The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-10-06
NOT LOST.


l/Ct AlC 1CCOuhS tOO IL uO 1oVC
story; story Of love pure and unde-
filed-love as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world with
out end. For love is all things in one
to US. 1t is hope and fear and JOY
and despair; it is truth and it is false
hood; it is anything, in short, that you
arc pleased to call it, and it can repre-
sent the brightness of heaven or the
blackness of perdition.
s'Love is a melting of the SOUL
It was late in the afternoon of a
dull autumnal day that group OF
young people came chatting down the
flight Of stone steps leading from the
door of a cathedral church in an old
Atlantic seaport town. They were
members of the choral society attached
to the church, and they had evidently
been there for rehearsal Within
this great building yawned black and
lonely, save in the gallery, where,
I. over the organ, a gas jet sprung 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-young, both, and
with the cabalistic word, lovers,
cleaning, as did the mysterious hand
writing of old on the wall, on their
| forsheads. Robert Field. the organ.
/ lst, was turning over some sheets OF
| manuscript music with an absorbed
air, while by his side stood Hester
Heathersleigh, her pretty face full oil
anxious interest as she watched his
movements. A little cloud of uneasi-
ness wrinkled her forehead now and
| then as she saw the rent edges of an
cry clouds scud by the narrow slit OF
window going to the east, where the
gray sea lay tossing stormily.
well, Robert, she said at last,
dropping her slim hand on his shoul-
/ der. well, Robert, what is it ~
The musicians dark, serious face
lighted for moment, ,gloriously, as
he turned and took the little ungloved
| hand In his.
l asked you to stay, Hester, be-
| cause I wish to play for you some pas
cages from my new piece. | shall
submit it to tho society at Music Hall
| tomorrow, and . Hester, want your
opinion in advance.
The young girl laughed little,
rippling laugh of gleeful enthusiasm.
my opinion Why, Robert, you
know beforehand what that will be.
It would be nothing but form ask
ing it,
Robert raised the little hand ten
derly to his lips. -
II know that love makes gentle
critics of us ALL" he said, wisely.
the author of the melody and to exer
n,c I'D OF M
Remember, too, that love is the
theme; love which, wisely or nnwisely,
hopes all things. believes all things,
and endures all things unto the end" "
And then he turned to the organ. He
opening, full of strange, sad chords.
as ifa soul were waiting somewhere
in the shadow. Then, as brightness
entered, the theme asserted itself.
Those wonderful tones climbed high
er and higher; expressive of great
faith, of fond, mad triumph and be-
wildering joy. On and on the chords
swept; it was as if living chain Of
light ran around the world.
When he had finished there was
silence Tor moment between these
two. The lingering echoes rolled
back and forth till one by one they
! too escaped into stiffness. Then Hes.
ter Heathersleigh stopped, and, with
I quivering lips and tear-wet eyes, rev.
erently kissed the bowed forehead OF
her lover rF
| '.Oh, my darlingl' she cried, lit is
SO beautiful! am so proud of you.
Who taught you to play like that? ?"
A proud and satisfied smile curved
Robert Fields lips as he listened
My love fer you. which is SO great,
! SO allabsorbing, that my music seems
to be put a poor expression of it.
Then lifting her head he gazcd for
a moment with wistful tenderness in.
/. to the rose-pink beauty of her small
sweet face. "You think it is tri-
umph, then, dear? All, Hester, are
you sure you speak for the music it
self, or only out of tender mercy
i born of your love for me p,
An indignant light frightened the
pretty violet eyes out of the drowsy
laneuor of youth enchanting dreams.
Tender mercy tor you" she repeat
ed. Then her voice changed. 'Ah,
, Robertl if my love can make you
write like that now, then your future
I shall be full of inspiration, for | shall
love you more and more the longer |
, know you [ shall love you more and
/, more foreveri''
She wound her arm about his neck
and with tender, maiden sweetness
kissed his forehead, kissed his wavy
hair, and kissed the thin. pale hand
, which lay nervelessiy on the yellow
organ keys And then a stiffness
crept about them-a stiffness more
fraught with eloquent joy than any
measure of golden speech could have
been.
While they thus stood hand in hand
talking, the curtain behind them par
titioning off the long gallery parted
and dark face peered through. L
was mans face, handsome but crue
in that purple gloom OF gathering
: shadow. 1t was no friendly face
either, that. with its many changes o.
hate and Jealous anger, and furiou;
despair seemed, while the lovers talk.
ed, TO be playing dark and stormy
accompaniment TO the idyl of thei1
love.
A sudden. angry burst of wind al
the narrow window reused them un-
pleasantly to sense of night and the
nearing storm.
) ''Oh, the rain!' cried Hester, with
pale face. How thoughtless of us
s to stay, and you have that long, desc.
late walk over the cliffs in the dark =
Never mind" cried Robert, stout.
. ly. There are such light and
warmth within me that | shall not
heed a passing touch Of wind and wa.
Ter. | will see you to your door first
: and fheu good night ~
My cousin Conrad promised te
come for me-, Hester answered. i
/. wonder what detains him. 1t is toe