West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-04-17

smallest houses In the street, which
! they entered. The organs. lit quaint
lamp which stood upOn a table in the
small room, and its light revealed the low
walls hung with pictures of great com
! posers, small piano, n violin, and i'm
one corner an old-fashioned cabinet
hllcd with rare scores, cherished with "A
tender affection by the aged musician.
| The old man sank upon Il lounge
which was drawn near fire. and said,
Paul, bring your chair close beside
me, and | will tell YOU, if can, the
story promised. do not know why
am impelled to speak thus To YOU To-
night have never been man to
| whom speech was easy, least OF all
have cared 70 speak OF grief which is
as fresh TO me tonight as il was forty
years ago.
''Of course you know that am not
OF this country, although have lived
here so long that love IL and It's pco-
! pie well. Yes, II Is n great land, my
friend, with good laws, and good gov
crnment, and although am as say
attached to il, yet il i not my own
country, my dear Fathcrlaud, ms Ger
many. All! there the musician Is at
home, there i the land of harmony! I
! grant YOU that OF late years much has
been done horc in that direction, but
1t all Is SO new, 50 unaccustomcd In
| Germany arc the memories of great
composers, whose living form, we do
not remember, but their works are left
us, and we are conscious that they are
! our countrymen. think Of them.
Mozart, Handel Mcndelssohu--bu why
name them, you will recall them ali,
| and you know. too, the impetus the
memory OF such men give to the art of
| which they were the apostles. -
The old man paused, and Paul, who
was burning with patriotic anxiety to
| defend the musical honor OF his native
land, foreborc TO interrupt with his
| voice the reverie into which the old or
| ganist seemed to have fallen, and wait
ed patiently for him TO continue In Il
few moments he resumed:
81 noed not tell you the story of nv
early life, for il would have little inter
est for You. IL was quite uneventful
and filled with hard work. When |
| was about Twenty-Five an event oc-
CURED; a rendering of Handers Mes
! siah was TO be given i'm the town where
HVed, and the organ was intrustcd TO
! me. The soprano came from a neigh
]
! incrcdulQus when | tell YOU that never
/ before nor since have listened to Il
voice equal to hers; dear and sweet and
powerful, and full OF the sympathetic
| quality which is SO seldom an attribute
of the soprano voice. When she first
sang | WAS startled. but when as the
oratorio progressed and it came to her
mt last to voice the greatest song man
ever wrote, | held my breath TO listen.
81 know that my Rcdecmer livcth"-
| On knew it then; never before had
] the blessed knowledge been 50 revealed
| 10 me. My fingers trcmbled on the
Keyboard, and my heart was full of
praise and thanksgiving. Later when
the llallcluioh chorus came it was the
hallcluIah OF my own heart to which
my fingers gave melody, and never was
| The dear old organ more obcdiCnt to
their touch, or the voices it sustained
more in harmony with lis guiding
| tones
when it was all over. the soprano,
! Ihekla her name was, came to me and
said; ''How grandly the organ sound
ed IN the Hallcluiah; it spoke TO me"
remember so we'll how she looked; her
sweet eyes shining with pleasure, and
her face glOritied with the genius of
! song That was the beginning of our
acquaintance. you can imagine how it
ended. "
"She was your wife," said Paul,
gently.
Yes" said the old man. "she was
my wife, my darling, my angel wife
| Paul silently pressed the old organ
lists hand and waited
Yes, within a year we were married.
/ and Thekla sang in the church where |
| was organist. ALI, me, how happy we
| were! She was not strong. and after "a
/ few years her health failed 50 rap div
that | could not blind myself t. the
! agoniling truth that she must leave me.
/ She was obliged to give up her church
/ singing and it broke my heart TO listen
/ to vqhe. not hers, singing TO nv ac-
/ compartment And vet we were haDpy.
! she in my love, / in hers. She was TO
/ leave me, we both knew that, but it was
/ only going before, she is TO wait for
me to come TO her. ! TO wait To- 20 to
\ her. All, dear Paul. the love that is
| eternal recognizes no snparat on when
/ the agony of the short parting is ac.
complshed the Joy of the reunion is in
prospect.
1t was some months before she be-
/ came SD very i'll that we knew her
/ departure could not long be delayed"
1T was late winter and she was anx-
/ ious to live until the Easter bell, ma a.
music once again. Sweetheart. She
/ said, i should like TO hear YOU play
/ the Hallcluiah olcc moro. and il God
! will be 80 good To- me- pray Him to
/ grant me strength to 20 to church on
Easter day and sing the song love. 8
/ And we prayed to God that lie would
/ grant us this wish.
The spring wa, lat. and when
. Holy Week came the wealth was still
/ cold and cherries. aud w. were nf.a'd.
/ On Good Friday the sun shown warmly
. and Saturday wa, lovely spring dny.
. the ky blue and the mir bulmy There
/ was to be- choir rehearsal IL five
I o'clock, and 90, it came near that hour
/ thc sky bccam' closdv and although
the alr was still warm .hDr. seemed To-
/ Dee rain iu prospect Ihckla said to- mo.
/ Dear love. the church IS near. 10 is
. warm to-day. perhaps 20 mas mo-. be 30
. tomorrow. to-day Is ours Def me go
with YOU 10 the rehearsal II wait
until tomorrow it may be- too latc. J
tried To di--uaIc her. set iu my heart /
/ wished 90 see her iu the old place ono.
more, and so. warmly wrapped Sine
went with me tD The church She
seemed SD bright and happy that INV
foolish heart began to- hope. although I