The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-04-03

the agony Of the short parting Is nc.
complishcd the Joy Of the reunion Is In
prospect.
1T was some months before she be-
came 50 very i'll that we knew her
departure could not long be delayed"
ut was late winter and she was anx-
music once again. Sweetheart she
said, i should like TO hear you play
the Hallclujah once more. and II God
will be so good 10 me. ! pray Him TO
grant me strength to go 10 church on
Easter day and sing the song love.
And we prayed to God that He would
grant us this wish"
1.-The spring was late. and when
Holy Week came the wealth was still
cold and cherries. and we were afraid.
On Good Friday the sun shown warmly
and Saturday was lovely spring day.
the ky blue and the air balmy. There
was TO be a choir rehearsal at five
o'clock. and ms il came near that hour
the sky became cloudy and although
the air was still warm. there seemed TO
be rain in prospect Thckla said 10 me:
Dear love. the church il near. II is
warm to-day. perhaps II may not be 50
tomorrow; to-day is ours. let me 90
with you TO the rehearsal. If l wait
until tomorrow it may be too late.
tried to dssuade her, Yet in my heart
wished TO see her in the old place once
more. and so, warmly wrapped, she
went with me TO the church. She
seemed so bright and happy that my
foolish heart began to hope, although
knew that hope to be a sweet deluslon.
"Reaching the choir gallery Thckla
took her old place. the soprano who
had supplied il forcing her to do so.
with many EXPLANATIONS Of delight.
How happy / was; the organ responded
to my will as 1t had never done before,
and the voices ii sustained were full OF
melody. l looked at Thekla whose
face was radiant. AT last when the
time came tried to prevail on her not
TO sing. but in her pretty coaxing way
she insisted, saying she had longed for
il SO, and | must not deny her.
struck the first two chords OF the mel
ody, and her voice rose clear and sweet
as that Of an angel: i know that my
Redeemer liyeth.N Those who listened
were startled at the unearthly lowell
ness of her tones, and the tears which
glistcned in their eyes We're tribute 70
her power. At last II was over, and
Z Thekla sank back exhausted but with a
glory in her face which blinded me.
: rose from the organ TO 60 TO her, but
| she motioned me not TO do so. The re-
hearsal was over and the singers de-
parted, leaving with Thekla many kind
/ words. When they were all gone she
"A .tlnN fba
I Halleluiah for me- obeyed. and the
, grandeur Of the melody reyerberated
through the church; when ! had fin
9 ished. turned to my wife and found
she was leaning back. u seemed to me
y unconscious. ] FASTENED to her anc
found that she had tainted. She re-
9 vived in moment, and said: do no
( take me away, il was here we met, le
me 90 from You here
D ..Ah, the agony Of that moment, fol
} / realized that what she said was true
2 and that the parting was indeed a
: hand. took her in my arms. yainl,
: fancying that the embrace in which sh,
: had So often rested would avail to kecr
4 her with me now. She lay quietly fol
some moments. and then said in tones
: so low that bent my ear to her lips (
: catch them: Dear Ernest, we hav,
| been so happy and it j. only for LITTLE
/ while that we shall be parted. Deal
= heart. will you play the Halleluiah fo
: me every Easter even until You come q
Z me? / shall listen for it, With III,
|, lips pressed to hers, / promised her
: when raised them knew that Thekl;
{ had received my last kiss.
- -
4 his eyes Il tered with tears. Pau
1 pressed his hand and said softly: AN,
6 that is why. dear friend. you hav'
Q always PLAYED the Halclujah on Easte
4 even. understand now; and all thes
E years you have waited to 90 70 her?''
r Yes" said the old man. lit was
n long time before cared for life aitc
{. she left me. II was 50 hard 70 thinI
N that she who had for 50 long been tn
4 object of my tcndcrest solicitudc was be
4 yond any carc-taking Of mine. was sur
c She needed me. and could not 90 &
4 her. All. that thought was so bitter
n Nv faith assured me OF her happincs
e in Heaven. but ms self refused to b
h comfurtcd. NV only solacc was m
: organ, and it was then learned Of III
O divine comfort If music, the gloriou
d harmony which God has given 70 Iii
e children. None but those who hay
sorrowed will understand it, for onl
}. unto them has it been revealed \
4 last came to this country and to thi
/ town. and became the organist OF IN
= church from which we came to-nigh
n Every Easter even since she LETT me
4 have played the Hallcluiah. and Thekl
II has listened. Here have lived alon
II and waited waited to 60 to Thekl'
Il but ali! did not think the dear 60
would keep me from her so long
|. The old organist's voice grew fain