Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-04-10

| four years old when his father brought him
to this country, less than three years ago.
Since that time he has appeared in concerts
and various entertainments in many OF our
principal cities, attracting unusual atten-
ton by bis musical skill. confess how
ever, that had not heard Of him until last
month, but since then do not think day
has passed when this child's face has not
risen up in my memory,-the little half
sad face, as l saw II once, with its large, Sc
rious eyes and infanlile mouth.
One morning last January, when l told
Charley and Talbot, at the break fast-table,
that Prince Rupert and his Court had come
to town,
Some in jsg',
Some in rage,
And some in velvet gowns"
the news was received with great glee, as
you may imagine; for this meant that we
were to go to the play.
am not going TO tell you much about the
play.
What interested me most, and what
pleased Charley and Talbot even beyond
the Naiad Queen herself, was the little vio-
linist who came to the German Court and
played before Prince Rupert and his bride.
u
more than a year older than my own BOYS,
and not much taller. He had very sweet
sensitive face, large grey eyes, in which
there was deep settled expression, which
l do not like 10 see in child. Looking at
his eyes alone, you would have said he was
sixteen or seventeen, and he was merely
baby!
| do not know enough of music to assert
that he had wonderful genius, or any gen.
ius at all but it seemed TO me he played
charmingly, and with the touch of natural
musician. 1 thought "The Last. Rose of
Summer" the sweetest strain of music in
the world, as 1t fioated up from the small
violin.
At the end of his piece, he was lifted over
the foot-lights of the stage into the orches-
ira, where, with the conductors stick in his
hand, he directed the baud in playing one
or Two airs. In this he showed a carefully
trained ear and perfect understanding OF
the music.
wanted to hear the little violin again,
but as he made his bow to the audience
and ran of, it was with half-wearied air
and did not join with my neighbors in
calling him back. There's another per-
| ioi bO-HiBut, sdlu W duu
, the little fellow isn't very strong" He
, came out and bowed, but did not play a.
gain.
All the way home from the theatre my
! children were full of the little violinist and
t as they went along, chattering and frolick-
ing in front of mo, and getting under my
feet like couple OF young spaniels, 1 could
not help thinking how different the poor
little musicians lot was from theirs.
He was only six years and a-half old, and
( had been before the public nearly three
= years. What hours Of Toll anu wearluess
o he must have passed through at the very
@ time when my little ones were being rocked
G and petted and shielded from every ungen-
: tie wind that blows. And what an exis-
= tence was his now-traveling from city to
, city, practicing at every spare moment, and
S performing, night after night, in some close
j. theatre or concert-room when he should
n have been drinking in that deep, refreshing
e slumber which childhood needs. However
a much he was loved by those who had
e charge OF him-and they must have treated
!. him kindly-t was hard life for the child.
IF He ought TO have been turned out into
l. the sunshine that pretty vioin-one can
q easily understand that he was fond of 1t
Of himself-ought to have been taken away
IS from him, and a kite-string placed in his
l. hand instead. II God had set the germ of a
er great musician or great composer in that
Of slight body, surely it would have been wise
- 10 let the precious gin ripen and flower in
its own good time
This is what thought, walking home in
the glow Of the wintry sunset but my boys
. saw only the bright side of the picture, and
90 would have liked nothing better than tC
~ change places with little James Speaight
ho To stand in the midst of Fairyland and play
~. beautiful tunes on a toy fiddle, while all thu
%. people clapped their hands,-what coulC
,is quite equal that?
:, The next morning al the breakfast table
N. when opened the newspaper which is al
nv ways laid beside my plate, the first para
rE graph which my eyes fell upon was this:
he james Speaight, the infant violinisi
,ar died in this city late on Saturday night. A
~ the matinee of the 'Naiad Queen or th
lot afternoon of that day, when little Jane
led Speaight came of the stage, after giving hi
k's usual violin performance, Mr.. Shewell no
-, ticed that he appeared fatigued, and aske
90 if he felt i'll. He replied that he had pal
at in his heart, and then Mr.. Shewell suggest
ed that he remain away from the evenin
;,o performance He retired quite early, an
elf, sGrnc;ows God MAKE room, for another iiti
,er- child in HedUen.' No sound was heard
ub- ter this, and his father spoke to him 500
afterwards; he received no answer, bI
found his child dead"
tho Was there ever anything sadder tina
,i,h thatP The printed letters grew dim an
Md melted in;o each other as I tried to rea
ck them again. l glanced across the table
ma Charley and Talbot eating their breakf ia
rks win 'he slanteu sunllsn' from the winuo
ou- turning their curls into real gold, and hi
ots not the heart to tell them what had hal
pened.
INV Ofall the prayers that ioated up to hea
i at en-, that Saturday night, from the bedsid
of sorrowful men and women, or from u
nc n cots of happy children, what accents cou
lin have fallen more piteousy and tenderly u
him OH the ear of listening angel than Il
80, PRAYER of little James Speaight!
He knew he was dying. The faith he h
learned, perhaps while running at
, !, mothers side, long ago, in some green En-
aot lish lane, came to him then. He remeI
Lan bered it was Christ who said, Suffer lit
.ots children to come unto me-" and the beau
re- fll prayer rose to his lips; " Gracious &c
med mako room ior "no'ner ii''ie c""u !" -'''
en-"
hort folded up the newspaper silently, al
rrse throughout tue day did not speak beio
the boys of the little violinisrs death b
.a. when the time came for our customary CT
80 in the nursery, told the story to Charl
a'eu ga Talhot I do not think they understo