Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-06-21
BERTHE AND RoDoLrHE.
Philadelphia Call.

\
!, Karr; one evening the youni
musician, Rodolphe Arnheim, anG
, Berthe. the pretiest Of girls Ia May
ence. found themselves alone 90
gether. Rodolphe and Berthe wert
engaged, and yet they were guinl
10 be separated the next day, RO
dolphe was to depart for O distant
province. For two years he was
to take lessons there Of an ablt
master; then, on his return, Ber'
the's father would resign TO him
his position OF chapel-master, and
would give him his daughter.
"Berthc," said ROdolphe, "let us
play once again together that air
you like SO much. When we are
separated at the close of the day,
the hour of grave thoughts, we will
play our parts and that will bring
US nearer to each other.n
Berthe took her harp. ROdolphe
accompanied her with his flute, and
they played Berthe's favorite air
several times, When they had fln-
ished they wept aud kissed Roolol.
phe departed.
They were faithful to their prom
ise. Every evening, Mt the hour
when they had seen each other for
the last time, Rodolphe took his
flute, and they played their parts.
That hour OF the evening IL solemn
and mysterious; 1t irresistibly In
duces reverie; amid the ruddy VA.
pOrs that mount to the horizon one
seems to see appear, living and ami.
mated, all the souvenirs, all his days
some laughing and crowned with
roses, Others pale and shrOuded In
Grape. At that hour, the last quiv-
er Of the wind among the leaves
seems to modulate the airs to which
we attach sweet aud sad memories;
music Ia the voice OF the soul.
Occasionally Rodolphe paused
he seemed to hear the vibrations Of
Berthe's harp mingled with the
sOunds Of his fute. Two years pass
ed thus H''t .l" ."F. n
One evening Berthe was with
her father beneath the arbor Of their
little garden. That aTbor was form
ed by Ave acacias that interlocked
overhead their foliage and their
white and perfumed flower clusters;
between the acaciHs dark green H.
lacs filed up up the empty space
with their abundant leaves three
or four f,oneysuckles climbed about
the acacIas aud allowed long bloom
ing garlsnds to hang down. sf
Through the narrow entrance to
the arbor Il band Of purple prUduc-
ed by the reflections Of the setting
sun, was visibl3 at the horizon. II
was the hour sacred 10 sOuvenairs
Berthe was playing her iavOrite air
stopped to listen.
All was silence even the wind
had ceased to agitate the foliage.
Berthe recommended the air, and
again she heard Rodolphe's flute ac-
coInpanying her.
Z 1t was RodOlphe who had return
ed. a 1H .ir.
Two years afterward Rotiolphe
and Berthe possessed charming
little daughter, the cherished fruit
OF union that Berthe's father had
blessed before drawing his final
breath. RodOlphe was chapel. mas
ter, and the income Of his position
gave the two young people an am
pie competency. ''.
Rodolphe had purchased pretty |
little home. Behind II was a thick |
grove OF lindens, In front of Ii
green lawn, upon which the child |
rolled and tumbled. The white |
wallis were covered with tall Ben
gal rose bushes; and besides, every
thing was closed so lghtly-there
WAS not the slightest crack in the
doors through which a glance from
without could penetrate happy
people are difficult Of access, .E |
Then the infant died, and Berthe
expired OF grief u few months afler-
ward.
When she felt her end approach
ing she said to ROdOlphe: ri n. /
"In vain have / sought to prOlong
my existence by my prayers
must rejoin our child 1 must abon-
don you and wait for you Ia a bet
ter life. IL the dead have power to
reappear upon the earth, you will
see me again; my shade will wan.
der about you : for my heaven Is
the place where my ROdulphe is.
When the day shall arrive in which
We can he reunited, | will come 10
1
together, shall Ti-e On high, no
more TO descend upon earth, where
they will not have u single tie. Ev-
cry year, on my birthday, happy
or unhappy, beloved or abandoned,
sad or gay. al the hour OF sunset, at
the hOnr when prayers ascend 10
heaven with the sounds OF the even
ing bell aud tho perfume the flow
ers exlIale before closing their chali-
ces, play the mir that has so long
charmed tor us the grief Of absence,
the sole consolation that will re-
main to you la n very long separa.
tion. That music will betnOre har-
10 my a0ul than the CON
certs OF the seraphim." r g..a
Then she kissed him and died. 7,
R0dolphe lost his mind. They
made him travel for sOIne tiule.
On his return his head was more
calm but q sOmbeT melancholy
took possession Of him and did not
quit him. He shut himself up in
has house, and would not go any
where. He left Berthe's chamber as
death, the led still unInAde. the
ildIp lu COtuCbs |
When Berthe's birthday arrived,
he put on his best garments, a thing
he had not before done. lie filled
The chamber with flowers. and when
evening came shut himself up there
ami played upon tile 1ufe the mir
they had 81 often played together.
The next day they fOnnd him
out stiff upon the floor.
When he recovered conciOusness he
had again lOst his mind; u was
Dnee more necessary 10 make him
travel, At the aspiration OF year
he returned Ia his house his brain
appeared to- be re, established, only
mo- WAS sad and silent.
AyaiH Bnrihe'S birthday arrived
he TILED the chamber with iTC-h
flowers, and toward evening he shut
himself up dressed as on his we'd
ding day then he played upon his
the same air. l r
The following day they again
Tuund him extended On the fl,HT.
Bat when they strOve tOtnke him
away he said cOldly that u they did
not leave him la the house where
his " lie iisli he would kill himself.
they deemed IL advisable to yeild
to him. the more SO as his reason
-. - - H. 4