Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1856-11-06
LITCHFMLD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER S, Is

He had not touched many notes when 1 surss":i
what would follow and how sublime he would
be that evening, and Twas not disappointed.
Never, never, during the many years knew
him, dill Isliear him play as on that night for
the blind girl and her brother. Never did l
hear such energy, such passionate tenderness,
such rradations of melody and mobilization
From the moment his fingers commenced to
move over the keys, the tones of the instrument
seemed to soften aud become more equal.
"We remained sitting, listening to him
breathIessly. The brother and sister were
dumb with astonishment, as if paralyzed The
former had laid aside his work the latter, her
head slightly inclined, had approached the ill.,
strument,, her hands clasped On her breast as if
she feared the beating of her heart might i,l-
terrupt those sounds of magic sweetness. 1t
seemed as if we were the subjects of q strange
dream and our only fear was that we might
wake too soon. s 1
Suddenly the fame of the solitary candle
fckered, the wick, consumed to the end, fell,
aud was extinguished- Beethoven stopped
I opened the shutters to let in the rays of the
moon. 1t became almost as light as before in
the room, and the radiance fell more strongly
on the musician and instrument. pa.
"But this incident seemed to have broken
the chain of Beethoven's ideas. His head
dropped on his breast, his hands rested on his
knees, and he appeared plunged in profound
meditation. "a 8.f.s.aJ. E.g3.. +. a -. tF vs..
He remained so for some time. AT last
the young shoemaker rose, approached him,
aud said, in low, respectful voice st.
Wonderful man, who are you then p
" Beethoven raised his head, and looked at
him abstracted!y, as if he had not comprehend
ed the meaning of his words
"The young man repeated the question.
"The composer smiled as only he could
smile such sweetness and kindly benevolencc.
Listen said he. And he played the first
movement in the symphony.
"A cry of joy escaped from the lips of the
brother ond sister. They recognized him, and
cried with emotion, You are then Beethoven
"He rose to go but our entreaties succeeded
in OBTAINING him. '
Play 70 us once more, just once more
" He allowed himself to be led to the instru-
mcnt. The brilliant light Of the moon entered
the curtainless winslow, and lighted up his ex-
pansive earnest forehead.
Il am going to improvise sonata to the
moonlight said he, piayfuly
I" He contemplated for some minutes the sky
thicky spriukled with stars then his fingers
rested OH the keys, and he commenced to play
with low, sad, but woudrously sweet strain.
The harmony issued from the instrument, sweet
and even us the rays Of the moon spread over
the shadows on the ground. The delicious
overture was followed by piece in triple time,
lively, light, capricious, sort of intermediate
burIesque, like dance of fairies at midnight
on the grass. Then came rapid agitato finale
"a breathless movement, trembling, hurrying,
describing flight aud uncertainty, inspiring
vague aud instructive terror, which bore us on
ward on its shuddering wings, and left US ut
last quite agitatcd with surprise and moved to
tears.
'Adieu,' said Beethoven, abruptly pushing
back his chair aud advancing towards the door.
You will come again p asked both at the
same time.
He stopped and regarded the young blind
girl with u look of compassion.
Yes, yes said he, hurriedly, will come
again aud give some lessons to Mademoisclle
Farewell l will soon come again.
"They followed rs to the door in silence
more expressive than words, and renamed
Stan0lnG OH Tic lTeSlotu VII WeNcfe Out vi o'Su
Let us hasten home,' said Beethoven to
me in the street. - Let us hasten, that may
| note down this sonata while it is in my memory
g" He entered his room, aud wrote till nearly
daybreak."
/ still sat in listening attitude after the
old musician had finished speaking.
| "And did Beethoven give lessons afterward:
to the blind girl p asked l at length.
He smiled aud shook his head.
Beethoven never entered that humble house
again With the excitement of the moment
his interest In the blind girl also passed away
aud though the brother aud sister long aud
patiently waited his coming, he thought no nor,
Of them"
Aud is il not too often so in life?
AN Englishnian has been fined Thousand
rubles by the Russian authorities in st. Peters
burg, FOR throwing stone at the statue of Pc
ter the Great-Iris4 Paper. bsa.i
+, A smilar case, says a Philadelphia paper