it was a kindled love. terrible
pain awoke in her heart, like the swelling
I Of stream, growing ever deeper and wider
T in its onward course, which threatened 10
: overwheIm and destroy her. How gladly
would she have wept, but she dared not
7, sounded twelve; Strauss gave the signal
E for the performance of his new waltz. The
cav dancers stood up. Sophie on the arm
0 Of the happy bridegroom. All stand SPELL
:. bound with the magic witchery OF those
magic sounds. They forget to dance, they
: qaze in wonder up at the pale man in black,
+ whose orief-torn soul breaths ont Its woe
: through his beloved instrument The
! bride groom leads of the dance, and Strauss
s with fascinated, fearful eye. and torn heart
: follows the flying pair in their 'giddy whlrl.
, : They dance, and dance. and dance, and
i still thew do not cease. Strauss plays and
1t plays, and no stop to lis wonderful "aitz,
n which so fearfully affects both him and
e ,hem. As suddenly as the lightning's fash
m ,hs F OF MS violin snaps, and at the ease
: moment the beautiful Sophie falls dead up
II, an the floor. Violin and bow falls from his
de trembling hands, and with a cry OF horror
'e' he shrieks "Sophie!" and falls iaianns OF
;s' the ground. Since SoPhie's death tht
le waltz is called by her name. Strauss IoVe'
~ her to the last moment of his existence
u He, too, is now dead, but his cnarmlh;
II Sophie waltz still lives.-MuSicaS "orf0.
re Jr..I DtrFERrycE BETWEEN MAN AM