The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-06-04
NOT LOST.
A Love story Of n Lifetime
RY MLLIE W. CARPENTER,

RY NnLLIE W. CARPENTER.
LETme recount to you true love story
a story OF love pure and undefiled-lOvC
as il was i'm the beginning. is now. anC
ever shall be, world without end.
For love is all things in one to us. 1t i
hope and fear and Joy and despair; it il
truth and it is falsehood; it is anything, il
short, that you are pleased to call it. anC
it can represent the brightness of HEAVIER
or the blackness of perdition.
Glove is q melting OF the soul -
Ii was late in the afternoon of a dull
autumnal day that group of young peO
pie came chatting down the flight of stone
steps leading from the door of a cathedral
church. i'm an old Atlantic seaport town
They were members of the choral society
attached 10 the church. and they had evi-
IDENTIFY been there for rehearsal. Within
the great building vawned black and lone
ly, save i'm the gallery, where, over the
organ, a gas-iet spun rays of light in the
gloom. and the sound of softly Subdued
voices broke through the stiffness.
The visible occupants were two, a man
and a maiden-y0ung, and with the cabal-
istic word. "lOvers." cleaning, as did the
mysterious handwriting of old on the wall
on their foreheads Robert Field, the or
ganist. was turning over some sheets OF
manuscript music with an absorbed air
while bv his side stood Hester HeatherS-
leigh. her pretty face full Of anxious inter
est as she watched his movements. 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 stOrmilv.
"Wcll. Roberto she said at last, drop
ping her slim hand on his shoulder.
"Well. Robert. what is it?'
The musicians dark. serious face light
ed a moment, gloriOusly. as he turned and
took the little unglOved hand in his.
% asked You to stay, Hester, because
wished TO play for yOu some passages from
nv new piece. shall submit it to the so
ciety at Music Hall tomorrow evening
and | want your opinion in advance
Theyoung girl laugned-a little, ripping
laugh of gleeful enthusiasm.
My opinion. Why. Robert, you
know beforehand what that will be. II
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 ALL" he said. wisely. "But now
want YOU to forget who is the author of
the melody. and to exercise your iudg-
ment without stint. Remember, too. that
love is the theme; love which. wisely or
unwisely. hopes all things, believes all
things, and endHres all things unto the
end" And then he turned to the organ.
He played slowly at first. 1t was a
lonely opening. full ofstrange, sad chords,
as if soul were waiting somewhere in
shadow. Then. as brightness entered, the
theme asserted itself. The wonderful
tones climbed higher and higher, expires
sive of a great faith. of a fond. mad tri-
umph. and bewildering Joy. On and on
the chords swept; il was as if living
chain of light ran round the world.
When he had finished there was silence
for 4 moment between the two. The lin
gering echoes rolled back and forth til
one by one they. too, escaped into still
ness. Then Hester Heathersleigh stopped
and. with quivering lips and tear-wet eyes
reverently kissed the bowed forehead Of
her lover.
"Oh. my darling" she cried, " it is sc
beautiful am so proud ofyOu. Who
taught yOu to play like that?"
A proud and satisfied smile curved Rob.
ert Fields lips as he listened.
4" NV love for you taught me-" he an
swered "My love for you, which is SC
great, so all-absorbing, that my music
seems to be but a poor expression of it. >
Then lifting her head he gaZed for a mo-
ment with wiStful tenderness into the rose
pink beauty of her small, sweet face.
"You think it is triumph then, dear
All, Hester, are you sure you speak for the
music itself or only out of tender mercy
born of your love for me?"
An indignant light frightened the pretty
violet ewes out of the drowSy languOr O
Youths enchanting dreams
"Tender mercy for yOu," she repeated
Then her voice changed. "Ah, Robert
if my love can make you write Skke thai
now. then your future life shall be full o.
inspiration, for shall love yOu more anC
more the longer know you. ] shall love
YOU more and more forever"
She wound her arm about his neck. and
with tender. maiden sweetness kissed hi;
forehead, and kissed his wavy hair, and
kissed the thin, pale hand which lay nerve.
leSsly on the yellow organ keys. And
then a stiffness crept about them. still
ness more fraught with eloquent JOY than
any measure of golden speech could have
been.
While they thus stood hand in hand talk,
ing. the curtain behind them partitiOnine
of the long gallery parted and dark face
peered through. Ii was a mans face
handsome but cruel in that purple gloon
of gathering shadow. 1t was no friendly
face. either. that with its many changes o.
hate and jealous anger and furious despair
seemed. while the lovers talked. to be play
ing a dark and stormy accompaniment tC
the idyl of their love.
A sudden angry burst of wind at the
narrow window reused them unpfeas
antly to a sense of night and the nearing
storm.
"Oh, the rain,'' cried Hester. with /;
pale face. "How thoughtleSs of us tC
stay, and YOU have that long, desolate walk
over the cliffs in the dark,'
Never mind.'' cried Robert, stoutly
There are such light and warmth within
me that | shall not heed a passing touct
of wind and water. will see youto youl
door first. and then good night"
my cousin Conrad promised to com,
for me-" Hester answered. II wonder
what detains him. Ii is too bad for me tC
take YOU all this long way out of you
route
Il like it better so,' the young MAJ
said. orayely. Il do not like your cousin
Conrad. and am not willing to trust yo'
10 his care. Oh. my darling" he went on
earnestly, If my music but brings m
fame and fortune can then make you al
NV own. and there will be no more goo
nights, no more partings in the storm 10
us"
They passed down the stairs and on
into the street together, unconscious o
the shadow closing upon them. nearer ant
backer. At the door of Hester's hom
they parted with lingering good-by.
MY precious music" cried Robert
buttoning his coat closer about him. 'N'
harm must come TO that. 1t represent
fame and fortune and love and honor TO
thee and me. my darling.'
Hester lifteda small wet face topper int
the gloom.
II wish YOU could stav." She said
''And oh, Robert. be careful of the cliffs
the path is so lonely and dangerous,
shall come early to rehearsal tomorrow fo
the sake of knowing that you are safe.'