Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-04-17
NOT LOST.

LET me recount to you true love
story; story of love pure and undefiled
love as it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without end.
For love is all things in one to us. 1t
is hope and fear and Joy and despair it
IS truth and it is falseho0d; it is anything,
in short, that you are pleased to call it,
and 1t can represent the brightness of
heaven or the blackness of perdition.
Love is a melting Of the soul"
It was late in the afternoon of dull
autumnal day that group of young peo-
pie came chatting down the flight of stone
steps leading from the door of c cathedral
church, in an old Atlantic seaport town.
They were members of the choral society
attached to the church, and they had
evidently been there for rehearsal. With
in, the great building yawned black and
lonely, save in the gallery, where, over
the organ, gasjet spun rays of light in
the gloom, and the sound of softly-sub-
dued voices broke through the stiffness.
The visible occupants were two, a man
and a maiden-young, and with the ca5a-
listlc word "lovers" cleaning, as did
the mysterious handwriting of old on the
wall, on their foreheads. Robert Field,
the Organist, was turning over some sheets
Vi Win al dUSOl DCu
air, while by his side stood Hester
Heathersleigh, her pretty face full OF
anxious interest as she watched his move
ments. A little cloud of uneasiness
wrinkled her forehead now and then as
she saw the rent edges of angry clouds
scud by the narrow slit of window giving
to the east where the gray sea lay tossing
stormily. III
"Well, Robert" she said at last, dr. p
ping her slim hand on his shoulder
"Well, Robert, what is it?"
The musicians dark, serious face
lighted moment gloriously, as he
turned and took the little ungloved hands
in his.
L asked you to stay, Hester, because
wished to play for you some passages
from my new piece. l shall submit it tC
the society at Music Hall tomorrow
evening, and l want your opinion in
advance"
The young girl laughed-a little, rip
pling laugh of gleeful enthusiasm.
My opinion! Why, Robert, you know
beforehand what that will be. 1t would
be nothing but form asking it."
Robert raised the little hand tenderly
to his lips.
al know that love makes gentle critics
Of US al" he said, wisely. But now
want you to forget who is the author oi
the melody, and to exercise your judg
ment without stint Remember, too, thai
love is the theme; love which, wisely oil
unwisely, hopes all things, believes all
things, and endures all things unto the
end.n And then he turned to the organ
He played slowly at first. 1t was 8
lonely opening, full of strange, SAD
chords, as if soul were waiting some
where in shadow. Then, as brightness;
entered, the theme asserted itself The
wonderful tones climbed higher and
higher, expressive of a great faith, of q
fond, mad triumph, and bewildering joy,
On and on the chords swept; it was as il
living chain of light ran round the
world.
When he had finished there was silence
for a moment between these two. The
lingering echoes rolled back and forth
till one by one they, too, escaped into
stiffness. Then Hester Heathersleigf
stopped, and, with quivering lips ant
tear-wet eyes, reverently kissed the bowed
forehead of her lover.
"Oh, my darlingm she cried, lit is Sc
beautiful l am so proud of you. Who
taught you to play like that"
A proud and satisfied smile curveC
Robert Fields lips as he listened. "My
love for you taught me-" he answered
my love for you, which is so great, Sc
all-absorbing, that my music seems t
be but poor expression of it,"
Then lifting her head he gazed for
moment with wistful tenderness into thu
rose-pink beauty of her small, swee
face.
| uVo,, tbinb ~ 10 q tri,,,nnb than daar
All, Hester, are you sure you speak TO
the music itself, or only out of a tende
| mercy born of your love for meph
An indignant light frightened the pret
ty violet eyes out of the drowsy languo
of youths enchanting dreams.
"Tender mercy for your" she repeated
Then her voice changed. "Ah, Robert
if my love can make you write like tina
now, then your future life shall be full O
inspiration, for shall love you more an,
more the longer know you. Ishall lov
you more and more forever"
She wound her arm about his neck, an
with tender, maiden sweetness kissed hi
forehead, and kissed his wavy hair, an
kissed the thin, pale hand which lay nerve
| lessly on the yellow organ keys. An
then stiffness crept about them, still
ness more fraught with eloquent Joy tina
any measure of golden speech could hav
| been.
While they thus stood hand in han
talking, the curtain behind them partition
ing off the long gallery parted, and a dar
face peered through. 1t was mans fac
handsome but cruel in that purple glool
of gathering shadow. 1t was no friendl
face, either, that with its many change
of hate and jealous anger and furious d
spair seemed, while the lovers talked, |
be playing dark and stormy accomp
niment to the idyl of their love.
A sudden angry burst of wind at d
narrow window reused them unplea
antly to sense of night and the nearir
storm. ftn fF r
"Oh, the rainI' cried Hester, with
pale face. "How thoughtless of us
stay, and you have that long, desolate wal
over the cliffs in the dark "
"Never mind" cried Robert, stoutl
} "There are such light and warmth wit
in me that shall not heed a passi1
touch of wind and water. l will see yo
TO your door first, and then goodnight
My cousin Conrad promised to con
for me-" Hester answered 81 Wond