Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1859-11-10

ing her, you have no love for muslc--no true
feeling for what you sing--no perseverance in
study"
Then what is the use of my coming here
any longer 2" the girl asked with supprt ssed
irritation.
Without answering her, the Master turned
to the other. girl. r.
Margaret, you did we'll to-day, very well.
Go on as steadily as you are doing now, and
you Will tind that your reward will come: On
ly have courage, perseverance and patience"
Courage !" Margaret answered a little
sadly. All, 1 sometimes want courage.
sometimes almost lose heart. If had but
more voice There is so much that can new
er sing. If only had Lisa's voice |"
There was moments pause F; then the first
girl said, more humby than she had spoken
yet, Master, what can do? I am sure
acamt to sing WELL"
- You want to sing we'll ?" he repeated
Why, Lisa ?"
Why !" she answered. "surely every
body thinks it's more pleasant to be admired
than-than to be blamed"
SO you wish to sing we'll to be admired ?
exactly. I understand you perfectly" he all
swered drily. And you, Margaret, is it al
so to be admired that you work so hard and
study so perseveringly 2"
She answered NO." in low voice, ear
nestly and almost humbly. Berthalde felt that
it came from her heart, and in her own heart
the blind girl echoed it.
The Master said abruptly, after q pause,
1t is getting late. I will not detain you any
longer. Good morning." and leaving them he
he went away, they following
When they were gone, sudden change had
come upon Berthalde. A bright light was in
her sightess eyes. She whispered trembling
ly, almost like one in fear,
ooh, if there was any way, any hope-if
knew what to do-if l could speak TO him and
tell him" She paused moment, and press
cd her face upon her hands then bursting in
to tears she cried almost aloud, "Oh, if he
would teach me, if lie would let me learn of
him. if he would let me be singer p and fall
ing on her knees again, she broke into pas
sionate, imploring prayer, sobbing and trem-
bling as if her very life depended on his being
heard.
For long time she kncIt, not praying al
ways, but feverisbly Yet with intense de-
light and eagerness, building bright castles in
the air, confusing herself with multitudes of
thoughts that poured in on her bright, hap
Ply thoughts for the most part, though now
and then some sudden fear would come, ma
king her heart grow sick, lest all that she was
hoping now should never be to her anything
but dream. Then she prayed again until the
fear began to fade away, and she would grow
bewildered with her happiness once more
Now that she was so full of it, it seemed so
strange to her that never, in all her sorrow,
and with all her passionate love of music, she
should have remembered that it was possible
for her as a singer to gain her bread, and grow
so happy oh so happy, that it scarcely SEEM
ed to her that there could be in all the world
anything more that she could wish for.
Patient, cheerful, full of hope, day after day,
found Berthalde at her old place at the chcrcl,,
waiting, with firm purpose, though tremb-
ling heart, to hear the Kapell-meister's step ;
but day after day too saw her tnrn away in
disappointment for in vain she waited, in vain
she strained her ears to catch a sound of the
we-remembered voice, in vain she listened to
each solitary footstep, believing that she conld
at once distinguish his from any other--he
never came again. And after time she be-
gan to fear that there must be private en-
trance 50 the choir through which he came and
went, and that she mi ght wait for months here
in the chancel and never see him and then
what to do she knew not, for she shrank from
telling any one her secret, and she could not
hope to tiud her way alone to strange place.
And presently by degrees, her heart began to
sink, her whole project began to appear to her
wild and unattainable and at last one day she
turned from the church so weary Of hoping in
vain so sad and out of spirits, that she could
scarcely keep her tears from falling as she went
away.
The church was near to where she lived Sc
near that-blind though she was-neither her
father nor her mother ever objected to her 60
ing to it alone, or feared that she should miss
her way. Nor was it likely. for she had gone
daily there for many years, and no accident Of
any kind had ever happened to her but on
this day, as she was sorrowfully making her
way home, less careful perhaps than usual to
keep out of the way of the passers-by, almost
at the church door she tripped over some
thing that lay across the path and fell down
heavily. But almost in the instant that she
fell, voice close to her broke upon her ear
voice that as if by magic made her forget
the pain that she was suffering, for it was the
long watched for voice of the Kapell-meister.
My child, take care Why, where could
you be looking 2" be exclaimed, and before
she could speak he had raised her from the
ground, and was half supporting her with his
arm.
Looking wouldn't have done her much
good, poor thing" said a good-natured man
coming out of his shop close by. "Do you
know her ? She is the little blind girl, Der.
thalde Reimer p
"Why, my child, you have really hurt your
self; your hand is bleeding let's wrap my
handkerchief round it )" and while Berthalde
stood trembling by him, he gently bound up
her injured hand, talking to her kindly while
he did it. ..-
Il think, sir, she's little faint-the poor