Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-04-21
PICKED UP.
I.-WEAT IT WAS.

I.--WEAT IT WAS.
You never picked up anything? But Mr..
Arne did ! Nothing so strange in that, you
think. No; l 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 him seemed to faint and grow weary
with its arduous struggle to burst its prison
bars Besides, in the wide world no kith 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
ond-rate theatre. When seated before the
blazing fOot-hghts, with his bow capering, of
its own will itseemed to him, across the strings,
and the music vaulting itself over his bowed
head, he was no longer the poor, striving,
hungry, half-clad vagrant, but sublime wor-
shipper in a temple not made with hands, a
soul feeding o. the frution of the future
grand ideal soul, with an immortal hunger,
though inheriting a kingdom clothed with the
glory of a rainbow, whose arch scaled heaven
and yet disdained not to touch the earth Of
humanity, glad inspired wanderer through
all the realms of light and joy, and melody
intense.
1t was damp, foggy night that he found
himself in the hali-deserted streets, scarcely
reused from his visions, the glare Of lamps
still binding him the air was more than
damp, 1t seemed to exude warm drops that
fell like stealthy tears upon him and soaked
lIa baI laft +bo
thorou htares and was Fastening through ZIG
gag lanes and by-ways when the string of his
violin bag snapped, and the Instrument would
have spllntered on the pavement but that his
nimble hand broke the fall. ''Ah, Ariel he
sighed, that was Il naughty freak of yours
Have you grown already tired of your limits
and my company? Wait: | willyet give our
voice To the utmost parts of the earth, and
make your memory fragrant. "Who knows"
he continued, while securing it from future
mishaps-" who knows, my little Ariel but
that some future age will treasure you as the
mouthpiece of my inspiration ? Be patient,
little one! y As he raised himself he paused
and listened. Close beside lowered an arch
ed doorway, all its recesses wrapped in
densest shadow; it seemed to him that lit
tie stir issued from this doorway he bent
forward, without perceiying anything, then
lifted the violin to his ear "What! grum-
bling, Ariel ?" he said, and as though Ariel
indeed spoke, a timid questioner broke the
quiet; r
"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 a beautifully fantastic world, Of
the magieians that his violin had become an
entity; living. and voiced soul then he
found space and breath to interrogate it !:
Who are you?" His voice had always the
caressing softness of June wind; just now
it 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 was ready
now. ~ don't know will you-will YOU
hurt me ?''l#1-''
"Oh, child No, no, how could l hurt
you? What are you doing here, out in the
rain? Can't you get in? Is this your home ?"
81 sleep here" sighed the little flute
You mustn't do So your mother will be
angry. Did you run away? Shall pull the
knocker for you?" Is u. s- af
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 dav
till dark, then l comes here and sleeps. VIII
you tell? The perlece doesn't catch me in
this place" And the tiny voice retreated
Where did your mother go?" recon-
menced the questioner. st
- To get US hunk of bread | wish she'd
come soon, I'm so hungry"
Has she been gone long?"
"Oh, how long!" .-.
Have you eaten nothing since 2"
Every day an old woman that keeps one
OF them stalls there gives me an apple, and l
sing her song; and sometimes she gives me
cake, too, but that's when she's had drop,
you know" .. -
Come with me-" he said q will give
you both" .-.s-. ..... ~.
He held out his hand. In an instant she
had sprung from the niche and clung to it.
Two dark, starry eyes flashed up to him their
sad appeal Surprised to find her so small,
ne lifted and carried her in his arms This
was what Philip Arne picked up.
U.-WHAr HE DID WITH 1T. "
She might have been seven when this oc-
cured. s .- ..~. aat.-
's." But now what shall l call YOU ?" he ask
ed, one day. g Lichen, because I found Won
growing on stone ? or Saint? for YOU were
in a niche" .f.s
She chose Saint. .~
In the long, lonesome day, while he thrum-
med his scales and toiled through the pieces
d preparatory to rehearsals, she sat contentedly
on her little stool, conninga pictured primer,
and lifting the a 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 old street ballads caught and
kept But when the requisite exercises had
been gone through with, and he could resign
himself to his own fancies to weave garlands
of harmony, and intoxicate sense and sight
with an elixir of delightsome thoughts or
when on the wings of Mendelsohn he sought
heaven, or heard the foot-beats Of the stars
in the grand strains of Beethoven, or felt all
love, and pathos, and infinite beauty throng
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 smiling. He had added to his depart
ment very dainty room, and called it Saints