The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-02-11
outstripped the junior class, and was fast


? Gray, my first acquaintance, the lam
girl. was gentle and friendly toward
me, but further than this, had neithe
! friends nor acquaintances.
My llow-boarders still preserved to
wards me the same restrained, half-pat
ronizing, halfridiculous air, but fol
that I cared not; his kind word wa
enough.
4 My love for music had always amour
ted to passion, and if I were very sad
or if, through the dark vail which
shrouded my lone life there came a sky
of sunshine, would improvistore some
wild thrilling harmony. 1t was pow
er which the soaring winds, the surging
pines, the gushing rivers had given me,
and it soothed me when my soul was
overfowing.
One evening when 1 came to recite,
Professor Montcalm had gone to the
lower hall for consultation with the
assistant teacher, and I sat down in the
great lonely hall to await his return
One of my strange moods came over
me and I sung. 1 forgot that I might
be overheard and ridiculed. I only
remembered that was sad and I sung,
until the great load of heaviness was
raised from my soul. As the last wild
echo died away in the still arches,
Montcslm came in at the open door
He appeared agitated, but he heard
my lesson through, and then as he
handed me the book he said, Par
don me, Miss Fairfield, if 1 enquire
where you received your musical cul-
ture p
An overwhelming sense of shame
came over me, that he, whose good opin-
ion I valued more than that of the
whole world, should have heard my wild
hearts's outgushings, and 1 buried my
face in my hands, and wept bitterly.
Montcalm understood me. He sat
down beside lie, and said earnestly,
Listen to me, Miss Fairfield, I meant
not to wound your feelings. You are
too sensitive for this Tough world of tri-
al But what I would say to you is
this, you have voice more powerful
full than any have eyer heard. 1t has
moved me in manner in, which I am
seldom moved. Now I would propose
that you enter the class. of Herr Won
Getchenburg, he is superior vocalist
and an unrivaled instructor. Will you
consent, Miss Fairfield
His eyes met mine. I bowed my
head, and it was arranged that I should
become pupil of Herr Won Getchen-
burg.
was admitted to his class in few
days, and I received his teachingc he
said was. possessed of the most thrill
ling voice he had ever trained. I strove
hard to learn, and succeeded.
In twelve months, Herr Won Getchen-
burg offered me an almost incredible
sum il would accompany him over the
country, in the capacity of a public sing
er. refssed. I could not tear my
self away from the place where Mont
calm breathed. Do you ask if loved
Howard Montcalm Love twas an un-
known word to me. felt toward 9TH
ers, I loved him not as wowan loves man,
I worshipped him as Christian wor-
ships his Godl
The term of my continuance at school
was drawing rapidly at close. In one
short week, I was to 60 to my dreary,
home, and see him, in the light of whose
smiles I had basked for two years, no
more.
NV situation in the family where I
had boarded was much the same as at
first, had made no friends nor had 1
wished to, and 1 thoug ght of leaving there
without solitary regret.
The closing day come at last. There
was to be grand examination in the
great hall of the Academy, and essays
and compositions of all kinds were to
be read.
The holiday dresses were drawn out,
jewelry was borrowed, stay-lacings were
stretched to their utmost tension, and
rouge and chalk balls were in urgent de-
mand.
I had no fine clothes in which to ap-
pear, SO wore the pale, straw -colored
calico which had been my church dress
in Summer. Ornaments I had none,
not even ring or pin, and my muslin
,ollar was fastened by plain black rib
BON. Excitement had lent o crimson
blush to my wan cheek, aud my eyes
we're almost fearful in their great brill |
fancy. h
The time came for me to read my I,
ssay. Itwas the last exercise. Irose, {
ny head swan, saw but one face in all {
hat assembly, and that face was his
t strengthened me. I read the compo-
ition; the subject was 'Desolation.' I j
ad thrown into the essay all the wild I
nergies of my lonely soul, all the vain
earning of my desolate heart, and I t
ucceeded in what had desired, The t
udience which filled that vast hall sat a
pell. bound The stiffness of the tomb
1as therel finished and sat down, no '