Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-05-03

the long silent nights she lay awake,
and thought Of it weeping then when she
was all alone, as she was weeping now
tonight; but tonight another, and
different thought was in heart A lho't
which many time had risen there be.
fore; but never with the srenslh and
bitterness that it did now; for, as she
lay awake she thought that there was
not one thing in all the woild that she
could ever do 10 help or comfort any
one she loved. That she must be all
through her life until she was quite old,
a burden upon every one--a useless,
hel plcss solitary thing, not giving joy to
any nor feeling joy herself
Thinking this, the poor child longed
to die; and shivcring, drew up the bed.
clothes around her, hiding her face be.
meath them, that the bitter sobs which
burst from her might not be heard brca.
king the stiffness Of the night. For in
this hour there seemed no comfort near
her; all dark without, within it seemed
as dark; the love that had been poured
upon her through so many years all for.
gotten now, she could not feel that she
was loved; her whole heart seemed TO
have room for one thought only-thal
she was an incumbrancc upon the earth.
Piercing through the richly painted
window Of dim old church, the win.
Ter sun threw on the marble pavement
Of the nave bright rays Of colorcd light,
making the gloom on either side seem
still deeper. From the altar, waxcn
tapers she'd on the gold and silver plate,
aronnd on the gay vases filed with flow.
ers, and on the rich gold embroidered
dresses OF the priests, sudden radiance.
In the open space without the rails of
the High Altar many people knclt; for
it was festival.day and Mass was being
performed. There was daily mass. hnt
then the people were so much absorbed
in their worldly occupations, that the
mass was often solemnizcI on week.
days TO empty walls.
A child had slowly threaded her way
across the nave to take up her station
alone at the foot Of one particular pillar
in the chanccl, Daily, for hours to-,
gcther, she sat in same spot, as still as
il she were little marble emblem
Few noticed her, and few came near her
for the pillar stood in deep shade, and
she was almost hidden when she sat be.
meath it. 1t was a dark and gloomy
scat, but the most cheerful spot in all
the church would have been as dark TO
poor Berthalde.
To-day there were marks of tears up.
on her ch coks. Still she waited pa.
tently to hear the glorious voice of the
organ, which always spoke to her. 1t
seemed of all the things upon earth the
most beautiful. She thought it never
would begin to play to-day. But at
last she heard the first low swelling
notes, and she listened, drinking in the
rich hear..flling sound, all sorrow see.
med to be forgotten. AS the exquisite
music crcpt around her-how soft, faint
and low now loud and deep, rolling
wave upon wave along the great groin.
cd aisles-she knelt and hid her face
weeping. Her heart 'remblod with a
strange, wild, half.understood delight
that only cathedral music afforded to
her.
Never had the grand and solemn mu'
sic seemed more grand and solemn than
it did to-day. As the rich tones of the
organ filled the solemn space around
her, and tbs soft voices Of the choris.
ters rang through the Limly lighted aisle,
and as one solitary voice filled the great
echoing church with its clear tones, the
blind girl bowed her head upon her
hands, trembling with a wild, almos,
painful Joy, that seemed to take her
breath away. So shaken was she with
emotion, that the thin slight fingers scar.
cely served TO hide her tears. Even
when the last notes had died away, and
the last lingering footsteps had left the
church, she knelt on, as if still, in the
silent air she heard an ecno of the song
that to all other ears had passed away,
Presently two light footsteps gaily trip.
ped along the marble floor, and the
souni Of merry voices and half suppress
sed Laughter, rousel her from her dream.
She crouched upon the step at the pill.
lars base, thinking to wait there until
the footsteps had gone past. But sud.
denly they stopped quite close to her.
and a bright young voice exclaimed:-
'Oh seeo how stupid l have been!
have come down without my music
Margaret, you must wait for me one
minute, till run back for it. They
are closing the organ. l shall scarcely
be in time! and with the last words lea
wing her companion, the girl ran quick
ly towards the choir.
sThey are some Of the singers!' Ber'
thalde thought within herself, and hcl
heart beat with almost a reverential fee
ling. How happy they must be, how
very happy' For moment more the
tears sprung up into her eyes. for sud
denly the girl that stayed behind com
menced. as she paced up and down, soft
ly to sing low sweet melody. Ber
thalde remembered it, at once, it was
the Agnus Del Of the lately finished
mass,
A second time there were steps ant
voices coming near-slow steps, unlike
the first, and the singers voice was
hushed as new voice rich, sweet ant
low, broke on Berthalde's ear.
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