Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-04-17

somehow failed to be, lay on him, and
gave his face wlstful look, which was
sadder far in its mute endurance than any
wall of speech could have been.
Music was to him now something akin
to the sound of "sweet bells jingled, out
of tune and harsh"
One day in early spring he went to the
church for the first time, leaning on Hes
ter's arm. The old, familiar look of the
place struck him forcibly and reused his
dormant wits. He sat down TO the organ
and glided his hands over the keys; few
jangling, discordant chords followed,
wandering and disconnected; then his face
changed, and, with terrible cry, he
flung his head down on his arms.
ooh, Hesterl tell me what is it have
lostP Sometimes | almost reach it--it is
in my mind, something beautiful which
almost grasp, and then it eludes me and
fades away. 1 have lost it now. Hester !
Hester take me homer
She kissed him and soOthed him with
sweet, womanly words, and when he was
more composed she led him away.
Soon after that they were married. In
vain Hester's friends threatened and op-
posed her. She was quietly determined.
He loved me when friends and for
tune smiled on him." she answered them.
" He would have given me every great
gift which the world was ready to bestow
on him for love of his beautiful genius,
and shall [ desert him now when misfor-
tune has overtaken himg Perhaps-oh,
perhaps some time God may restore to
him his lost mind" Tears filled her
lovely, soft, pathetic eyes. If l dared
to hope it-oh, if l but might hope for
it, how willingly would give my life to
have it So"
The day before her wedding she re-
ceived a visit from Conrad Charters.
at shall not beI' he cried out vehe-
mently. "Do you realize what you are
doing: Why, you had better far die at
once, for Robert Field is but little better
than an idiot"
"And if he Dere an idiot" returned
Hester, bravely hiding her hurt at the
brutal words, "even then would marry
him. l love him, and if not one vestige
of his glorious intellect remained would
be Robert Fields wife, and proud one,
toon
"And so l believe you would"
answered Conrad, looking with a fond,
mad longing into the small, pale face,
lifted so undauntedly to his dark gaze.
" Hester, you will drive me mad. l
would to heaven that Robert Field was
dead. Why did he not die that night last
winter?" and he struck his hand furiously
on the table in blind frenzy of despair.
"God knows it was from no lack of
purpose in you that he did not die" re-
torted Hester, spiritedly.
Gln ok hT1f FoA
shrank away with white face. The idle
words evidently hit him hard. They cut
close and sharp as steel in their unexpect-
he left her and did not seek her again.
They were married quietly, and after
that, in the tender security of his modest
home, under the fond and cherishing care
of his wife, health and strength came
slo Wy back to the shattered frame OF
Robert Field.
Slowly, too, out of the darkness he be-
gan to wrench, one by one, the secrets of
his prisond mind. Old melodies began
to shape themselves under his touch, dis
cordant and fragmentqry at first, but grad
ually assuming symmetry and power.
"Not quite wreck" he would sigh
wistfully. "Some day some good genit
will unlock my prison door and SET me
free"
In the child that was born to them, a
beautiful boy who sang sweet music in
every tone of his childish voice, his pride
was great. He talked of him, listened tC
him, watched him, and dreamed of him
predicting a future of which Bertrand
was to be the perfect flower, the very gold
en- rose of joy. So the years passed, and
sweet Hester Fields fair face grew heav
enly beautiful to see, with its tired look
of patient waiting. God only knows how
her heart failed her now at times; or with
what fierce power she wrestled with her
growing doubts, and prayed for strength
to help her bear this cross whose shadow
fell even darker and deeper on her young
life.
Had her love, then, been a sacrifice in
vains
But one day the answer camel
Returning one afternoon from long
walk, Robert Field stopped in the hall
spell-bound by the triumphant strains ot
some new and beautiful melody floating
through the rooms. His worn face
flashed with the old light of inspired
thought; his eyes dilated; his whole form
shook with mysterious emotion.
"What is itP What is itf" he asked Of
his wife, who came to meet him.
Bertrand's music" answered proud
mother Hester. He has been engaged
with it long time. He meant it to be {
surprise for you"
Robert Field threw up his arms with o
joyful cry.
"It is mine!-minel My lost music =
the music played for you that long for
gotten day Hark, Hester! do you no
recognize il now9 Oil to think that i
has slept so long and now comes back t.
me so fresh and fair. This is what havt
missed out of my life! This is my treas
ure which was lost to me and now is re
turned TO me after many years. Brough
back by little child Our child, Hes
teri Oh, thank God for thatl"
Rushing into the parlor he swept Ber
trand from the stool, and, seating himsel
at the organ, with one powerful sweep o
his hands over the keys he summoned hi
God-given genius from the tomb of hi
youth and bade it stand resurrectionize(
in new life before him. On and ON tn
music swept; not a note was lost, not
chord dropped out of the splendid work
Shoutingly, exultantly the tones leapet
forth, "and their name was called Won
derful." Onl on! Up and up
At last, from sheer exhaustion, the mu
sician dropped to the floor, and lyin
there at Hester's feet he wept tears whicl
were no shame 10 him.
at is the very same" he cried. Be-
trand has written it out note for note,
counterpart of my own work. Is it nc
an awful thing to think of ? My ow
work, ana yet his! Who but God can e1
plain it. And oh, Hesterl The darknes
is all gone nowl Let me thank God fO
that"
Then, wrapping his arms about he
Robert Field kissed his wife's pale fac
and kissed her tender mouth, her wav
hair, and her slim, pale, faithful hands.
"My wife my wife Oh, what if you
love had failed you, Hestert If, in thos
terrible first hours of my misfortune
your true heart had been one whit les
true, then l should have been lying
my grave to-day, broken and forgotte
mani"
SO fame and success In the later days
his life came, not unwelcomely, to Robe
| 10 g.