The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-10-08


think of things far beyond our reach p
You are right, Frederick and yet,
when I am playing, I long once in my
life to hear good music we'll executed.
But it is useless ! it is useless!'
There was something siDgularly touch
ing in the tone and repetition of the last
words.
Beetho ven looked at me. Let US en-
ter said he, abruptly.
sEnterl' said I; why should we
enter?'
twill play to her. replied he with
vivacity.
She has feeling, genius, intelligence;
I will play to her, and she will appreci-
ate me- And before 1 could prevent
him, his hand was on the door. 1t was
not locked, and opened Immediately. I
followed him across a dark corridor, to-
wards a half-open door at the right
He pushed it, and we found ourselves
in a poor, destitute room, with a little
stove at one end, and some coarse furni-
ture. A pale young man was seated at
a table working at a shoe. Near him,
bending in a melancholy name over an
old piano, was a young girl. Both were
%oleanly, but very poorly dressed they
rose and turned towards us as we enter
ed.
Pardon me- said Beethoven, some
what embarrassed, pardon me, but L
heard music, and was tempted to enter.
I am a musician
The girl blushed, and the young man
assumed a grave, almost severe manner
Il heard also some of your Words
continued my friend. You wish to
hear-that is, you would like-in short,
would you like me to play to you?
There was something SO strange, SO
abrupt, SO comical, in the whole affair,
and something SO agreeable and ~excen-
trio in the manners of him who had spo-
ken, that the ice was broken in an in
slant, and all ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Thank you,' said the young shoema-
ker, but our piano is bad, and then we
have no musicr
mo musicp repeated my friend /;
how then did Mademoiselle-"
He stopped and colored; for the young
girl had turned towards him, and by
her sad yelled eyes he saw that she was
blind.
IL entreat you to pardon me-
stanmered he; 6 but 1 did not remark
at first. You play then from memory p
Entirely
And where have you heard this mu-
sic before p
Il heard a lady who was a neighbor
at Bruhl, two years ago. During the
summer evenings her window was al
ways open, and 1 walked before the
house to heal her.
And you have never heard any other
music?'
Never, excepting the music in the
Streets
She seemed frightened; so Beethov-
en- did not add another word but quiet
ly seated himself at the instrument, and
commenced to Lay. He had not touch
ed many notes when I guessed what
would follow, and how sublime he would
be that evening; and I vas not deceived.
Never, never, during the many years l
knew him, did I hear him play as oil
this day for the young blind girl and
brother. Never did I hear such ener-
gy, such passionate tenderness, such
gradations of melody and meditation.
From the moment his fugers commence
ed to move over the piano the tones
of the instrument seemed to soften and
become moro equal.
We remain sitting, listening to him
breathlesslY. The brother and sister
were dumb with establishment, as if
paralyzed. The former had laid aside
his work the latter, her head slightly
inclined, had approached the instrument
her two hands were clasped on her
breast as if she feared the beating of her
heart might interrupt those accents of
magic sweetness. It seemed as if we
were the subjects of a strange dream and
our only fear was to wake to soon.
Suddenly the fame of the solitary
candle fickered, the wick, consumed to
the end, fell, and was extinguishei.
Beethoven stopped; 7 opened the shut
tiers to let in the rays of the MOON. 1t
became also as light as before in the
room, and the radiance fell more strong
ly on the musician and the instrument.
But this incident seemed to have bro
ken the chain of Beethoven's ideas,
His head dropped on his breast, his
hands rested On his knees, he appeared
into profound meditation.
He remained SO for some time. At
last the young shoemaker rose, ap-
preached him, and said, in a low, re-
spectful voice, Wonderful man, wLo
are you then p
Beethoven raised his head, and looked
at him abstractedly, as if he had not
comprehended the meaning of his words.
The voun0 man ronaatad Tho mag