Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-05-21

bic efIart to move. and this time one word
was feebly articulated:
..Music r
Hester looked up With . startled excla-
nation:
"Music! He call. for his music. Do
you not hcarf Where Is it Who
knows about IT Il il lost :" she ques-
toned eagerly.
Again that terrible attempt at sresch.
The dull! eyes opened vide. the feeble Eng
ers clenched themselves on Hester's hand /,
and. with q last mad effort Of expiring
desperate strength. he raised himself and
shriekcd:
.fMy music! Find Il! Save isl" Aud
then be fell back on his pillow like enc
dead. s-., else. f.4-ss..
You have killed him." said the ply.
sician. angrily. aud at the words Hester.
with q moan, dropped down iusensi-
bic.
Not dead! But when. after weeks and
months of painful illness. he faced the
world again, he looked like shadow out
of the past. But bent and aged, with
Scared forehead and whitened locks, the
wreck Of his body was not the creates,
evil that had befalleu him; for of the
brilliant genius of other days no ves.igc
was left Saddest Of all. the miserable
ghost of his lost hopes haunted him. and
in the ruined chamber of his darkened
intellect he was forever groping. trying
to gather up the mystic chords Of tunefal
thought which no longer vibratcd to his
magic touch. The lost manuscript music
had never occn recovered, aud though
his feeble mind failed to take in the great
ness Of his loss. the shadow of something
beautiful which was to have been. some
how. failed to be. lay on him, and gave
his face wistful look. which was saddcr
far in its mute endurance than any vail 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,er's arm. The old. familiar look of
the place struck him forcibly and reused
his dormant wits. Tic sat down to the
organ and glidcd his hands over the keys;
few jaugling. discordant chords fol-
lowed, wandering and disconnected then
his face changed, and. With terrible cry,
he flung his head on his arms.
"Oh. Hester! tell me what is i; I have
lost? Sometimes | almost reach lit is
in my mind. something beautiful which
I almost grasp: and then it eludcs me and
fades away. have lost it now. Hester
Hester! take me home!''
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 Hestcr's friends threatened and op.
posed her. She was quietly determined.
"IIc loved me when friends and fortune
smiled on him." she answered them.
"He would have given me every grca,
gift which the world was ready to bcstow
on him for love of his beautiful genius,
and shall desert him now when misfor-
tune has overtakcn him? Perhaps-oh.
perhaps some time God may restore TO
him his lost mind" Tears filed her
lovely, soft pathetic eyes. "If I dared to
hope it-oh, if but might hope for it,
how willingly would l give my life to have
it So"
The day before her wedding she re-
ceiyed a visit from Conrad Charters.
"It shall not be 2" he cried out vehc-
mently. "Do you recognize what you
are doing? Why. you had better ia:
die at once, for Robert Field is but little
better than an idiot"
'.And If he rcre an IDIOT" returned
Hester. bravely hiding her hurt at the
brutal words, "evcn then | would mar.
~ him. love him. and il not one yes.
tige of his glorious intellect remained
would be II obert Field'e wife, and proud
one. too -
"And, by -, ! believe you would. >
answered Conrad, looking with fond
mad longing into the small pale fac e. lift
ed so undaun,edly to his dark gaze.
"ilcster, you will drive me mad.
would to heaven that Robert Field wa.
dead. Why did he not die that nigh
last winter 2" and he struck his hand
furiously on the table in blind freuzy
of despair.
God knows it was from no lack of
purpose in you that he did not die" re
tor,ed Hester, spiritedly.
Che spoke at random. but Conr at
shrank away with white face. The id /
words evidently hit him hard. They Gu
close and sharp as steel in their une K
pected descent, and wheeling abru p.l,
about he left her aud did no, seek be
again.
They we're married quietly. and af.e
that ain the tender security Of his mod
es, home, under the fond and cherish
ing care of his wife, health and strength
came slowly back to the shattered fran,
of Robert Field.
Slowly. too. out of the darkness he be
gun to wrench. one By one. the secret
of his prisoned mind. Old melodies be
gan to shape themselves under his touch
discordan, and fragmentary at 6rst. bu
grad ually assuming symmetry and power
"No quite \ week. he would sigh
wistfully. Some day some good geni
will unlock MY prison 6oor and set IN
/ free"
In the child that was born to them,
beautiful boy who sang sweet music i
every tone Of his childish voice. his prid
was great. He talked of bin. listened I
him. watched him. and dreamed of him
predicting q future Of which Bertrab
vas to be the perfect fouer. the yer
golden rose Of joy. So the years passed
and sweet Hester Fields fair face gre,
heavenly beautiful to see. With its tire
| look Of patient waiting. Gcd only know
how her heart failed her nov at times; Q