Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-09-08


strings, it would answer me. All, no
one would have believed it but myself,
but it painted to me the future-it told
me all that might be. 1t whispered
courage-it breathed hope. Well, one
day, strolling through the streets,
touching its chords, asking no alms-I
never begged-a boy older than 1,
taller, stronger, boy richly dressed,
and with gold chain hanging at his
vest, stopped and Knocked me. I
walked on silently. He followed me,
and, in an unprepared moment, snatch
ed my violin, and, swapping it across
his knee, threw it in the filth and mud
of the street.
Il was stunned The magnitude of
my loss overwhelmed me. The surg
ing tide of my despair closed in about
my soul. / saw neither earth nor sky
-naught save the shattered, voiceless
wood. Then he who had wrought the
1t reused me from my stupor. [
caught and hurled it back. Not thus
might he pay the debt / owed to him.
''In that moment carriage passed.
Seated within was beautiful child-a
little girl She ordered the coachman
to stop. She had seen something of
what had happened. Then, with a
tender pity in her eyes, and a voice
like music, she put her purse into my
hands and babe me use its contents as
/ would.
"'Some day she said, when you
are great musician, you shall repay
me. Who knows? you may play at
my wedding
The girls head was bowed now Her
bosom rose and fell. Two sparkling
tears glimmered on the lashes which
swept her cheek. Like a dream it all
came back to her; like vision, she
saw the boyish face uplifted to hers
through mist of tears
Herr Seiberg strobe to her side. He
put his hand within his coat and drew
something forth. Instinctively she
knew it to be the little purse.
at has never left me-" he said,
hoarsely. II owe all that [ am to you.
The gulf between us is as wide now as
then. have never hoped to cross it.
You are the heiress of a rich man. |,
too, have wealth, but that cannot wipe
out the past. Let me tell you, though,
what | did. | took your money and
bought with it my violin. The man
who sold it TO me had a kindly face,
and when [ paid him for it [ asked of
him favor.
1.-THE money with which purchase
this was lent to me- | said. L would
like-oh, so very much Ito keep this
same gold. Will you lay it aside for
three months, when may redeem it ?
do not know that | can, but will
save every penny [ earn, if you will
but do this for me-
"The man smiled and consented.
"He marked the gold in my sight,
and laid it away. Within the time !
had regained possession of it. 1t is
here, Miss Laurence. 1t seems a
trifing sum now to both of us, but re-
member that it has made me all that ]
am. Yet its payment does not pay
my debt. You said, perhaps [ might
play at your wedding. Command me,
and | obey, even though | thus for
bear my second debt to the boy who, a
second time, in my manhood, causes
me the deepest misery my life has
known"
He paused, and held outstretched to,
ward her the open purse. His face was
like marble; his eyes shown with a
wonderful fire.
"Of what are you speaking ?" she
said, gently. "Whom am to marry?'
Last night he told me you were be.
trothed."
"He? Who?"
Fairfax Farley"
ct is not true. He has wished it so
but did not know my own heart, and
asked shat he should wait. know il
now. [ know that it can never be. Carl
you poke of the gulf between us. Is
it one that love will not bridge?"
The next night Fairfax Farley and
Herr Seiberg met.
"You have decided ?" asked the for,
mer.
at is impossible" Carl replied; "but
since you so kindly have asked me to
play at your wedding, may [ not ask
you to dance at mine?'
''Ah, you are betrothed, then ?"
eyes"
"And to welcome whom ?'
''Miss Laurence, the young musician
answered, proudly.
| Two little WOrdS-a name soon to be
merged into another identity; but
their mOmentary utterance had can
celed his two-fold ebt-redeemed his
boyhood's VOW.