The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-16

held, for all the nelghDornood nad goou
opinion of Toms mental powers.
"But wanted to ask your advice about a
room. / have to leave this one on Friday"
"Why not take the one over Jones's tore2
1t is vacant
"That's too public; there's female in the
back room. / tell you" said he, straighten-
ing up and stretching out his hand in de-
clamatory style, "the people of this city
don't know that l sleep on carpenters
trestles. and dent intend that they shall.
1 don't mean to reflect on the bed, though
he added in an apolegetic tone, "for it's
good bed, but the people are not used tc that
kind of style. Besides, there's door be-
tween the two rooms"
THAT won't burt
eyes, but love. 10
PshawI it wouldn't even grin at ten-penny
nails, and if one OF those women should get
struck after me there would be no help tor
mel
"There's the room over the Post-ofice."
''But there is family up there Also" 1
suggested, 'and what is worse, they would
have to go through your room to get out"
That's So" he said, as he thoughtfully
Rugged his knees; "but them might build
pipe and run 'em through thatp the lu-
dicrous idea of Tom Nell, out of fear of a
female, building a huge pipe through his
room, and then calmly sitting by his fire
while the enemy crawled through over bis
head WAS too much for me, and l laughed
until the windows ratified.
"That is always the way" said Tom; 81
never know whether people are laughing
at what | say or at me-"
Going home one stormy evening about
month after this. passed by the village
Church. of which Tom was sexton. 1 saw
the outer door was open little way, and
hearing the sound of the organ, went in;
for knew Toms habit of passing the long
evenings in the Church breathing out truer
hymns of praise than were often heard there.
/ opened the inner door quietly and walked
up the aisle and took seat, unseen and un-
heard. 1 had often heard Tom play, but
never when he seemed so free as now, when
he thought himself alone-alone with God.
L had attended many concerts where our
best musicians gave us Beethoven and
Handel and Haydn; but had never heard
any music that seemed to come from the
soul as his did that night. The burdens Of
life Of sorrow were being rolled away in
the darkness and borne up to Godl The
storm gathered and broke, rain fell, and the
thunder shook the windows of the Church;
it. As for the noise, / doubt if
he even heard it; and as for the dark
ness, blind people do not mind that
So L sat down quietly, and, between the out
bursts of the storm, from away up in the
darkness came down to me the note of the
organ. Nothing at all was visible. When
/ entered he was playing the TIE Deum, and
L would feel that his soul was in every note
and although there was no human voice, yet
| knew that solemn praise was going up TO
God. A tender feeling stole over me there
in the darkness, as | sat listening to the
deaf and blind one, cut off from the pleas
ures L had just come from, and his solitary
amusement. What burdens, what heart
aches, were here being soothed and borne
away l fancied CANCELS and archangels
and all the Heavenly host" were joining
with him in praise of ''the Father"
The anthem died away; and then, without
a pause. he commenced that grand old
hymn, "Nearer, My God, to Theel Nearer
to TheeP' would like to have remained
there longer, but just as the last notes Of the
hymn were lost in dimuendo, a bright
flash of lightning illuminated the whole
Church for an instant, and Tom, seeing me,
called out:
why, hellol you here? didn't see YOU"
and came down from the organ. He would
not play any more so we sat and talked
until the storm was over. AS usual, his
theme was phrenclogy. tried to get him
to analyze my character. L wanted to see
how much he knew, but he would not.
Il don't think could" he said, ~ always
wait until see man do
something and then think of
the bump. 1 can't look at the bump
and then tell what he will dol l haven't
got that far along yet"
Then 1 will give you an example. 1
met young lady the other day-Miss
Mamie Crowell-you are well acquainted
with her. What is she like2"
'Td rather not talk about her." Tom said,
shortly.
"That interests me, Tom. Go on"
81 might as well tell you, suppose, but
you must not mention it. She has had a
pretty hard time of twas engaged and the
match broken up. 1t isn't talked of now,
but L will tell you; only you must keep it
quiet. You see there was something the
matter-I don't know what. The two were
together for two years and then the lover
left. All know is that he loved her and
she loved him, but they can never be mar
ried."
chow do you knoWf'
"The man was satisfied"
"And she loved him2"
| eyes"
"Where is he now"
Gin South America. She told him to go
so far away she would never hear of him
again. 1t was best, and he did So"
| "WhO was it2"
"My brother"
How stupid had been in so drawing
Tom out when / knew he had brother
down in the other end of the Continent
felt as if had gone too far already, and so
remained silent.
"She loved him. Tom went on, more to
himself than to me. "She loved him, and
she will never marry again. A woman
never loves but once. A second love with
them isn't real love, and Mamie is too much
of woman to give anything else too man.
Neither one was to blame They had to
part, and SO they did. That is all i
know"
One night Tom was sick, and l was by
his bed We had no light, and the twilight
made him confdential-or perhaps it was
his wandering mind.
''There was a little girl once, Charlie" he
said, as he lay on his rough bed in that
rough little room "We used to play to-