The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-11-29
my. God, for hearing my prayers, as Thou
hast alw ava done ia

He went on writing for some time with
q happy expression on bis features, not
sound breaking the stiffness of the room,
but that of the movement OF his pen over
the paper, when suddenly his attention
was arrested by an unusual tumult below,
Il strange thing in his quiet household,
His good wife, her old maid Katharine, her
still older cat, usually sat or moved about
noiseles .ly the whole morning, for that
was the time the Master chose for compOs-
ing, and any discordant sound annoyed
and rufi1ed him. He laid down his pen
with a troubled expression of countenance
as the noise waxed louder and louder, IN
til it reached the door of his room, which
was opened, and his wife, followed by the
maid and man rushed in, pale and breath
less.
For q moment she cOnld not speak, and
Haydn exclaimed in some alarm, "For
heavens sake tell me what is the matter,
wife,"
"oh, dear busband," she cried, Selling
his hand, "tbe French are coming, they are
quite near. In the last day and night they
have been marching nearer and nearer, 80
Conrad says, and he has just been out and
heard all the news; and every body is
packing up aud going away, and we must
go too. Do let me begin and put up al
your music while there is time, for that
dreadful Bonaparte seizes everything
wherever he goes"
When the poor old lady had finished
this, for her, long speech, she sank quite
exhausted with the effort on chair.
Her husband locked ntAer compassion
atcly, and said, taking Ler hand, "Bnt,
my dear wife, do be reasonable. You
don't suppose, even if the French are like
| ly to enter Vienna, which God forbid, that
| they will trouble themselves to take my
poor valuables, such as they are, there are
all the gold and precious stones in the
| treasury Z"
"Ah, sir, that is just it that mistress was
going to tell you," broke in Conrad, the
servant. ave have just seen eight bag
gage wagons pass, laden with the roy al
| treasures, crown jewels and all, aud folks
say they are gone to Presburg for sale
keeping. AnG 'the streets are swarmlpg
with people, who are all screaming and
swearing and some have gone swarming
round the Minister Thugnt's palace, and
have declared that peace must be made
with the French to prevent their entering
Vienna"
"Bad news, bad news" exclaimed the
old man, as lie walked up and down the
room. But, wife," he said, stopping and
looking at her, 'what is that you said about
running away l, for one, will not leave
my native town. We have God and the
Emperor to protect us, and what can We
want more?"
"Ah, don't count upon the Emperor
said poor Madame Hayd wiping her eyes
''that is the worst thing of all 1 have to tel
you, for they say h" left Vienna last night
, secretly, accompanied by the Empress ant
the children"
This piece of news acted like clap o
, thunder upon Haydn. He looked for {
moment as if he could not believe it then
J sinking ON chair, he cried lifting up hi
, hands as if in despair, "Poor Vienna Poo
) Austria! And SO your Emperor aban
, dops you! I" Then he sank his head on hi
) breast, and deep signs escaped from hi
8 lips.
, "Well, and do you not see that I an
3 right 90 said his wife, rising and taking hi
81 hand, Sand that we, too, have no time t.
5 lose before we fly to more secure spo
than this is 7"
t at y!n exclaimed Haydn, rising with
lofty expression of countenance "neUer
Let one man at least stand by his town an
E his country, and teach it to have faith il
God. He assuredly has not left us; b
will not abandon those who put their trus
: in him. What are the people crying an
y lamenting about They should nse thei
. voices in praying to God for their EN-
= peror, and will teach them how to do it.
g So saying he walked over to the harpsi
= chord, preluded with "a few simple chords
and then began u choral melody whic
= seemed to rise from the depths of his sou
=, Over and over again he played it till
y was quite perfect, and then, as if by sud
= den inspiration, suitable words to it lowe
u to his lips, and he sang to the great aston
y ishment and admiration of his hearers, tn
,, great Austrian hymn now SO inseparabl
- connected with his name, and which
i i half "a prayer and half a victorious ode
- Colt erhalte Franz de Kaiser,
d Unsern guten Kaiser Franz;
= There was deep silence in the roof
y while Haydn sang, and for some minute
), after, and when he turned round he sn'
that his wife and his two pious exceller
% servants had sunk on their knees and wer
v lifting up their hands to heaven. "Comt
;. sing with me all of you" he exclaimed
sit is very easy" Then he began tn
T. melody again, and fret one and then az
~ other Joined in until they made the stirrin
:, song echo through the old house and reac
even as far as the street, so as to arrest fC
10 q moment the attention of the passers-by
"Ah that will do" cried Haydn, de
IL lighted with the success of his work, ''No'
J. 1 will write the hymn down, and then, Con
y rad, you must take it directly to my frien
e DR.. Won Swieten, and ask him to add
h verse or two, and have it inimediatei
rs printed Ii it is circulated among th
| Mt