Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-03-05

ing he would not have lost one note for
the universe, and when the applause was
loudest, when boquets fell in showers
before her, and one, from rich man who
had sought her love, and had followed
her from Italy, was thrust through a
ring set with diamonds, the organist bent
forward, and guided by his unerring ear,
threw his roll of music at her feet, and
she STOPPED and gathered it up. unable
to restrain the impulse to hold it single
moment 10 her bosom.
That night she sat alone in her com.
fortably furnished room. The gifts of
the evening lay about her. but she had
not yet gathered courage to open the mu-
sic. She read an ardent. impassioned
letter from the wealthy suitor who sought
her hand in marriage.
She answered it in words coldly. court
eously, but generously, saying with a
true woman's frankness, that she had no
heart 10 bestow. Then she turned to
the music. Her face was very pale and
her hand trembled, but at last she un-
folded it. 1t was addressed to her, and
both the words and m1sic were by- Clyde
Hepburn. She read the lines. He had
not meant 10 betray his love, and yet she
saw it in every word, she, who had new
er before suspected it. not even in his
gush of tears as he hal heard her sing.
She had thought him, in her sweet
humility. so very far above her, so much
older and wiser than she. and she had
never dreamed he could stoop from his
lofty life of the soul, to think of human
love. What mattered it that he was
blind, save that she loved him ten thou
sand times the more tenderly for the very
helplessness which bad clung from guild
ance to her woman's hand ? His love
was the crowning love of her life; in
that hour she was prouder than a prin-
cess.
Then she remembered that it was the
evening of Valentines day. Her other
Valentine presents lay unheeded, but
this one-on. giving it to her on this
night, of all others, had not her beloved
master chosen her 10 be the companion
of his life
Her harp stood in The corner Of the
room. She went TO it and commenced
playing the music, into which Clyde
Hepburn had unconsciously wrought
the love Of his soul, and her own soul
interpreted it.
She could not sleep that night, and
early the next morning. putting on a
plain travelling dress, and closely veil
ing herself, she hurried along the street
to his old home His mother met her
at the door, and recognized her at once.
"Come in" she said, softly; "Clyde
is very i'll. He has brain feyer-the
excitement of last night was too much /;
but, poor child, you were moi TO blame
you didn't know bow well he had loved
you all tl.ese years"
Martha Warren trembled, but con-
trolling herself said
"No. 1 did not know it, but l knew
how 1 had loved h'm. l will help you
nurse him.
She entered the ruom where her mas
ter lay tossing in the delirium of fever.
His sightiess eyes were wide open, and
his hands, thinner than of old, clasped
together upon the coverlid. She knelr
down by the bed, and buried her white
face in the clothes. and prayed very fer
ven'ly for grace and strength. Then she
rose and went silently about the duties
of the sick chamber.
For two weeks she fulfilled all her en-
ga .ements at the opera. and watched
beside Clyde Hepburn through every
day. without thought of fatigue
he would fancy Ler near him,
and utter her name in such supplicating,
loving accents, as almosi broke her heart,
beseeching her not TO scorn him, telling
her he was old and blind, but oh, he loved
her so. Again he would think he was
alone with his mother, and imp'ore her
never TO let Martha Warren know he
died for love of her. ''Poor little Mar
tha." he would say. fondiy AZ know how
good she was, and it would break her
heart At other times he would fancy
her his wife. and wildly summon her to
is side, and ask her how she could be
so cruel as to leave him there all alone.
And she. so much the stronger, in her
youth, her healths and her gift Of sight.
would wind her arms about his neck,
kiss his fevered lips, and whisper-"Do
you not hear me ? Do you not know
me 1 will never leave you, beloved
one."
Already she called Mrs. Hepburn
/" mother" and heard the sweet word
''daughter," in reply and sometimes,
when his cries for her were very pitiful,
she would turn her white face from the
bedside, and murmur-" Oh my God,
what if l have found it out too late II
with sush lock of heart-breaking agony,
that the mother would weep and pray for
her, no less fervently than for her blind
son. -
A fortnight passed, and one morning