Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-09-08

T. Dut soon 1eIt--s think an IL
/. tuitive sense revealed it to me
b that the organist was no artist
" Sometimes ! longed to sweep biz
u off the stool, and interpret with m!
II own fugers the music that was il
s my soul. This idea, that coul,
r be a musician, .cawned upon nj
5 clearly, but day by day the SENS
:. of power strengthened.
!: At length asked him to let mt
!, try. ! think be was astonished
+ My soul was flooded With harmony
Wild, sweet Strains came TO Ee like
the whispers of angels. From thai
night | was the master and he
my pupil. Sometimes I would
persuade my brother to 90 with
:, me to church; and for hour after
hour the organ woukl be the voice
lof my soul. | breathed out in
music oil the dreams of my long
boy hood, before the one stern stroke
had come, under which bowed nay
head, and rose up man. God was
j very marcifu. With This resource
II could never be entirely lonely.
wholly desola:e.
! When | WAS twenty-one John
Cunningham had left Ryefeld, aud
| was chosen the organls. Of cur
village. 1t was my business, for
which small salary vas paid me.
This was all | was, all ever could
be; but | was content.
My brother was at college. He
was taking my place; he would
realize my early dreams. The
world would call him a brilliant
young man. At home there Was
little change, save that Leona's
light footsteps now but rarely cross
ed our threshold. For some years
she bad been away at school. In tie
vacation she came home; and then
l could tell by her voice that she
was good and Nnocent as ever. TIE
next spring-it was winter now
her school would be over. At
last the time came. Oh, how JOY fal-
y ! welcomed herr though l scarce
ly knew Why her presence seemed
SO infinitely precious. We wander
ed together into The fields, and she
teld ne how fresh and green the
grass was springing under foot--how
blue ans! bright was the May-timed
sky. ! could smell the bloom of
the fruit-trees, which were dropping
their fragrant blossoms in our path.
She never wearied in making all
things visible to me. Sac would
tell how the mist was lying white
and purple in the vailcy-how the
far, hazy hills, were sleeping in the
sunshine; aud seeing with her eyes,
l scarcely realizeG that / WAS blind.
But that dream also bad an awaken
ing My brother Richard came
home. He had finished bis Course
at the university with high honors,
and bis return to Ryefeld was the
signal for a series Of parties, and
pic-nics, and merrym m} king. in which
l could not join, and which took
Leona from my side. heard from
all quarters the praises Of my hand
some and manly brother He was
only nineteen now; be was six feet.
high, and they said, locked much
oder. | Was not surprised to hear
that his manly graces were making
sad havoc with the village girls.
Already a presentimeat Of sorrow
had begun to steal over my soul.
| think my brother loved me
very much. He had always made
me bis confident. Ono night be
came to my room, and said, with
a hesitation which seemed very sin
gular in bis frank, fearless natare,
that be had something to tell me.
Then he talked of indifferent subjects
for awhile: and at length. suddenly
alas! it seemed to me pitilessly--
the blow fell. He loved Leona ,
Ashland! Oh, Heaven pity me! T.
knew in that moment /, too, loved .
her. 1--blind helpless fool as | was
had mace her my idol. l had not !,
known before what was the spell
which bound me to her, or rather I
had resolutely closed my heart
against the conviction. The veil
WIS ruthless rent away. could
not choose but look on my own stu
pid imbecility. A voice in my soul
mocked me. 1t cried You coward
ly idiot! You thought, did you, TO
darken her life by fastening your
oolc upnn hort = Hind holploeo ,