The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-08-30

My Splr1t shall constantly COmuuue VIII
yours through the inspired medium Of
your music"
Taking his pallid face between her
hands she kissed him; while the glitter
ing tears which rolled down her own
colorless cheeks in the white moonlight
mingled freely with his.
In a voice deep and tremulant with
emotion, he exclaims: 90 blessed,
blessed angel, thou hast baptized my
soul with thy tears, and henceforth it is
consecrated to thee-thee alone. If
aught shall tarnish the lustre of our
love in future life, may heaven merci-
fully close mine ears to all human music,
and let naught but the love throbs of
thy heart at this hour thrill my memory"
They stand, statue-like, closely elapsed
in each others arms for few enraptured
moments, when the countess, sadly
smiling through her tears, family
whispers: Farewell, my beloved. A
most glorious destiny awaits thee.
Devote myself to music. 1t will quickly
efface my image from thy heart, and
soon, alasl thou wilt forget me.
"NeverW he replies vehemently,
"never Each separate note which flows
from my muse hereafter, will be love
greeting to thee Music shall be com
pIote history of my soul in its yearning
for thee. Promise me, dearest one,
never to doubt me-"
She nodded her head in silent acquies-
cence, and after one more long, fervent
embrace, one more clinging, passionate
kiss, one more thrilling, deep-searching
interchange of fearful eyes-they parted,
and in silence retraced their steps to the,
palace.
The short moments which formed such
an eventful epoch in these two human
| lives passed almost unnoticed in the gay
crowd of jewellers. Yet when Beethoven
entered the room, his countenance wore
such a weird, unearthly expression that
| it seemed to exert a strange and power
full influence upon the whole assembly.
The most breathless silence prevailed as
he mechanically moved toward the piano,
which stood directly between the two
large windows.
The moonlight streamed full upon
him, and appeared to envelope his form
with pale, CHASTITY radiance. His eyes
were fixed upon vacancy, and seemed not
to possess physical sight, but to be mere
windows through which his soul cleaned
wildly forth.
When one dips his head at night under
water there is an awful stiffness round
about him; into similar supernatural
stiffness did the audience seemed plunged
when Beethoven touched the first few
resonant chords. His lips moved almost
imperceptibly in deep sepulchral tones.
AS of one from another world, he ex-
claimed: 40 music! thou who bringest
the receding waves of eternity nearest to
the weary heart of man as he stands
upon the shore and longs to cross over
art thou the evening breeze of this life,
or the morning air of the next onep'
Then in the key of G sharp minor-the
weirdest of all keys-an adagio floated
forth, so calm, SO mournful, SO touchihgly
sweet, that it seemed as if the moonlight
had melted into music and was thus be,
ing nodded by the masterful genius al
the piano. Sadly and soft, the gliding
movement continues, carrying the heart
irresistibly along in its fascinating UNI
dulation. Following this comes an allie
gretto, in which all the agony of parting
is acted over again So wildly is il
despicted that the tendon and overstained
nerves of the countess give way and she
is carried in deep swoon out of the
room. Beethoven is too much absorbed
in his soul-stirring theme, however, tc
take any notice of surrounding events
And in the ensuing trio the music sob'
itself into dreamful slumber. Dream
full? Aye. Into a sleepso benightmared
that it seems mad, frantic race between
pursuing fends and retreating soul
Betimes the fugitive finds some nook
where cool waters bubble and purl, and
it rapturously allows itself to enjoy the
delicious fragrance and quiet GOODNESS
But ever and anon the shrek of demons
now beneath, now above, goad it onward
until it falls into the bottomless abyss
too deep and awful even for the pursu
ing spectres.
Before the last hollow chords ceased
to reverbrate Beethoven vanished from
the room and fled far into the night
never to return.
The beautiful countess did not recover
her health sufficiently to marry, and
after a few years of invalid life. died
and shortly after her death Beethoven
became afflicted with deafness in which
he took singular and gloomy satisfaction
why, tits scarcely necessary to mention