The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-12-01

and sing on the next Sunday morning
at his parish church, aud that he and
his choir should come ever to our par
'sh for the evening service.
"Aud you, SAM" said bs, "shall
take my place ip your own church, and
please God, if you do ~ we'll there .s
you've done here, it will be the proud.
est day 1 ever knew, Sam, my boy, and
your father and mother will say 10.
too!' .- ..:.;
How I practise1, morning, noon and
night. for tho great day; how the old
man darkly hinted At = prodigy that was
to be forthcoming At tho festival; and
then the day itself, with its event.-all
are as vivid before me as if ii were but
yesterday"
The evening came, and there, in the
dimly-lit gallery, I sat waiting, with
my master beside me.
"Sam, my boy" said my master,
tits great risk; it's getting very full
There's the squire and my lady just
come in. Keep your eyes on your
book and feel what you're playing, and
think you're in the little shop; I've
brought you bit Of leather to help you,"
and he put piece of that black leath.
er that has peculiar acid scent in
front of me. The scent Of it revived
me; the memory Of the many hours I
had spent there came back to me at
once, and I felt as if I were indeed
| there. :: -. ~,
She came at last, and service began.
0, that night I! Shall I ever forget
its pleasures ?-the wondering looks
Of the friends and neighbors who came
and found in me, the despised, awk-
ward, left-hauded apprentice, the prod
ICY Of which they had heard rumors.
O, it was glorious! The first; few
strokes Of my bow gave me confidence,
and I did we'll, and I knew it, through
the hymn, through the chants, and on
to the anthem before the sermon.
That was to be the gem of the even
ing ; it was HandePs then new anthem,
* know that My Redeemer lveth.'
1t began-harsh, inharmonious, out
Of tune-I know not why or how but
as it progressed spell seemed upon
all but her and myself; one by one tue
instruments ceased and were silent !;
one by one the voices died away and
were lost, and she and I alone, bound
together and driven by an irresistible
impulse, went through the anthem !;
one soul, one spirit, seemed to animate
both. The whole congregation listen-
ed breathless as to an angle ; and she,
sslt-absorbed, and like one in trance,
sang, filling me with delicious sense
Of peace and exuItation, the like of
which I have not known aimee.
1t came to an end at last, and, with
the last triumphant note I fell forward
on the desk in a svoon.
When I recovered l found myself at
home in my own room, with the rector
and doctor, and my parents there, and
I heard the doctor say
IL told you he would, my dear mad
ma I knew he would"
"Thank God ?" murmured my moth
er. "My dear boy, how we have fear
ed for you."
What difference! I was oourted,
md made much of: "Genins ~ and
"Very clever r and "Delightfal tai.
ent !" such were the expressions now
heard, instead Of ''stupid 2" "avk-
ward p and "unft tor anythiogw E.
Ny father bought fine instrument;
and was the hero of the village for
months.
1t was some days after that Sunday
that I ventured to ask about the rec
tors niece.
"My dear boy" said my mother ::
''the like was never heard. We saw
you there, and wondered what, you
were dong but as soon As We saw you
with the bow, ~e knew you must te
the person ther'd been so much talk
about and then, when tho anthem
came, and We all left off singing and
they all left off playing, and only you
and Miss Cecilia kept on, We were. al
in tears. I saw even the rector crying !;
and, poor girl, she seemed IS if 10 .
dream, and so did you ; it was dreadful
for me to sec you, with your eyes fixed
on her, Watching her 70 eagerly Aid
then to look at her, staring up .t tho
stained glass window, .as if she could
see through it, miles and miles away into
the sky. o, I'm sure, the like newer
was; and then, when you fell. down,
I screamed, and your father ran >up
and carried sou down and brought you
home in Farmer Shades four wheeler"
Attor this I had an invitation to 20
up to the rectory, and there in the long
winter evenings we used to Sit; and
while I played, she sang. O, those
happy times when hhe loved me, but
only as dear friend; and 1 loved her
40 nouor ho1 1ov.1 hoEo.o a, >o,,1l