The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-01-15

strain of music was borne to my ears DegS,n
ming like the distant hum OF bees, anu -
ally swelling on the air with slow anu mmsio in
Meadowbro before. Curious to know wne ,,ot
it came followed the sound, ana was MOI
long in discovering that some PractseG; n4 +i,a
was touching the wheezy little organ IN Ino |
village church. Not the same hand when was
painfully to struggle with inc Keys
there on Sunday, and wrung from them Tfo nan
vous listeners. The person who was playing
now had the touch OF master; ana as e Suo
plaintive phrases of the Agnms De. rom
Mozart's First Mass broke upon the s1hi ;"fsed
the church, the rickety organ seemed ln!usea
with q new spirit. could not nave 91;oaou
that 80 much pathos and such exquisite Geneacy
of tone could be drawn from the wre1Sneue e.
strument whose laberious whstling and pnmng
had set my teeth on edge the previous eonan ~:
I sat down in pew under the gallery, and us,
tened. 1t was not until twilight approacneu
closed; the player was silent for q few mo-
ments-" He is saying prayer" thought II. IL
and then soft step began to descenu INC
might fell annoyed at perceiving a stranger IN
the church, sat quietly In my PiacS, Ill
dent that the growing darkness anu tne snei-
ter of one of the pillars would screen ne mo'
observation. could very well, however,
though could not be seen; and my suIpliss
was great when q slender female inquire lss%;"
from the gallery staircase and came MiSm JILL
younS-not more than eighteen, shonia tnihk
with face of rare beauty, pretty lo!m,
light and graceful carriage, and the fsa4
able air of q gehtlewoman Small regular neIs
| ures, light brown eyes, checks like o Peach'
blooming with health, profnslon OF aalh ai.,
| and an expression Of remarkable simPHcl.y
a"eb ' as rhaI nsser seen BEFORE. She wore
fascinating little round hat, and wnen 49, -.
caught sigLt Of hersehe was tusf dsawih hgn On
were small and shapely. She bent her kn nee
as she passed before the altar, and when sue
| went out into the street the church seemed
suddenly to haze Yo srG Isr nt stoppsd feeling
| that it would be an intrusion, ana ItusS,us
that she would return the next day, IL sue 81
| posed herself to be unobser7ed. 90 hep' onI
| until she had been gone several minutes, anu
| when left the church she was nowhere W 'o
| seen. ,o,,+ III
| fair musician and that evening, when worthy
Mrs Brown brought me my supper, DETAINED
! her a few minutes in conversation-an amuse-
| ment to which she was in no way adverse.
Mr.. Franklin ." said the old woman, as she
placed on the table the smoking rasheI oi hs1",
| and the pile of buttered toast, F." and us pialn
| to see what q world OF gooo tn's ",nnId NJ
! saw YOU were over strong yet; Dut, Loru r.eI
| me when you first came here, you were NUS
better than ghost Well, well, 81, 90 a1 dull
| hone Won won't find our little village TOO uuil
for your NJ. hit If r.. wish
1 could stay here year. by the waSi wv i Io
Meadowbrooi church, 1 heard the music, and
stopped q while to lsten." ,,
tPlays the organ, sirf Wen, you KNOW pa..
tbore's MIR. Thrasher, the schoolmaster; he's
the organist ON Sundays, and very like YOU
heard him practising-though why he shouie
be out of school to-day, and this not non
Z Mr.. Thrasher, Mrs. Brown, thumps on TN
organ as if he were humping his pupils ant
| his singers scream as if they felt the pioM
, This was not Mr.. Thrasher' 1t was young
@WelI sir, 1 never knowed of no young ia az,
> playinp the organ except 1T was be1ty CoA, VIZ
: butchers daughter. They 40 say s TSrash n
. he has been giving her lessons for 1nls LAS
mouth, and wouldn't wonder II IL was h 1;:
o Now it had been my privilege TO He. Mass
= Betty Cox finger the keys one day after Mass ass
and n more doleful performance never ns
listened to. Even if had not seen the Pc.
= former, 1 should have been sure 1t was .i mo
= Miss BETTY but, quite apart from her mnsica
q proficiency, 1 felt a little bit indignant qua
a the beautiful girl who had made such an III I'M
y preston upon me should be mistaken Iol
q Ketty Cox No, she was not one OF Tue Nliias
damsels: that was clear. And unfortunatel.
- IL was eoually clear that Mrs. Brown knew
q more about her than did myself: H.. 1r.,
fell asleep that night hummlng the -agHt
:, Ne; and dreamed of angels with round ma,
;, and brown kd-gloves playing on ri nhooimo
4 gans, and hurting legions OF mus1y sehooiin''
A. ters out of the CLOUDS. II +ho ,burcI
- The next day took my book to the chu nc
yard, and chose shady spot where oit e9pau ior
the first notes of the organ. wal'eu Lo =
A. while, reading little, for could not NIX my "a
tenton on the page At last she , aS to ii II
10 aDpu;site tones which seemed to flow from
a. agile fingers. Then she went away "i'ho'
=. need Hardly say that made many anot =,
% visit to the church, for the pursuit Oh tne
y. organist had now become q genuine passlS
With Sometimes waited all her the r ans9
tn noon moor ", Sro to nv room and be moody and mi
cradle The evening Ana 5"iny w ssa
C1nnJs with the eagerness of schooEDoy on on
Soday Ny Eesd as.p T RIs love- % On
IN or twice met her walking, and had an oPpS
sany notice snG
nc reansd and quiet air which Perva U1d,t
e'S, HShoIe person, Once met her by accloehS
~. .@ the crossing of brook. gave her my ma na.
~ to helm her over and she took 1T with tn ag ~,
'"o eat frankness of q true lady, saying,
vou. sir.1 in q voice which seemed 90 ne
: y sweet as her face. Yes, was certainly IN ="