Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1871-03-04

4 ths mosb bIea anSi' RsiEti ieaa6shiBliAt EVsi
walked dia sagsl I buss llcsi sky I'D
i where that 6 sNoiAa4 tsssttaSh land
tal1, e s,y,l wlsh saan@Pp spe0Plsv GaMer IL
/ vss aszsly tsrls oastssE i'll tskl
same atterxo6H,s I ana " 6bais bel
4 lRinning at6 zfael diomesiclH Tss1nehsll
1plosed hsr ,baerts sgaipst eAl ssiHs
terests, Until she feaiiy apas 'fselin1i
livery lonely Seeing the pisslo si II still 1t
open: she sought. solace1 III tie diver
sion ii would surely girsS ilFcrsaii
i hoafsau Z - ~ ed aG i.dintet-rpt sdlJ;;
/ Not asound was heard in the house,
| when suddenly, but quietly, the door
behind her was opened and figure,
seemingly only half human in its dis
guise Of rags And Dirt crept stealthily
land noisely asSDss the room until it
stood directly tehind her. ALI un-
conscious, Jessie played On, recalling
snatches Of Beet6oven's Sonata which
move the heart hike wordssuf great
tenderness. A deep sigh behind her
caused her to turn her. head, when the
mildest, most hasgard face of which
she had ever conceived met Her gaze
She was going to scrsan with terror,
but the figure, swithans earnest which
awed her, motioned her to continue,
crying "Jonezi Jonesl, yonezi J0sezl''s
She dared not disobey. and covering
the keys with her hands, triedto strike
Ia chord, but terror had stifened them
(She could not control a single, muscle.
Half pushing her from the stool, the
stranger stood for q moment before the
instrument, and almost seemed Ito de-
your it with his eager human eyes
Placing his fingers 4oVar the keys, he
struck three full diversions ofEtAe key
of g; then leaping into the, air as
though in d frenzy Of delight, sank on
his knees before It, and kissed the bits
of insensible ivory, as o deyotee would
the feet of ., saint. Again touching
them, a weird but thrilling combine
tion of sound responded to- his touch,
He, ran scale; it rippled- beneath his
fingers in links Of; liquid. melody.
Once more he kissed the keys. knelt to
them, tried to embrace the entire in
strument, struck a fewmors wild notes,
and leaning his face against the music
rack, burst into tears; His whole
frame seemed conyulsed with emotion.
At length, raising his streaming eyes
to heaven, he struck the keys and
brought forth a continuation of such
sounds as genius alone could evoke.
One moment the melody seemed to
wall like soul without hope; then, as
if fred with fresh enthusiasm, it was
all exultation and energy. His eyes
never once sought his fngers-they
seemed but the harmonious machinery
of present but invisible master spirit,
holding a communion with some intel,
ligent soul, in. which music was the
language Of utterance. Meanwhile
Jessie had forgotten to scream. All
her first terror was merged in amaze
ment. Eyes and ears were riyeted
upon him, and she stood spell bound,
giving no signs Of life, save by the
tears Of sympathy and admiration,
which, almost unconsciously to herself,
ran down her cheeks. The man sud-.
denly ceased and looked upon her,
then bending low, cried alvao,a'es I,
PWdonnes !" ~ ss'..,i .s5 .ss.., r-.,is X
Jessie was a good French scholar,
but before she could frame a reply
Aunt Sarah's portly figure appeared
in the doorway. She could not un-
derstand the scene before her. No
wonder The man knees and shoul-l
ders protruded from the filthy rags
which hung around bis gaunt frame.
His head was hatless, and the grizzled
hair and long beard seemed matted
together A sabre cnt, which at one
time must almost have severed his
cheek, now presented q frightful scar,
while the dirt furroWs, which the tears
had ploughed over his face, did not
detract from its ugliness, AS for the
face Of Jessie, the angel Of pity looked
from her brown eyes, and it was trans
formed into new beauty.
What does it all mean ?" said aunt
Sarah, looking from one to the other.
"Tell me who you are. said Jessie
| to the stranger. !.