The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-10-04
The Mysterious 0rganiSt

LL1LNb DI lHE RHINE.
years ago, at the grand cathedral
overlooking the Rhine, there appear
ed a mysterious organist. The great
composer who had played the organ
so long had suddenly died. and every
body from the king to the peasant,
was wondering who cou be found to
fiji his place, when, one bright Sab
bath morning, as the sexton entered
the church, he saw stranger sitting
at the pe-shrouded organ He
was tall graceful man, with a pale
but striking handsome face, with 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 he drew from the instu-
ment no words of mine can describe.
The astonished listener declared that
the organ seemed TO have grown hui
man that it walled and sighed and
clamorod, as if tortured human
human heart were throbbing through
its pipes.
When the music had at length
ceased, the sexton fastened to the
stranger and. Pray, who are you,
sir ?"
90 not ask my name, he replied
II have heard that YOU are in want of
an orgaaist and have come here on
trinl
"Yonn be sure to get the place, ="
exclaimed the sexton. Why you
surpass him that's dead and gone
sill? r
"No, no, you ovcrrate me. resumed
the stranger with a sad smile; and
then as if lisinclined to conversation,
he turned from old Hans, and began
to play again. And now the music
changed from a sonowful strain to u
grand old paau, and the mysterious
organist,
"I.ooking upwards fun of grace
Irayes uil from happy place
Gods glory smote him IN the face
aud bis countenance seemed not IN
like that Of St. Michael, as portrayed
by Guido.
Lost in tho melodies which
swtlled around him, he sat with his
,far-seeing' eyes fixed on the distant
sky, glimpse of which he caught
through an open window, when there
was stir about the church door, and
a royal party came sweeping in
Among them might be seen bright
young giIi with wealth of golden
hair, eyes like the violet's hue and
lips like the Wild cherries. This was
the Princess Elizabeth; and all eyes
were turned to her, as she seated her
self in the velvet cushioned pew APP
propriated TO the court The myster-
ious organist fixed his eyes upon her,
and went on playing No sooner had
the music reached her ears, than she
started, as if a ghost had crossed her
path. The blood faded from her
crimson check, her lips quivered, and
her whole frame grew tremuious At
last her eyes met those Of the organ
list, in a long yearning look, and the
melody lost its joyous notes and once
more walled, and sighed and clamor-
ed.
"By faith" whispered the king to
his daughter this organist has a
master 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 in painful
dream, she saw the pale man at the
organ. and heard the melody which
filed the vast edifce. Ay, full well
she knew who it was, and why the IN
strument seemed breathing out the
agony of tortured heart.
When the service was over, and the
royal party had left the cathedral, he
stole away as mysteriously as he had
come He was not seen again by the
sexton till the vesper hour and then
he appeared in the organ loft, and
commenced his task. While he play
ed, a veiled figure glided in, and knelt
near a side shrine. There she remain
ed till the worshipers disappeared,
when the sexton touched her on the
shoulder and seld:
"Madam, everybody mas gone but
Won and me, and ! wish to close the
doors.
81 am not ready to go yet, was the
reply:- leave me--leave me
The sexton drew back into shady
niche. and watched and listened. The
,,vster;ous oroanist still kept his post