Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-09-27

kind hearts are more than coronets,
And simple faith than Norman blood"
Years ago, at grand old cathedral
overlooking the Rhine, there appeared
a mysterious organist. The great com
poser who had played the organ SO
long had suddenly died, and every
body from the king to the peasant was
wondering who could be found to fill
his place, when one bright Sabbath
morn, as the sexton entered the church,
he saw a stranger sitting at the Grape
shroudel organ. He was a tall, graceful
lran, with pale and strikinsly hand
some face, great black, melancholy
eyes, and hair like the ravens wing
for gloss and color, sweeping in dark
waves over his shoulders. He did not
seem to notice the sexton, but went on
playing, and such music as he drew
from the instrument no words OF mlne
can describe The astonished listener
declared that the organ seemed to have
grown human,-that it walled and
sighed, and clamored rs if a tortured
human heart were throbbing through
it's pipes. When the music at length
ceased, the sexton hastened to the
stranger and said:
"Pray, who are you, sir %
"Don't ask my namp," he replied. -
Il have heard that you are in want Of
an organist, and have come here on
trial"
you'll be sure to get the place" ex
claimed the sexton. "Why, you sur
pass him that's dead and gone, sir !"
"No, no; you overrate me-" resum-
ed the stranger, with a sad smile ; and
'hen, as if diSinclined to conversation,
he turned from old Hans, and began to
play again. And now the music chang
ed from q sorrowtul strain to a grand
Old paan, and the mysterious organlSt--
"Looking upward full Of grace,
Prayed till from Il happy place
Gods glory smote him on the face"
and his cOuntenance seemed not unlike
shat of st. Michel as portrayed by
Guido.
Lost in tie harmonies which sweiled
around him, he sat with ''tar-seeing"
gaze fixed on the distant sky, a glimpse
of which he caught through an open
window, when there was a stir about
the church door, and aroyal party came
sweeping in. Among them mi ght be
seen a young girl, with a wealth Of
golden hair, eyes like the violet hue,
and lips like wild cherries This was
the princess Elizabeth; ana all eyes
turned to ber as she seated herself in
the velvet cushioned pew appropriated
to the court. The mysterious organist
fixed his gaze upon her, and then went
on playing. No sooner had the music
reached her ears than she started, as if
a ghost had crossed her path. The
bloom faded on her cheek, her lips quiv-
cred, and her whole frame grew trem-
ulous. Atlast her eyes met those of
the organist, IN long, yearning look,
and then the melody once more lost its
Joyous notes, and once more walled,
and sighed, and clamored.
by my faith, whispered the king to
his daughter. "ThiS organiSt has a mas
ter hand. Hark ye, he shall play at
your wedding
The pale lips OF the princess parted
but she could not speak she WAS dumb
with Grief. Like one III apalnl"I dream
she saw the pale man at the organ, and
heard the melody WHICH filled the vast
edltice. Av, tui well she knew who he
was, and why the instrument seemed
breathing out the egony OF a tortured
heart
" hen the service was over, and the