Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-06-01
The Mysterious Organist.

The Mysterious 0rganist.
At a grand cathedral overlooking
the Rhine there appeared a distin--
guished organist. The. great compo-
ser who had played the organ SO
much had suddenly died, and every
body, from the king to the peasant,
was wondering who could be foundto
fill his place, when one bright Sab
bath 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
ravenswing 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 such music as
he drew from the instrument no words
of mine can describe. The astonished
listener declared that the organ seem
ed to have grown human-that it
walled and sig he'd and clamored as if
its tortured human heart were thrc5-
bing through its pipes.
When the music at length ceased,
tbe sevton hastened to the stranger
and asked:
"Pray, who are you, sir.
"Do not ask my name" he re-
Piled "I have heard that you were
in want of an organist, and l have
come here on trial
You'll be sure to get the place, :.
exclaimed the sexton. {" Why, you
surpass him that's dead and gone"
No, no, you overrate me-" said
the stranger, with smile; then, as
if disinclined to conversation, he
turned from old Hans, and began to
play again, and now the music chang
ed from sorrowful stream to grand
old pean, and the mysterious old or
ganist:
Looking upward full of grace
Playing still from happy place
Gods glory smote him in the face,
and his countenance seemed not un-
like that of st. Michael, as portrayed
by Guido.
Lost in the melodies which swell
ed around him, he sat with his far
seeing" eyes fixed on the distant sky,
a glimpse of which he caught through
an open window, when there was a
stir about the church door, and a
royal party came sweeping in. Among
them might be seen a bright young
girl, with wealth of golden .hair,
eyes like the violet's hue, and lips
like wild cherries. This was the
Princess Elizabeth, and all eyes were
turned towards her as she seated
herself in the velvet-cushioned pew
appropriated to the court. Themys-
terious organist fixed his eye upon
her and went to 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 cheek, her lips quivered, and
her whole frame grew tremulous.
At last her eyes met those Of the or
ganist in long, yearning look, and
the melody lost its joyous notes,
and once more walled and sighed and
clamored.
"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 part
Ell, 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 filled the vast edi6ce. Ay,
full we'll she knew who it was and
why the instrument seemed breathing
out the agony of tortured heart.
When the services were oyer and
the royal party had left the cathe-
dral, he stole away as mysteriously as
he had come. He was not seen again
by the sexton till the yesper hour, and
then be appeared in the organ loft
and comnenced bis task. When he
played, yelled figure glided ip, and
kknelt near a shrine. There she re-
NAMED until the worshippers disap-
peared, when the sexton touched her
or tbe shoulder and said:
Madsu,s. everybody has gone but
you and'me, and 7 wish to close the
door,.
al am not ready to 60 yet" was
the reply; leave me-leave me T.
The sexton drew back into shady
niche, and watched and listened. The
mysterious orgauist still kept his
post, and his head was bowed upon
the instrument, and he could not see
the lone devotee. At length she rose
from the aisle, and moving to the or
gan loft, paused beside the organist.
6 Bertram !" she murmured.
Quick as thought the organist rails
ed bis head. There, with the light Of
the lamp suspended to the arch above
falling full upon her, stood the. Prin.
cess, who had graced the royal pew
that day. The eopst dress Of velvet
with its ermine trimming, the tiara
the necklace, the bracelets, had beer
exchanged for gray serge robe anc
a long thick veil, which was nov
pushed back from the fair, girlisf
face. 49,
"Why are you here, Bertram 2
asked the Princess,
u came to bid you farewell ; anG
as.I dared not to venture into the
palace. gained access to the eathe
dral by bribing the bell-ringer, anf