Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-09-27


its existence.
Come, lad" he says kindly. and at
the sound the boys heart rejoices, for
he hears his own tongue, a little
strange from disuse, yet perfectly in
telligible. "They say that thou must
give up thy fiddle If ever thou wouldst
thrive"
"Ah, ncin, nein- it is my hearth -
clasping IL the closer.
Thy heart? Then, lad, IL shall not
go; yet first let's hear what thou canst
bring from it,"
For moment Carl looked thought
fully into the burgomaster's face; then
says:
Thou shall hear what the corn sings
when it is growing, and the trees
whisper when the breeze touches them
at night. In the times when | have
lain upon the hillsidcs, watching sheep,
my fiddle and | heard it over and
over"
The lads quaint imaginings touch
the burgomaster's heart, and smiling,
he mods his head to the boy. Slowly
the old fiddle is taken out, the strings
frightened; then resting his chin upon
1t lightly he draws the bow across.
The burgomastcr starts; he had
thought 10 hear some childish strains,
yet these notes the boy brings forth
from the old fiddle have in them all
the power of master hand.
The picture comes before him Of the
quiet night, the rcstful sheep huddled
together on the hillside, the breeze as
it goes sweeping by moaning the trees,
the gentle rustic Of the distant grain
growing in the darkness, and the lone
ly little figure Of the watchful lad
gathering these sounds and heaping
them up in his heart till they trclnblc
forth at his touch upon the yibrat-
ing strings.
lIark! The darkness moves away.
In the east the sun comes aushing up,
and all the air issuddcnly pulsing with
the singing Of the dawn-birds.
All, Carl, Carl lad, with thy heaven
born gift, thou hast won the stern old
heart before thee Thou hast saved
thyself a world Of wondering, and
gained life Of ease
The one green spot in the magnate's
heart holds memory which Carl's
playing has brought to life Again he
is young-a student and in the twi-
light stands waiting for the song Of
the young peasant coming home from
her work. The song comes nearer.
and when into her pathway he steps
with outstrctched arms, he laughs out
ioyously to see the happiness spring
up in her eyes.
Yet fate had come between 1t was
not fit that the only son Of rich old
burgomaster Van Cruiser should wed
with a peasant; 50 he had come away
at his fathers bidding, leaving behind
his heart among the green country lanes
where dwclt the impctupus little soul
through whose veins ran the fire Of
the South. Al. God, how he had suf
fcrcd' Suffered as his father. with
his plcgmatic temperament. could not
even dream.
lie had pined 50 that his studies and
whole life grew distasteful; then, at
length the father had rclented, consent
Cd grudgingly to his sons wearing the
little field flower where he had hoped
to place a rare exotic
Not waiting for aught beyond a
bare consent, the son started forth
eager to gain that so long denied
Alas. he came too late. Elspcth had
been but foolish maid. the ncighbors
said. to love the burgomastcr's son
a foolish maid to have naught 10 say
to the village lads; and when the
young stranger left, just seemed to
lose all heart. and one day came home
Ill with fever.
So while the stern old man debated.
Death stepped in and gathered the
wild daisy Of his sons heart. and when
he came. the grass was already green
on her grave, and he could but take
away with him the memory Of what
had been, and the knowledge that of
the two hearts thus sundered, one had
broken.
Long years went by, and the old
burgomaster died. When his son sue.
ceeded him, he had married a buxom.
unimpressionable dame. who brought
y,itt bnr n Jotpcr ~ r,,lJ nrJ I;,..,