Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-01-05


of New York we made our first &C
quaintance there. A lady whom we
had frequently met in the halls and
dining room, and admired for her re-
fined and dignifed appearance, and
who occupied, with stately old gen
tleman, evidently her father, the suite
of rooms adjoining our own, knocked
hurriedly af our door one night after
we had retired. Our old Margaret an
swered the summons, and the lady
begged that we would come to her as
sistance, her father having been taken
suddenly and dangerously i'll. Alice
fastened to do all in her power, and
for several days, during which the in
valid slowly recovered, she made fire.
quent visits to our neighbours apart
ments, bringing back eloquent descrip-
tions of both father and daughter.
The latter, who introduced herself as
Mrs. Gray, of Boston, now came fire.
quently into our parlors, and the &C
quaintance babe fair to become real
| friendship. The ice was broken, and
[ no longer wished to continue our
isolated life. On Saturday Alice came
in from a walk with our friend, and
said:
'Nelly, Mrs. Gray wants you to go
with her tomorrow to vespers, at St.
Stephens, to hear the Stabat Mater
May I tell her you will accept her invi-
tation?"
was quite ready to avail myself of
Mrs. Gray's invitation, and welcomed
her even more cordially than usual
when she came few hours later to re-
peat it in person. AS she sat and
talked I 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 previous.
The conversation turned casually on
Boston. [ was lost in sad dream when
Mrs. Gray said, in answer to some re-
mark of Alice's:
eyes, we have fine pictures, some
times, in Boston; but we have our mag
nificent organ always. Of course you
heard it, Miss Nelly, when you were
there? Your sister tells me you are
passionately fond of music, and of Or
gan music especially"
eyes, [ have often heard it," I re-
pliedl
81 always thought I appreciated our
organ entirely, but when my brother
Henry came home from Europe, the
year after it was opened, his intense
enjoyment surpassed even mine. And
this reminds me to ask you if you will
allow me to present this same brother
of mine to you tomorrow. Ee WI az
rive here late tonight, and will be most
happy to escort us to st. Stephens,
where he is regular attendant when
ever he visits New York"
| suppose Alice answered for me
that [ should be happy to make &C
quaintance with our friends brother.
| was too bewildered to speak. The
strange likeness that made her face SO
familiar to me at first sight, the name
Of the unknown brother, Henry, his in
tense love for organ 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 only
just beginning to hide amid the flowers
of resignation and contentment? /
passed the rest Of the day and night in
a state of feverish excitement. [ would
ask no questions. If it were indeed he
that was about to see I should meet him
as bravely as had parted from him. He
was and could be nothing tome after this
one day; our paths might never cross
again-I could bearit
At the appointed time Mrs Gray
called for me, but came alone. Then
| realized how weak was: how I had
been hoping to see him, though had
told myself we should meet as the
veriest strangers.
"My brother will meet 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
Master" of Pergholeso already issued
from the grand organ. The aisles were
crowded, but as we approached Mrs
Gray's pew she whispered, in a tone OF
relief: How fortunate [ see that my
brother has arrived before me and kept
our seats; but must defer the intro
duction till after the service"
The gentleman stepped from the
pew to allow us to pass in, evidently
listening intently all the while that a
note of the music should not be lost.
He cast a careless glance on his sisters
companiOn-our eyes met. All [ saw
was look of joy, of thankfulness, of
contentent. In my face, believe, he
could read absolutely nothing. All !!
what hours those were to me! But for
the music I could never have sat there
so near to him, yet so infinitely far
away The music, now wailing, now
beseeching, now triumphant, rolled
through the church like voice from
Heaven, banishing, for the time, all
thoughts of earthly trials and tenn pta-
tons. But it ended at last-the vesper
service was over.
AS the crowd slowly dispersed We sat
listening to the really beautiful march
of Beethoven. Then Mrs. Gray begged
us to wait one moment, as she wished
to speak to some poor women who
were assisted and employed by her,
and were now waiting for her. She
simply named US to each other, and
left us. The one moment heightened
into an half-hour; the last notes of the
organ died away; only a solitary wor-
shipper knelt here and there in the
lonely aisles.
And I was listening to ''the old, old
story" how, from the first day we
met, he had cared for me and me only;
but fettered by that uncongenial mar
riage into which he had entered
thoughtlessly when a 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
| Snnk mo ont to aSlZ ~ O nh ether re-