Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-07-04
5elette0 AlisteIIanp.
THE MYSTERIOUS ORGANISE.

Years ago, at grand old chathedral
overlooking the Rhine, there appeared
a mysterious organist. The great COM
poser who had played the organ SO long
had suddenly died, and everybody, from
the King to the peasant, was wondering
who could be found to take his place,
when one bright Sabbath morn, as the
sexton entered the church, he saw a
stranger sitting at the crape-shrouded
organ. He was tall graceful man, with
a pale, but strikingly handsome face,
great black, melancholy eyes, and hair
like the ravens wing for gloss and color,
sweeping in dark waves over his shout
dcrs. He did not seem to notice the sex
ton, but went on playing, and such mu-
sic as he drew from the instrument no
words of mine can describe. The aston
ished listener declared that the organ
seemed to have grown hunan---that it
walled and sighed as if some tortured
human heart were throbbing through its
pipes. When the music at length ceased
the sexton fastened to the stranger and
said
:" Pray, who arc you, sir ?"
" DO not ask my name," he replied.
~ have heard that you are IN want of
an organist, and have come here on
trial"
i" You'll be sure and get the place"
exclaimed the sexton. "Why, you sur
pass him that's dead and gone, sir"
+" No, no; you overrate me-" resumed
the stranger, with sad smile. And
then, as if disinclined to conversation,
he turned from old Hans, and began to
play again. Now the music changed
from a sorrowful strain to grand old
paan, and the mysterious organist-
+" Looking upward, full Of grace,
Played, till from happy place
Gods glory smote him on the FACET
and his countenance seemed not unlike
that of St. Michael, as portrayed by
Guido.
Lost in the harmonies which swelled
around him, he sat with his "far-secing
gaze fixed on the distant sky, glimpse
of which he caught through an open
window, when there was stir about the
church door, and royal party came
swarming in. Among them might be seen
a young girl, with wealth of golden
hair, eyes Of violet blue, and lips like
wild cherries. This was the Princess
Elizabeth, and all eyes turned to her as
she seated herself in the yelyct-cushioned
pew appropriated to the use of the court
The mysterious organist fixed his gaze
upon her and went on playing. No
sooner had the sound of the music reached
her cars than she started as if ghost
had crossed her path. The bloom faded
from her cheeks, her lips quivered, her
whole frame grew trcmulous. AT last
her eyes met those of the organist in a
long, ycarning look, and then the melo-
dy lost its joyous air, and once more
walled and signed.
!" By my faith" whispered the King
to his daughter, "this> organist bath a
master hand Hark yc! he shall play
at your wedding"
The pale lips Of the princess parted,
but she could not speak-she was dumb
with grief. Like one in painful dream,
she saw the pale man at the organ. and
heard the melody which filed the vast
edifcc. Aye! full well she knew who
he was, and why the instrument seemed
breathing out the agony Of tortured
heart.
When the service was over and the
royal party had left the cathedral he
stole away as mysteriously as he had
come. He was not seen again by the
sexton till the vesper hour, and then he
appeared in the organ loft and commenced
his task. While be played, yelled
figure glided in and knelt near side
shrine. There she remained till the
worshippers dispersed, when the sexton
touched her on the shoulder and said
" MADAM, everybody has gone but you
and me, and I wish to close the doors. "
- / am not ready to go yet" was the
reply. leave me leave me-"