Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-02-16

dimly-lit gallery, 1 sat waiting, with nv
master beside me.
''Sam, my boy" said my master, "its
great risk; it's getting very full.
There's the squire and my lady just
come IN. Keep your eyes on your book
aud feel what you're playing, and think
you're IN the little shop; I've brought a
bit Of leather to help you" and he pu.
piece of that black leather that has a
peculiar acid scent in front of me- The
scent Of it revived me; the memory of
the many hours I had spent there came
back to me at once, and I felt as calm as
if I were indeed there.
She came at last, and service began
: Oh, that night Shall I ever forget its
pleasures ?-the wondering looks of the
friends and neighbors who came and
ound in me, the despised, awkward,
left-handed saddler's apprentice, the
prodigy of which they had reard rumors.
Oh, it was glorious? The first few
strokes of my bow gave me confidence,
and did well, and knew it. through the
hymn, through the chants and on to the
anthem before the sermon. This was
to be the gem of the evening; it was
Handel's then new anthem, II know
that my Redeemer liveth.
It began-harsh, inharmonious, out of
progressed spell seemed upon all but
her and myself; one by one the instru-
ments ceased and were silent; one by
one the voices died away and were lost,
and she and alone, bound together and
driven on by an irresistible impulse,
went through the anthem; one soul, one
spirit seemed to animate both. The
whole congregation listened breathless
rs to an angel; and she, self-absorbed
and like one in trance, sang, filling
| me with delicious sense of peace and
exultation, the like of which I have
lever known since.
1t came to an end at last, and with
| theiast triumphant note l fell forward
on the desk in a swoon.
When recovered, I found myself at
| home in my own room, with the rector,
the doctor and my parents there, aud
heard the doctor say:
II told you he would, dear madam;
| knew he would .
"Thank God y murmured my mother.
MY dear boy, how we have fearel for
You -
What a difference | was courted and
made much Of "Genius :" and Every
clever! !" and delightful talent !" such
were the expressions l now heard; in
stead of ''stupid ~ "awkward r and "un-
s6t for anythingl'
/ Ny father bought fine instrument,
IE!and I was the hero of the village for
months. !An..
! Ifwss some days aitAt that Christmas
1HtfethatI 1entursa to ask abqdt he rector e
niece. -
"My dear boy. said4 my mother
| 7fhe' ike was never heard. We saw you
there and wondered what vote were do
ing; but as soon as we saw yon with the
bow, we knew you must be the person
thered been so much talk about; anG
then, when the anthem came, and We
all left of singing aud they all left of
playing, and only yon and Miss Cecilif
kept on, VIC were all in tears. I saw
even the rector crying; and, poor girl
she seemed as # in dream, and so die
YOU; it was dreadful for me to see yol
with your eyes fixed on her, watching
her SO eagerly. And then TO look a
her, staring up at the stained glass win
dow rs if she could see through it, mile
and miles away into the sky. 0, In
! sure the like never was; and then, whel
YOU fell down, I screamed, and you
father ran up and carried you down an(
brought you home in Farmer Slade'
| four wheeler.
After this I had an invitation TO e
up to the rectory, ard there in the lonl
winter evenings we used to sit an
while / played, size sang. Oh, thos
. happy times when she loved me. bu
only as dear friend and I love
ler as l never loved before or could iov
again. do not know the kind of love
+, had for her. | was but n little oIde
than she was. but I felt As fatlie
might feel TO his daughter-a sweet ter
ierness and love that made me pitlfr
:, toward her / knew she loved ma
unworthy OF her. and 1 think, at times
i she felt this herself al.d knew fel. i
= Twas perfectly free of the rector's hous
At last. and we used to find IL our music
means Of converse that our tongue
: could never have known All me-:hoe
4 days, Gone ! Alas. they are gone.
She left Us al last. and in p few yea
Ter motherless child came back IL h,
. nlace. ana as again l SIT in the old It
= tory parlor. years and years after c
frs. visit, with her daughter besit
ne, singing-but, alas. 20, with Il
mothers voice-au the old memoir
> fo-.3 ha.t m yrs ord ,aaI q ORA saFr-