Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-04-12
The Golden Crown.

The Golden Crown.
A few years ago l was advised by my
physician TO try the effect of the waters o.
that beautiful place in Germany, Spa
The noise, the gayety, and the constan
fetes were, however not IN unison with my
spirits. and produced SO enervating re
suit that instead Of curing me, / grad
uxlly became worse. therefore sought 9
calm country retirement, where l could
enjoy natures loveliness, and make ex
cursions 10 the villages in the neighbor.
hood.
On one bright day l was stroling through
the hamlet of Walberg. where the small
population of 200 or 800 inhabitants were
holding their annual feast. A level, hard
piece of ground, with no other roof than
the blue sky, surrounded by wooden
benches, served for ballroom. Dane
ing needed no midnight excitement, for il
began at O'Clock and ended with the
departing ay-light Tall, robust girls,
IN holiday costumes, fitting subjects for
the pencil OF Rubens anu young men
with cheerful faces, were looking earnestly
In ore direction, where i could discern
nothing but deep sandy road, unshaded
by trees. A murmur of impatlence was
heard through the confused sound OF
voices.
Who are they expecting 2" asked Of
an old matron seated at the end OF a
bench.
''Eh, parbleu, they are waiting for the
dear old Father. He is always so exact.
and the children would have been dancing
by this time had he not been delayed"
understood, then, that she was speak
ing Of the village fiddler, and remarked
sort of dais raised within the circle. 1t
was composed of board laid on two bar
rels, and the chair placed on it seemed
ashamed of its solitude; an ole desk stood
before il, to hold the music. Soon q JOY
Gus hurrah came from the peanuts, and
l perceived poor old man, hobbling pam
fully through the dust. his head was
nearly bald, bat his form was massive,
and the face was still handsome. He ap-
peared to be about 80. yet his eye still re-
tanned the softned reflection of Its youth
full fire. HIS smile was all goodness as
lie affectionately pressed the hands OF the
young ones who gathered around HIM.
A country minstrel seldom pleases the
refined taste; and, to escape from the
noise and intense heat, l turned away to-
q small group of benches, and began to
read the book which was my constant
Presently head sounds so
soft, penetrating and sweet, that the
memory of them will never be effaced. 1t
was one OF Webers waltzes, executed by
. y,sstar,S hapd n, ON aycaltapt violin I
arose to return as If by magnetic attrac
ton, and walked beside two peasants
who were -on their way 20 the feast.
l remarked: at is impossible to waltz
to tune played SO slowly"
"You are right" replied the young man;
but in the intervals Of the country dances
we often ask the old father to play US
some of his airs, and he never refuses.
All ! sir. they moved us to the heart, just
as We shake the grain under the fail.
There arc some Of our girls who cannot
help weeping Us they listen"
IhaAened forward and was soon below
the desk. 0ffiend," l said, without
preanbfe, '.yea are q great musician"
81 was so long time ago, sir-or, at
least, they hsttered me by saying so but
now the airs that play to those good
people are only the rememberances of
youthful follies."
Noble follles that l wish had CON-
mitted," replied to this singular old
man. "Will you favor me with your
company at breakfast tomorrow morning
at the house where am staying2"
A thousand thanks, but l never take
4 meal out of my own house it Is an old
mans fancy. l ought to be as proud as a
= young man, at 81 years of age. But l
perceive that you are musician, so we
are brothers. II yod will extend your
walk to the little village of Hoth, over the
dowery turf, you will hear the birds sing
ing IN the branches, which Is far finer than
W eber's waltz. and when you reach my
house will give you fresh eggs and water
from the hills"
Tomorrow l will come said /. press
ing the old man cordially by the hand more
pleased with the invitation than if it had
been 10 one of the grandest cLatesux.
Ten o'clock on the following day found
me before a detached cottage, clean,
small, and pleasantly shaded, beside a
running stream, The old man came to
meet me, and his table was spread with the
best fare he could provide. When | asked
HIN about his name, he said ''Sir, the
peasants have gwen me the name of the
Father, because as you can guess L am
still cheerful in my old age, but my real
name is Vrangel."
''1he teacher of Weber, the chapel
master to the King of Bavaria I"
"Why not 2"
.'The illustrious Vangrel now changed
to village minstrel T.
''By my own choice, dear sir. which
proves to you that Vrangel is a Christian
Music has been the passion
of my life, but it has caused me unspeaka-
ble sorrow and disappointment. Twas the
Kings professor, and he loaded me with
money and honors. l taught the noblest
women in my country, and they paid tor
their lessons with gold. / have given my
children and grandchildren love for the
best music, the feeling which makes it
eloquent, the SCIENCE which gives 1t cor
rectness. thus / know that my life has
not been useless have gained the great
est prize, which 1 would not exchange for
anything that earth could offer.
''And what is this prize ?" asked.
sCome with me-" the old man,
leading the way to another apartment.
l entered a very small, whitewashed
room, where a walaut-wood bed concealed
by curtains filled space. He drew these
back, and saw a godenl crown of laurel
in a frame Beneath was written /: ''To
my friend and excellent professor, Vran-
gel. Weber"
''Sir," said the old man, with trembling
voice, ''this Is the crown that the Baya
rian composers sent to Weber after they
had heard Der fIeischutz', the finest OF
his works"
From that time, added he, ''every
thing was against me. l lost my wife and
the youngest of my sons. The envy of
others was the cause of my dismissal from
my post as chapel-master. A banker In
whose hands had placed my savings was
made bankrupt, and my friends deserted
me. Life became WEAKNESS; a sadness
impossible to describe seized upon me the
doctors ordered me to try the country aIr
and qmetness. engaged house near spa,
but the hustle of visitors reached me-