Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-02-20
The Stnrp.TeMet.
THE MYSTERIOUS ORGANIST.
ALEGEND OF THE RHINE.
ssKind hearts are more than coronets,
And simple faith than Norman blood"

The great composer who had played the organ so
long had suddenly died, and everybody, from the
king to the peasant, was wondering who could be
found to FILL his place, when one bright Sabbath
morning as the sexton entered the Church, he saw
stranger sitting at the crape-shrouded organ. He
was a tall graceful man. with pale but strikingly
handsome face, great, black, melancholy eyes, and
hair like the ravens wing for gloss and color sweep
ing in dark waves over his shoulders. He did not
seem to notice the sexton, but went on playing and
suchsmusic as he drew from the instrument no
words of mine can describe. The astonished lis
tener declared that the organ seemed to have
grown human-that it walled and sighed and clam
ored, as if a tortured human heart was throbbiDg
through its pipes
When the music at length ceased, the sexton
hastened to the stranger and said, PRAY, who are
you, sr?' s .
''Do not ask my name,' he replied. II have
heard that you are in want of an organist, and
have come here on trial " ".'53'7 --.
"You'n be sure to get the place, 4" exclaimed the
sexton. "Why, you ourpass him that's dead and
gone, sir!'' s.s.s
"No, no you overrate me-, resumed the stran-
GER with a sad smile; then, as if disincEned to
conversation, he turned from old Hans and began
to play again. And now the music changed from
a sorrowful strain to grand old pean, and the
mysterious organist,
"Looking upward full of grace,
Prayed, Til from happy place
&. Gods glory smote him In the face"
and his coutenancee seemed not unlike that Of St
Michael, as portrayed by Guido.
Lost in the harmonies which swelled around
him, he sat with his far-seeing'' eye fixed on the
distant sky, glimpse of which he caught through
the open window, when there was stir about the
church door, and royal party came sweeping In
Among them might be seen young girl with
wealth of golden hair, eyes like the vioet's hue,
and lips like wild cherries. This was the Princess
Elizabeth, and all eyes were turned to her, as she
seated herself in the velvet-cushioned pew appro-
priated to the court The mysterious organist fix
ed his eyes upon her and went on playing. No
sooner had the music reached her ears than she
started as if ghost had crossed her path. The
blood faded from her cheek, her lips quivered, and
her whole frame grew tremulous. At last her eyes
met those of the organst, in long, yearning look,
and the melody lost its joyous notes and once more
walled, and sighed, and clamored.
"By my faith" whispered the king to his
daughter ''this organist has master hand. Hark
We, he shall play at your weddingl'
The pale lips of the princess parted, but she
could not speak-she was dumb with grief. Like
one in a painful dream, she saw the pale man at
the organ, and heard the melody which filed the
vast edifce Ay, full we'll she knew who he was
and why the instrument seemed breathing out the
agony of a tortured heart.
When the service was over, and the royal party
had left the cathedral, he stole away as mysteri-
ously as he came He was not seen again by the
sexton till the vesper hour: and then he appeared
in the organ-loh and commenced his task. While
he played, yelled figure glided in and knelt near
a side shrine. There she remained till the wor-
shippers dispersed when the sexton touched her on
the shoulder and said:
MADAM, everybody has gone but youand me,
and wish to close the doors. "
II am not ready to 60 yet," was the reply !;
'leave me-leave mer'
The sexton drew back into a shady niche and
watched and listened The mysterious organist
still kept his post, but his head was bowed upon
this instrument and he could see the lone devotee.
At length she rose from the aisle, and moving to
the organ loft, paused beside the musician.
'Bertram," she murmured.
Quick as thought the. organist raised his head.
There, with the light ola lamp, suspended to the
arch above, falling full upon her, stood the princess
who had graced the royal pew that day. The
court dress Of velvet, with its soft ermine trim
mings the tiara, the necklace; the bracelets, had
been exchanged for gray serge robe and long
thick veil, which was now pushed back from the
fair grlish face.
"Oh Elizabeth, Elizabeth 70 exclaimed the Or
ganist, and he sunk at her feet and gazed wistful
ly into her troubled eyes.
"Why are you here, Bertram?" asked the
princess.
IT came to bid you farewell; and rs I dared not
venture into the palace gained access to the
cathedral by bribing the bell-ringer, and having
taken the vacant seat of the dead organst, let my
music breathe out the adieu could not trust my
lips to utter"
A low moan was the only answer, and he con
tinued:
s'You are to be married on the morrow
EYES," sobbed she, ''Oh Bertram, what tria
it will be to stand at yonder altar, and take upor
me the VOWS which will doom me to living
DEATH"
sThink of me" rejoined the organist. 'You
royal father has requested me to play at the wed