Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-04-20
PICKED UP.
WHAT IT WAS.

Nv HAT IT w AS.
You never picked up anything9 But Mr..
Arne did Nothing strange III that, you
think No; 1 have known many to be lucky
in that way. Yet how many ever found
what Phillip found But then he needed
something TO cheer him, something to amuse
when his slight arm grew tremulous welding
the magic bow; when the spirit of music
within hun seemed to faint and grow weary
with its arduous struggle 10 burst its prison
bars Besides, IN the wide world no lth or
kin had he, no kind welcoming eyes ever
met his, no eager hand waited for his clasp
he was very much alone when he found this.
His days were spent in an attic chamber,
though not happily, still almost cheerfully
his evenings he lent for slender interest to
the second violin of the orchestra of a sec
oad-rate theatre. When seated before the
blazing foot-lights with his bow capering of
lis own will itaeemed to him, across the strings,
and the music vaulting itself over his bowed
head, he was no longer the poor, striving,
hungry, haif-clad vagrant, bat Il sublime wor-
shipper in temple not made with hands,
soul feeding the fruitior of the future, Il
grand ideal soul, with immortal hunger,
though inheriting kingdom clothed with the
glory of a rainbow, whose arch scaled heaven
and yet disdained not To touch the earth of
humanity, a glad inspired wanderer thro 1gh
all the realms Of light and JOY, and melody
intense.
1t was a damp foggy night that he found
himself in the h0lt-deserted streets, scarcely
reused from his visions, the glare of lamps
still binding him; the air was more than
damp, it seemed to exude warm drops that
fell ike stealthy tears upon him and soaked
his thin apparel He had left the principal
thoroughtares and was Fastening through zig
gag lanes and by-ways when the string OF his
violin bag snapped, and the instrument would
have splintered on the pavement but that his
nimble hand broke the tall. - All, Ariel he
sighed that naughty freak of yours
Have you grown already tired of your limits
and my company? Wait | will yet give our
voice to the utmost parts of the earth, ana
make your memory fragrant. . Who knows
he continued, while securing it from future
mishaps-' who knows, my lttle Ariel, but
that some future age viii treasure YOU ~ the
mouthpiece of my inspiration BE patient,
little one !" As he raised himself he paused
and listened Close side lowered IN arch
cd doorway, ali its recesses wrapped in
dcnsest shadow; it seemed TO him that lit
tie stir issued from this doorway he bent
forward, without perceiving anything, then
lifted the violin 60 his ear. What grum-
bling, Ariel ?" he said, and as though Ariel
indeed spoke, tlnld questloner broke the
quiet:
. Speak to me :" For moment it appear
ed TO Philip Arne as If he had passed out
from the actual word into that of fancy and
fairy, INTO beautifully fantastic world, OF
the magicians that his violin had become an
entity; living and voiced soul then he
found space and breath to iuterrogate it:
+" no are YOU ~ His voice had ALWAYS the
caresSlng sottness OF a June wind, Just now
il was as though Alcyne had spoken, but there
Was no reply. He grew impatient, perhaps
disappointed in all his life nothing stronger
than disappointment and distress had come
To him, Here was, who could tell what He
repeated the question; the answer vs. ready
new don't know; viii you-wjll YOU
hurt me p
Oh, childl No, no, how could / hurt
YOU W hat are you doing here, out IN che
rain2 Can't you get I'M Is tins your home -
| sleep here, sighed the little flute
You mustn't do so your mother viii be
angry. Did YOU run away? Shall pull the
knocker for your"
No Do YOU know where my mother Is -
Don't YOU ?"
No, She left me the other day Just round
the corner there. | looks for her every day
till dark, then / comes here aud sleeps. VIII
you tell. The perlece doesn't catch me in
this place. And the tiny voice retreated
Where did your mother co." recon-
menced the questioner.
To get a hunk of bread, l wish she'd
-
. Has she been gone longs"
Oh, how long :"
Have you eaton nothing since :"
Every day an old woman that keeps one
Of them stalls there gives me an apple, and
sing her a song; and sometimes she gives me
cake, too, but that's when shes had drop,
you know"
"Come with me-" he said; II will give
YOU both"
He held out his hand In an instant She
had sprung from the niche and cIung to il.
Two dark, starry ewes flashed up to him their
sad appeal Surprised to find ner 80 small.
he lifted and carried her in his arms This
was what Philip Arne picked up.
U.-WnAr he DID WITH it.
She might have been even when this oc-
CURED.
Bat now what shall ] call YOU - he ask
ed, one day. "Lichen, because [ found Won
growing on stone ? or SaiRt2 for You were
in a niche"
She chose Saint
In the long, lonesome day, while he thrum
med his scales and toiled through the pieces
preparatory TO rehearsals. she sat couteutedlv
on her little stool, conninga pictured primer.
and lifting the abs to the measure of his
tunes; and when he left her few moments
found her upon his return. singing In her ba-
by way, bits OF OH street ballads caught and
kept. But when the requisite exercises had
been gone through With, ana he could RESIGN
himself 10 his own tancies to weave garlands
of harmony, and intoxieate sense and siebt
with elixir of delighssome thoughts or
when on the wings of Mendelsohn he souub,
heaven or heard the foot-beats Of the stars
In the grand strains of Beethoven, or felt all
love, and pathos, and infinite beauty throna
from out the human spells of Mozart to en-
fold him, then he would find her pausing
from her little tasks, drawing near his elbow,
gazing into the sky, with large-eyed ABSORB
ton, or plunged in tears, her head hidden
among the pillows of her bed, not TO be
soothed by tenderness or wooed BY reasons. |
till Through exhaustion, she fell asleep and
woke sWilipg. He ha6-s....ss -