The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-07-18

The Boy urgaptst
Mozart. FIRST experience ora large er-
gan was IN The monastery of little town
ON the banks ofthc Danube HeAas thcu
onb six years old, aud in company with
his father had len bis home In Shlbaru.
and started upon long course oi travel
An day long they bad been sailing down
that majestic river, past erumbliug ruins,
. trowniug castles cloisters hidden away
among the crags, towering ellis, quiet vii,
lagos nestled 10 sunny valleys, and here
aud there q deep gorge that opened back
from the gliding river its hollow distance
blue with tathomIess shadow, and is
loneliness aud stiffness stirring The boys
heart like some dim aud vast cathedral
The company Of Monks with whom
they had been travelling that DAY were at
supper in the roleotory of the cloistor,
when father Mozart took Wollgang into
the chapel TO see the organ
And now as the boy gazed with some
thing Of awe upon the great instrument,
looming up in the shadows OF The great
empty church, his face III up with serene
satisfaction, and every motion and atli.
tude Of the little figure expressed won.
derful reverence, What tones must now
be slumbering in those mighty pipcsg
Tones, which il once awakened, could
give utierance to all that yoicelcss beauty
which the days scenes had showed him.
life and death; present and past the
peaceful river, and the deserted ruins
the unhiling shadow al his side
Father said the boy explain to me these
pedals at the organ feet aud let me play
Well pleased the father complied
Then Wolfgang pushed aside The stool
and when father Mozart had filled the
great bellows, the eliza organist stood
upon the pedals, aud trod them as thongh
he had never needed to have their man
agement explained.
How The deep tones awoke the sober
stiffness Of the old church, The organ
seemed some great uncouth creature,
roaring for very JOY at the carcsscs of The
marvellous child
The monks, eating their supper IN the
refectory, heard the tones aud dropped
knife and fork IN astonishmcnt The Or
ganist Of the brotherhood was among
them; but never had he played with
such power and freedom. They listened
some grew pale, others crossed them
selves; till the prior rose up, summoned
all his courage, and fastened into the
chapel. The others followed, but whea
they looked up into the organ-loii, lol
there was no form or any organst TO be
seen, though the deep tones still masscd
v'i~i"'ei'N@ =. --~ Economies. and made
the stone arches thrill with t6en -
It. is the devil himself, cried the last one
Of the monks, drawing closer to one Of
bis companions, and giving scared look
over his shoulder TO the darkness OF thc
aisle.
1t is a miracle! said another But when
the oldest of their number mounted the
stairs to the organ front, he stood as If
petriiied with amazement. There stood
the tiny figure, treading from pedal 10
pedal, and at the same time clutching the
keys above with his little hands, gather
Ing handfulls Of these wonderful chords
rs though they were yiolets and fling
ing them out into the solemn gloom be-
hind him. lie heard nothing, saw nothing
besides, his eyes beamed like stars, and
bis whole face lightened with impas-
stoned joy. Louder and fuller rose the
harmonics, streaming forth in swelling
pillows, till at last they seemed 10 reach
a sunny shore, on which they broke aud
then a whispering ripple Of laintest mel
ody fingered a moment in lhc air, like the
last murmur Of wind harp, aud all was
still.