Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-05

WuS not OtSappOtntedi Ine organ again
sounded. Open upon my deak had left o
collection Of intricate fugues; these the un-
known musician began to play. detected
signs Of difiidence, and Of ignorance of the re-
-EeuFceG Of the instrument in the style of the
player; but also detected the presence Of
feeling, refinement, enthusiasm.
"This man " i'll do" thought, as listened
He needs confidence and practice, but ne
has genius. Ahl yc WnldOniccs yc shall
slumber through your services no longer =
The power Of music shall stir yet"
Twilight was gathering; fine full chloride
melted into silence the instrument was not
touched again. l proceeded to mount the
stairs Of the Organ-loft. II chanccd that still
had in my hand the key of the library un.
fortunately, dropped it, and the consequent
noise, echOing from arch to arch, no doubt
alarmed the musician. Having reached the
organ, drew back the curtain, prepared to
address the unknown. found there-no one.
Of course, the player had descended one stair
as mounted the other. leaned over the
loft, gazed down into the dimnesS Of the vast
building, and listened intently for the sound Of
football. heard no sound, and was inclined
to doubt il human fingers had pressed the
keys that night. But there was my book Of
fugucs, not open where had left it-a spirit
musician would hardly make usc Of letters.
pcrcmptOrily called upon the unknown to
come forth, unless nc desired to be locked in
for the night: only the echOing Of my own
voice replied to me. shook up the clown
ish boy who had blown the bellows for me,
and still slumbercd in his niche. lie could
give me no information had drowsed from
the time left off playing till the playing began
again, and had seen naught nor nobody"
No ono was now lingering in the building,
felt convinced; so departed, looking the
door behind me but Sauntered lohg time
beneath the lines before could persuade my.
self to 60 home.
Next evening practiccd again, playing
with revived enthusiasm, perhaps in uncon'
sciOus emulation Of the unknown who might
probably be listening. From time to time
pccrcd between the curtains; saw no one
save an old man hObblng about examining the
monuments, and n child or young girl whom
l had, as It were, noticed, without rcmarking,
for several afternoons, occupying dim corn
or during the service. Both had disappeared
when next looked.
left MOzart's Twelfth Service open on the
desk and departed. took up my station be-
hind tree, and watched the tcmptingly open
door unfiinChingiy. had hidden the boy re.
main in his niche, ready to blow for any per-
former. No one passed in at that door; yet
by and by the playing commenced. I drew
me OH into the building. The choicest passa-
gcs Of the service were cxquisitely played by
more assured fingers than those Of yesterday;
this was evidently familiar music. When day.
light entirely failed, the performer began to
extemporize, trying the full powers of the in.
struIncnt, Ofwllich was Justly proud. Strains
of what seemed to nc unearthly sweetness,
and weird StrangcncsS, rooted me to the spot.
Sometimes gazcd into the nysteriously stir
red duskncss Of the building, sometimes fixed
my eyes upon star glimmering above the
piney top of one Of tho solemn phalanx of an
cient trees, SO unwavcringly still, so perfectly
defined against the delicious clear tone of the
summer nght-sky, guarded the only exit;
the musician could not escape inc, unless
indeed -. But | did not consider myself
to be superStitious yet wildly recalled an un-
explained mystery Of by gone years.
! and my chum of that period lived for some
time up among the queen gables of quaint
German town, in the house Of professor Of
music. Al that period, was studying mu-
steal science. One day sat at the piano in
an inner room, porting over a blottcd manu-
script score, willie my chum smoked and read
metaphysics in the outer chamber! My brain
was perplexed and the difficulties at which
stuck seemed inSurmountablc. In desperation,
I ran down to the professors library, and
rummagcd among musty tones for any pass
ages that might throw light upon my per.
plcxity. found what needed in mass Of
Alcssandro Scarlctti's. | mounted the steep
stair slowly. reading as went Suddenly
heard my instrument struck, and paused
rather surprised. My chum was ignorant Of
the simplest rule Of my art.
"The old professor" thought, MS listen
cd to passage which was perfect and cx-
quisite illustration Of the point which had
needed to have illustrated.
waited till the music ceased, that might
not lose note, then rushed upstairs, and
burst in upon my hazy friend. lie removed
his pipe from his lips, and opened his dreamy
eyes widely. " llollo! thought you were in
the other roOm," he exclaimed.
"WhO is thcrc?-the old professor, or
the old -" My chum rose; VIC entered
the inner room together, and found no one
Everything was as had left it. Dusky sun
shine from the begrimmed lattice checked my
music paper. We looked round, then at each
other. My churn shrugged his shoulders
My many eager questions produced this an
oNOtS uVu ! uuuStStuuu ~ uuy utOIV Iuuu
| understand this"-tapping his book with
his pipe. - saw you leave that door"-point-
ing to that Of the outer room: "Soon after
heard q grand.strikc up; thought you had
perhaps returned while dOzcd; saw you ap-
pear, looking as il you were slightly dCmcntcd
That's all; -dOnt pretend to explain. II it
were ghost who played, fear have been
mighty disrcspcctful, for cried out: well
done, old boy"
We knocked about tho furniture, ratified q
securely fastened up door, which evidently
had not been open for ages, and led only to an
unsafe wing of the mouldering habitatien, till
it threatened to come to pieces under our
treatment; but VIC obtained no clue to the
mystery, and again looked blankly into each
others faces, We never did obtain the slight.
est clue to this mystery. AS leaned in the
porch Of the cathedral that night, I twisted
the incident have recorded, all ways, striving
to account for it in what We call u rational
manner. In vainl
Something passed by me, stirring tho air,
making no noise. started up, stood erect !;
the last vibrations of sound were dying out
What had passed mcl Was thwartcd p
Had the musician escaped mci locked the
door behind me, locking in the unfortunate
boy, and hurried after \ something that fitted
along, close to the wall Of the building. Oblig-
ed 70 leave that shelter II kent close To the