The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-08-28

: about fifty, frs. and last. All
disagreed in their diagnosis, but sill
reached one decision. They couldn't
see Why she didn't speak in her in
telllgept moments. she must be left
to time, bat time wouldn't have done
without Herr Strshi, a young must
clan, WHO was taken i'll at NV house
on his way to the Flat, where be bad
been invited to take charge of q music
class, You know Nanny? You know.
God bless her! It's enough for any
one 70 be dependent on her care and
kindness, for her whole motherly soul
to go out to them. Thus young Ru-
dolph Strshi was poor stranger, but
tell you, my wife nursed and cod
died him as il be had been the Presi-
dent. The frat day he was able to
crawl into the sitting.room, she made
q gala day. She filed the sitting
room with flowers end vines, and even
tralled one over our poor Gertrude's
piano. she was our niece, you know,
and adopted daughter, and she died
before she was eighteen. It nearly
killed poor Nanny, and she took up a
notion that nothing that had belonged
to Gertrude should be touched. Her
clothes moulded in the srmories and
her piano was locked. No one,
Nanny said, should touch the keys
ca which her darling's hand had
rested.
well, Strshi came lettering feebly
in leaning on stick, and when ne
saw the flowers and sdornments, he
called out heavenly and all kinds of
German exaggerations, bat soon his
eyes lighted on the piano. and then
he saw nothing else.
"'Ah, my goos friendsI' he cried,
going to it. Behold what is more
dan all de medicines in de worlt. My
soul iS starving; yes, it is reaching out
for de moosic!'
Nanny hesitated. You know a
notion will bold woman stronger
than anything else in the world. But
she didn't like, either, to refuse her
patients wish, as be stood there with
his hollow eyes full of entreaty. So
she stammered out
I'D like to have you play, Herr
Strahi, but one hand only has ever
touched that instrument, and it lies
cold in the grave. My Gertrude was
only eighteen when she died.
'Mein goot irent,' he said, SOL
EMMY. do you never think dat yeur
pure eighteen-year-old child who has
taken her place among de angels in
heaven, and has learned de blessed
hsrmonies, has forgotten de earth
moosic7 Dat is for US to give Ian
gusge, uttersnce, to de yesrninea for
de infinite, and why would you keep
de keys which hold it, locked and
silent? Let me play for you, my goot
frent.'
NANNY weakened right Of, and
handed him the key, and while he
was tuning and fixing the instrument,
che stood at one of the windows and
looked out, though | keew she didn't
see anything before her. When De be-
gan to play some piece which sec med
full OF tears aud full OF bope, she
turned round aud saw he bad con
quered her. What wonderful mu.
siciau the man wAt! How be ran
through the gsmut of feeling, and
moved us at wall.
''In the midst OF it all Hilda came
rushing in, her face AZ pale as death,
and her eyes blazing with strange ex-
element. With movement of his
hand Strshi pointed her out to US,
] and went on playing some soft soothing
melody. Then suddenly he burst out
into 'Gnte p8cn Germ q cTsdle
song, and Hllda. VINO. step by step,
had drawn near to him. first uttered
8 kind of sobbing gasp, and then her
voice joined bis, slngli < clear and
strong isnd every wort srIicnlatad
distinctly.
"In spite of his establishment.
Strahi had presence ct mind to con.
tiuue, but Nanny and | we're overcome
with astonisbment, and made an i'm
prudent motion towards Hilda, for
shs suddenly stopped. and would have
fallen to the ground il ] had not
caught her.
"After hat her improvement was
steady. She did not say much and
her words were in German. but her
memory had failed az to the past in
cidents of life. It was only songs she
remembered perfectly.
"She had forgotten German, but in
her sleep sometimes cries out. %
mutterl mutter!' but yet she has no
recollection OF her mother. You
must hear her sing and play If You
wish to enjoy the very spirit OF
melody"
lost sight OF my friends the Gar
stones for two years. Then in answer
to a letter of mine came one from |
Paul Garstone. ''You ask after I'm.
dine, he wrote. "Alss! our house
lie left unto as deeelate.
I" You've been 50 good TO me,
mother" she said, when dying, and
I've had nothing bu. love to give you.
I've been trying to remember some.
thing all my life, and Think il will
come to me where I ana going"
In that country beyond the stars,
whatever the secret of her life may
have been, the pure sweet spirit OF