Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-14
THE MYSTERIOUS ORGANISE,

You were mortal, yet were pure.
THE MYSTERIOUS ORGANISE.
Years ago, at grand old cathedral
overlooking the Rhine, there appeared {
mysterious organist. The great compos
er who had played the organ SO long had
suddenly died, and everybody, from the
king to the peasant, was wondering who
could be found to fill his place, when one
bright Sabbath morn, as the sexton en-
tered the church, he saw stranger sit
ting at the crape-shrouded organ. He
was tall, graceful man, with pale but
strikingly handsome face, great, black,
melancholy eyes, ana hair like a raven
wing for gloss and color sweeping over
his shoulders. He did not seem to no
tice the sexton, but went on playing, and
such music as he drew from the organ no
words of mine can describe. The aston
ished listener declared that the organ
seemed to have grown human-that it
walled and sighed and clamored as if
through its pipes. When the music at
stranger and said:
"Pray, who are you, sir?"
"Do not ask my name," he replied, II
have heard that you are in want of an Or
ganist, and have come here on trial"
"You1l be sure to get the place, sir, >"
exclaimed the sexton. "Why, you sur
pass him that's dead and gone!"
No, no: you oyerrate me-" resumed
the stranger, with sad smile; and then
as if disinclined to conversation, he
turned from old Hans and began to play
again. And now the music changed
from sor-owful strain to a grand old
p@an, and the mysterious orgaRist-
Looking upward full of grace
Prayed Till from a happy place
Gods glory smote him on the face"
and his countenance seemed not unlike
that of St. Michael, as portrayed by Guido.
Lost in the harmonies which swelled
around him, he sat with his ''far-seeing''
eyes fixed on the distant sky, a glimpse
Of which he caught through an open
window, when there was stir about the
church door, and royal party came
sweeping in. Among them might be seen
a young girl. with eyes like the violet
hue, and lips like wild cherries This was
the Princess Elizbeth, and all eyes turned
to her as she seated herself il the velvet
cushioned pew appropriated to the court.
No sooner had the music reached her ears
than she started as if ghost had crossed
her path. The bloom faded from her face,
her lips quivered, and her whole frame
grew tremulous. At last her eyes met
those of the organist. in long yearning
| look, and then the melody lest its joyous
| notes, and once more walled, and sighed,
| and clamored.
"By my faith" whispered the king to
his daughter, 'this organist has master
hand: Hark ye, he shall play at your
wedding!"
The pale lips of the princess parted,
but she could not speak-she was dumb
with grief. Like one in painful drea m
she saw the pale man at the organ, and
heard the melody which filled the vast
edifce. Aye. full well she knew vino he
was and why the instrument seemed
breathing out the agony of tortured
heart.
When the service was over, and the
royal party had left the cathedral, he
stole away as mysterlously as he hao
come. He was not seen again by thu
sexton till the vesper hour, and then he
Iappeared in the organic and commenced
his task. While he played yelled fig
ure glided In and knelt near SIDE shrine
There she knelt till the worshippers dis
persed. when tn sexton touched her on
the shoulder, and said:
"Madam, everybody has gone but yor
and me, and wish to close the door,
IL am not ready to go yet" was thu
reply; 'leave me-leave mer'
The sexton drew back into a shad,
niche, and watched and listened. TIL
mysterious organist still kept his post
but his head was bowed upon the instru
ment, and he could not see the lone de
} voice. At length she rose from. he aisle
and moving to the organ-loft, paused be
side the musician.
"Bertram ~ she murmured.
4 Quick as thought the organist raiset
bis head. There, with the light of
lamp suspended to the arch above tallin.
, full upon her, stood the princess VIII
, had graced the royal pew that day. Th
{ court dress of velvet, with its soft er
mine trimmings. the tiara, the necklace
the bracelets had been exchanged for
gray serge robe and long thick vel
/ which was now pushed back from tn
/ far, girlish face.
i "Oh, Elizabeth! Elizabethl' ejacu
lated the organist, and he sank at he
feet, and gazed wistfully into her trou
bled eyes.
why are you here Bertrand" aske
u the princess.
II came to bid you farewell; and as
dared not venture into the palace,
gained access to the cathedral by bribin
the bell ringer, and having taken th
a seat OF the dead organist, let nay musi
9 breathe ont tha adio,, 7 aa,.la 80 4..z.