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


sic-no true feeling for what you sing
no perseverance, in study"
Then what is the use of my coming
here any longcr?' the girl asked with
suppressed irritation.
Without answering her, the Master
turned to the other girl. :
Margaret you did well to-day, very
well. DO as steadily as you are doing
now, and you will gain your reward
Only have courage and patience and
perseverance,
'Couragc' Margaret answered sadly.
'Ah, sometimes want courage. som.
times want courage. ] sometimes al.
most lose heart. IL ] had but more
voice There is so much that can nov.
cr sing. If only had Lisa's voice.
There was a moments pause; then
the first girl said, more humbly than she
had spoken yet, Master, what can | do?'
| am sure | want to sing well?'
You want to sing well?' he repeated.
why Lisa?'
why? she answered. Surely, eve.
ryonc thinks it more pleasant to be nd.
mired than TO be blamed
so you wish to sing we'll 10 be admi.
red? Exactly. | understand you per.
fcctly, he answered drily. 'And you
Margaret, is it also TO be admired that
you work so hard, and study so perse.
vcringly?
She answered NO. in low voice,
earnestly aud almost humbly. Ber.
thaldc felt that it came from her heart,
and in her own heart the blind girl
echoed it.
The master said abruptly, after pause,
ut is getting later | will not dc!ain you
any longer. Good morning. and leov.
ing them he went away. they following.
When they were gone sudden change
had come upon Berhnltlr. A hrishi
light was in her sightless eyes. She
whispered tremblngly, almost like one
in fear.
'Oh, il there was any way, any hope,
if | knew what to do--if | could speak
10 him and tell him"
She paused moment, and pressed hel
face upon her hands; then burst into
tears, she cried almost aloud
.Oh if he would teach me, if he woult
let me learn of him, if he would let mt
be singerp and falling on her knee.
again, she broke into passionate i'm
ploring prayer, sobbing and trembling
as if her life depended upon its bein;
heard.
For long time she knelt, not pray
ing always, but (everishly. Yet wit!
intense delight and eagerncss building
castles in the air, confusing herself with
multitudes of thoughts that poured in or
her; bright happy thoughts for the mos
part, though now and then some suldel
fear would come, making her heart grow
sick, lest all that was hoping now nigh
never he to her anything but dream.-
Then sho prayed again until her fear be
gan to fade away, and she would grow
bewildered with her happiness once
more.
Now that she was so full of hopes, i
seemed strange to her that she had eve
in all hcr sorrows, and with all her pas
sionate love of music, she should hav,
remembered that it was possible for he
as a singer to gain her bread, and grow
so happy; oh so happy, that it scarccl.
gecmcd that there could be in all TIT
world anything more that she coul,
wish for,
Patient, cheerful, full ofhopc, day aG
ter day found Berlhalde at her old place
at the church waiting with a firm pur
pose though trembling heart, to hca
the Kapell.meister's step: but day alte
day passed, and saw her turn away il
disa ppointmcnt; for in vain she waited
in vain she strained her ears 10 catch ;
sound ofthe well remembered voice, il
vain she listened to each solitary foot
sep, believing that she could at ono,
distinguish his from any other-he ncve
came again.
After time she began to fear ;ha
there must be some private entrance II
the choir through which he came ant
went, and that she might wait for month
here in the chanccl, and never see him
and then what to do she did not know
for she shrank from telling any one he
secret, and she could not hope to fin,
her way alone to strange place.-An'
presently by degrees her heart began t.
sink, her whole project began to appea
wild and unattainable, and at last sh
turned from the church so weary Of no
ping in vain, so sad and out Of spirits
that she could scarcely keep her tear
from falling as she went.
The church was near to where sh
lived so near that-blind though sh
was-neither her father nor mother eve
objected to her going to it alone, o
feared that she would miss the way
Nor was it likely, for she had gone ,iail
there for many years, and no acciden
of any kind had ever belallen her; bu
on this day as she was making her wa
sorrowfully home, less careful perhaps
than usual to keep out Of the way Of pas
sers by, almost at the church door sh
tripped over something that lay in he
path and fell down heavily. -
But almost in the instant that she fel
voice close to her broke upon her cal
voice that as if by magic made her (o'
get the pain that she was suffering, 70
It was the long watched voice Of tn
Kapell. l.meister.
MY child take care!--Why, wher
.aanld ron ha loakinnY he excl nlel