Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-12-24

love for music, which had always been .
most marked feature OF bis character,
had become intensified into az absolute
passion. Evening afier evening. when
darkness hsd settled on the city, and
mono could complain ,hs, his music inter-
tered vi,h business or distracted the AL
tsniion fro n the noble clinh of gold. he
ss sccusso ned 10 creep quietly into the
church and ,Asrs "tslk > himself" a. he
called at tbs old organ, which suswersd
Ulm bIcs 'sin wiIs . tSnder sympathy
and sy4er Ul '7nsols,iOn watch 10 more
/ human Dsl,LtT could sYsr ksye Afforded
The organ Ui 81. Nniired's WAS one Of
comparatively small size and made but
scanty shov OF pipes or pedsls; but he
olacsened case and yellow. much-worn
keys ssd been fashioned by the cunning
brain and skilIul fingers OF Father
Smith himself, aud never hsd the re-
nOwnod old organ-builder turned ont a
moro skillul piece of workmanship
And Michael Fray. by use OF years and
tender study, had got By heart every pipe
AMI stop in the rare old instrument, and
had acquired an almost magical power in
bringing out its tenderest tones aud
noblest harmones. Hear him this
Christmas ESe. as be sits before the an
cient key board. one feeble candle dimly
gimmering over iAe well-worn page be.
fore him; Pickering weirdly over the
ancien, carving, and calling into mo-
men,.rJ life the effEes OF misrsd abbot
and mailed crusader. A feeble old man,
whose sands OF lie have all but run out {;
a sadly weak and uemulOus old msn,
with shaking hands aud dim. uncertain
eyes. But. when they are placed upon
those yellow keys, tho shaking hands
shake no longer; the feeble sight finds
no labor 10 those well-remembsred
pages. Under the touch ot Michael
/ Fray's def fingers the ancient organ be-
becomes instinct With lite and harmony.
Tho grand old masters lend their nobless
strains. and, could they revisit the earth.
need ask no better Interpreter. From
saddest vail Of sorrow 10 sweetest strain
of consolaion-lrom tho d.rge OF .he
/ loved and lost. 10 the peace OF the jubi-
! lanl vic,or-each shade OF human passion.
each tender message OF divine encour-
agemenl, taxes iolm aud color 10 success
sion. under the magic OF that old mans
touch. Thus. sometimes borrowing the
songs OF other singers, sometimes wan
derius into quaint Aolisu hArmonies,
the spontaneous Ovortlpw OF his own
genius. Michael Fray sat and made mu-
sic. charming hi5 sorrow to temporary
sleep.
Time crepl on. but the player heeded
| il not, ill ,he hesyy bsll IL ihe tower
above his heod doomed torn lbe hour OF
midnight and recalled him to reality
again. With Two or three wsiling minor
chords te brought his weird improvisa-
tiou 10 sn end.
Dear me-" be said, witt q heavy
sigh. "Cbristmss lgs'1 ChriStuss again!
How MANY times. | wonder! Well. his
will be lat; and yet Christmas comes
again and inds me btre slill. al alone.
Dear. dearl First, poor Dick sDd then
my darling Alice and hlile Nell-sll
gone Young and bright and merrY-all
taken And here am I-old ard friend.
lsss-snd yet live oD. live on. Well, |
suppose God knows best" While thus
thinking aloud. rbe old man was sppar-
emily searching Tor something among lis
ancient page OF manuscript worn alrl 'st
TO fragments, bot pasted tor preservs lon
on piece OF paper of later date. ~ es,
here it is. poor Dicks Christmas song
What sweet voice he bad, dear boy II
he had only lived-5ut there! I'm muir
muring again. Gods will be doneW
He placed the music on the desk before
him, and alter q moments pause, began,
10 tender, fute-like tones, 10 play the
melody, at the same time grooming the
words in q feeble voice. lie played one
verse of the song, then stopped aud drew
MS sleeve scrcss his eyes. The sense OF
his desolation appeared to come anew
upon him; he seemed to shrink down
doubly Old, doubly feeble, doubly for
ssken-when 10! marvel! Suddenly
from the lonely street, in that chill mid
night, came the sound OF 4 violin, and q
sweet voice singing the sclf-same words
OF the self-same tender sir-the song
written by bis dead and gone brother
iortv years before.
The effec. on Michael Fray was electri-
Cal. For moment he staggered, but
caught at The keyboard before him aud
held it with conyulsiVe grasp.
"Am l dreamingP or are mY senses
leaving me? Poor Dicks Christmas
carol; and could almost swear The voice
is my own Nelie's. Can this be death at
lasts And are the angels welcoming me
home with the song love so dearly ? No.
surely; either am going mad, or that is
a real living voice. But whoSe-@hose
Heaven help me to ind out!' Aud with
the whole iramo qulveriug with excite
ment-wilhout pausing even 70 close lhe