The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-02-16

Strauss, the waltz hero, loved the
daughter of a count Sophie was her
name. lie would have given worlds
to have won but one glance of love from
this beautiful being-but she was cold
and stern. Madness indeed it was for
a poor wandering musician, with nothing
but his violin, to dare to love the high
born Sophie, who had as many noble
ancestors as he had waltzcs. " Rash
impcrtincncc," said Sophie: and when
the came to give her brother a lesson
he scarcely dcigned to give him
looks horily afterwards Sophie be.
came the betrothed of the Count Rob.
crt, Lord Chamberlain, who also could
boast as many proud ancestors as the
fair Sophie, but beyond these and his
titles he had nothing else. One day
Strauss CHANGED to be alone with So
phic he declared his love, and be.
sought her to give him but one word
or look ere he was driven to despair.
But no tears or protestations could
move her; f; she was as cold as the IMAM
innate marble. =" | am the affianced
bride of Count Robert, she said haught-
lily and if it were otherwise, think
you | would become the wife of poor
musician % She turned scornfully
away and left him alone in his grief
AMI despair. The repentance which
soon awoke in the heart of Sophie un-
happily came too late in eight days
she would become the wife of Count
Robert.
The ceremony was to be performed
in the grand saloon of the city, and the
Count called ON Strauss to request him
to lead the orchestra on this occasion,
and to honor his bride with the compo-
sition Of a new waltz.
Strauss, the most miserable man in
the universe, promised him both. "He
wishes to wound me more deeply"
said the unhappy man "but l pardon
him, and my prayer to heaven is that
she may be happy, and that she may
never repent her choice" But his
waltz a thought strikes hint shall
be the Interpreter of his grief to So
phie, it should challenge her pity if
not her love. OH what glorious pow
er to be able to speak, reproach, to
plead and through his divine art. To
work ! to work When all the great
city slept, STRAUSS took his violin, open.
ed his window, and gazed out into the
cold night, and improyised and moaned
forth his sad tale of woe to the bright
stars above, which looked kindly down
on the desolate and heart STRICKEN
The day of the wedding came at last.
The fearful agony of love had given
him waltz, every measure of which
spoke longing sorrow and despairing
woe. The hall glistened and shonc
with bright jewels and brighter eyes.
But Sophie was more glorious and
beautiful than them all. Strauss, a
haggard, emaciated man, with brilliant
and piercing black eyes, sharp and
strongly marked features, dressed from
head to foot in black, as though he had
assumed this mourning livery for the
bride now dead to him, stood sad and
silent in the gallery above, directing
the movements of the orchestra.
Sophie danced now With one, now
with another of tho wedding guests
and as often as she passed, after the
giddy whirl of the dance, turned hel
eyes towards the pale and griei-strick-
en- Strauss. 1t was more than pity she
felt, it was remorse, it was kindline
love. A terrible pain awoke in her
heart, like the swelling of stream
growing ever deeper and wider in its
onward course, which threatened to o
verwhelm and destroy her. How glad
ly would she have wept, but she dared
not.
1t sounded twelve; Strauss gave the
signal for the performance of his new
waltz. The gay dancers started up
Sophie on the arm of the happy bride
groom. All stood spell bound with tht
witchery of those magic sounds. They
forget the dance, they gaze in wonder
up at the pale man in black, whose