The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-11-25
idly, and it may be that happy release

with Alice of the possible material that
might be found In the crowded streets oi
New York, we made cur first acquaint-
ance there. A lady whom we had FREE
quently met In the halls and dining
room, and admired for her refined and
dgnifed appearance, and who occupied,
with a stately old gentleman, evidently
her father, the suite of rooms adjoining
her own, knocked hurriedly at our door
one night, after we had retired. Our
old Margaret answered the summons.
and the lady begged that we would come
to her assistance, her father having be-
come suddenly and dangerously i'll.
Alice fastened to do all In her power,
and for several days, during which the
invalid slowly recovered, she made FREE
quent visits to our neighbors' apart
ments, bringing back eloquent descrip-
tons OF both father and daughter. The
latter, who introduced herself as Mrs.
Gray, of Boston, now came frequently
into our parlors, and the acquaintance
bid fair to become real friendship.
The ice was broken, and I no longer
wished to continue our isolated life. On
Saturday Alice came in from walk
with our friend, and said:
"Nellie, Mrs. Gray wants you to go
with her tomorrow to vespers, at ST.
Stephens, to hear the s,Stabot Mater.
May I tell her you will accept the invi-
tation?"
Twas quite ready to availmyself of Mrs.
Gray invitation, and welcomed her more
cordially than usual when she came a
few hours later to repeat it in person.
AS she sat and talked / found myself
wondering who it was she resembled so
strongly. The shape of her head, the
expression of her eye, the tone of her
voice, all seemed strangely familiar, yet
we had never met until few weeks pre-
vious. The conversation turned casual
ly on Boston. was lost in a sad dream
when Mrs. Gray said, in answer to some
remark of AIice's.
"Yes, we lave fine pictures, some
times in Boston; but we have our mag
nificent organ always. OF course you
heard it, Miss Nellie, when you were
there? Your sister tells me you are
passionately fond of music, and of organ
music especially"
Yes, I have often heard it"
replied. o f
81 always thought I appreciated our
organ entirely; bu6 when my brother
Henry came home from Europe, the
year after it was opened, his intense en-
joyment surpassed even mine. And all
this reminds me to ask if you will allow
me to present this same brother of mine
to you tomorrow? He will arrive here
late tonight, and will be most happy to
escort us to st. Stephens where he is
a regular attendant whenever he visits
New York"
suppose Alice answered for me that
[ should be happy to make acquaintance
with or friends brother. I was too be-
wildered to speak. The strange likeness
that made her face so familiar to me at
first sight, the name of this unknown
brother, Henry, his intense love for or
gan music-what could it all mean +?
Was | now to meet him again. to endure
afresh all the misery that the kindly
hand of time was just beginning to hide
amid the flowers of resignation and con-
tentment? passed the rest of the day
and night in feverish excitement. was
asked no questions. If it were indeed
be | was about to see, / should meet
him AS bravely as / had partedifrom him.
He was and could be nothing to me after
this one day; our path might never cross
again-I could bear it.
At the appointed time Mrs. Gray
called for me, but came alone Then I
realized how weak I was how [ had
been hoping to see him, though I told
myself we should meet as the veriest
strangers.
"My brother will join us at the
church" said Mrs. Gray. "He was
obliged to go first to visit sick friend,
but he will not be detained long,
We reached the church just as the
service was beginning, and the first
strains of the magnificent "Stabat Ma
ter" of Pergholese already issued from
the grand organ. The aisles were
crowded, but, as we approached Mrs.
Gray's pew, she whispered, in tone of
relief, Chow fortunate I see that nv
brother has arrived before me and kept
our seats; but must defer an introduce
ton till after the services.
The gentleman stepped from the pew
to allow us to pass in, evidently listening
lntently all the while, that note of the
music might not be lost. He cast a
careless glance on his sisters companion
our eyes met. All I saw was look of
Joy, OF thankfulness, of content. In nv
face / believe he could read absolutely
nothing. All, what hours those were to
me But for the music 1 could never
have sat there-so near to him, yet so
infinitely far away. The music, now
walllng, now beseeching, now triumph
ant, rolled through the church like. a
voice from heaven, barishing for the
time all thoughts of earthly trials and
temptations. But it ended at Iast-the
vesper service was over.
As the crowd slowly dispersed we sat
listening to the beautiful march
OF Beethoven. Then Mrs. Gray begged
us to wait one moment, as she wished to
speak to some poor women who were as
sisted and employed by her, and were
now waiting for her. She simply named
us to each other and left us. The Zone
moment" heightened into an half hour !;
the last notes of the organ died away
only a solitary worshiper knelt here and
there in the lonely aisles.
And I was listening to the cold, old
story" how, from the first day we met,
he had cared for me, and me only; but.
fettered by that uncongenial marriage.
into which he had entered thoughtlessly
when mere boy. it was impossible for
him to say one word. Yes, he had loved
me from the first ; and now he was free.
and had come to seek me out, to ask
whether | remembered him. And this
time | had no need to tell falsehood
When Mrs. Gray rejoined us, she
looked from one to another with a
bright, loving smile, and whispered to
me: +" l never knew until just as I was
coming for you this afternoon, that you
and Henry were old friends. May I be
your friend also, Nellie, for his sake y
Then we walked slowly home in the
twilight to Alice, who looked up in
quirlngly as we entered the parlor to-
gether. She must have seen at glance
that my sorrow was suddenly lifted from
my heart, and when I presented Mr..
West as 6 an old friend from Boston. .
the truth flashed upon her in moment.
When he left me the other evening he
said: I cannot wait long for you,