The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-05-26
'fsoul and feeling, and she sang it with ten

something had grated harshIy and painfully
upod her feelings, shook her frame.
"Wllat is the matter 2" asked Charles
protesting much surprise.
"Mercy !" cried Flora," with anothe,
shudder. "What horrible discord Did'nt
you hear it?"
II noticed that you stopped. But where
was the discord r.
"Why-something must be tho matte,
with the piano. Just wait moment"
Thus speaking Flora rau her fingers over
the keys, and in very few moments she
found the discordant note. Her ear was
very sensitive and the jar of the faulty
member really tortured her.
"Only hear that T. she said.
care there any more notes out of the
way Z" asked Charles.
She ran the rest Of the keys over, and
pronounced them all perfect.
"Let US look in and find the string" pur.
sued the husband, at the same time lifting
the top Of the instrument back.
There it u.s." said Flora, touching the
key very lightly, and pointing to the vibra-
ting wire.
"What!" exclaimed Charles, card must
you stop you. sweet song for SO light a
thing as that Come-go on and finish
it."
"Finish it Are you crazy?'
"Not quite, my love. Only want you
to sing to me the rest Of the song"
"But how can sing and play with such
an abominable d,scord T.
"Why," urged the husband, soberly and
earnestly, "you do not mean to tell me
that the simple stretch Of that one little
string can make such trouble. Just look
in here. See how many other strings there
are-how many larger, and longer, and
heavier. 1t cannot be that this one poor
little thing can be Of SO much account"
"Mcrcy on me, Charles ! thought you
knew more of music than that" returned
Flora, almost Indignantly.
"But do you mean to say that the sim
pie flattening Of that one little string throws
the whole instrument out of tune z" asked
the young man, swapping the offending
wire with his finger.
"Most certainly it does," the wife an
swered. "The whole harp might just as
well he shattered so far as the tuneful llar-
mony is concerned
ut is very wonderful" said Charles.
"What is wonderful !" asked Flora, look
ing up into his face.
'rhat one little fault should create such
palpable result Of evil"
81 don't see anything so very wonderful
about it," pursued the wife. "a discord is
discord, let it be great or small and
when the harmony is once broken it is har.
mony no more"
''It is very wonderful" repeated Charles.
"But I hope you understand it now"
'Yes, Flora,-I think do. sec that
tho piano must depend, forperfect harmony,
upon very small things. understand
that even one lille tluh can destroy all
its tuneful power, and throw it into jarring
discotd. Hon. very like the human heart
1t as! What atype this instrument is Of
Domestic Life. Upon what slight affairs
may perfect harmony depend u
Flora started as these words fell upon
her ear, and as she met her husbands
steady earnest gaze, she read the full mean.
ing of his words.
"Charles, she said, in hushed, hesita.
ting tone, "you lowered that string :"
"Yes love, I did. I wished to see il you
could produce pure, sweet music from you,
piano while even one of the smallest of its
many strings was at fault"
81 understand you now," she whispered
lying herhead upon his bosom.
"What do you understand Z" he asked
winding his arm about her.
"You mean" she replied, ".bat even one
slight fault may destroy domestic harmony
just as surely rs this simple thing has de.
stroyed the harmony OF my piano."
"Aye, sweet Flora. Must it not be so r
A few moments the young wife remain
ed with her face hidden upon her husband,
bosom ; then she looked up, and while
hopeful. joyous light broke through thu
tears that had gathered in her eyes, sh'
said
''Tune that string again, Charles, ant
we'll have no more discordant notes in on
home"
He quickly restored the wire to its form
er tuneful tension, and when Flora triet
the instrument again she fund it true ant
perfect. She sang her sweet song, ant
then she went and sat down upon her hus
bands knee, snd promised him that sh