Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-06-03


earned a full days wages since you
came to the farm. If you'd give up
your foolish iddling now you might
make something of yourself, but as
long as your heart is in that saving
and scrapingyou'l be good for naught
else. It's my advice to you to smash
that fiddle over the first rock, and
then I'll talk to you about Daisy"
Break his violin Destroy his dear
est friend, his sole comfort! But for
Daisy? What would he not do for
Daisy?
Perhaps Uncle Josiah was right.
Perhaps, if he had no outlet for the
dreams that filled his soul, they
would cease to haunt him, and he
would conquer the many routines Of
| farm drudgery that was such a heart
breaking problem to him. Perhaps,
when all the phantoms that broke in
| to reality upon his violin were driven
away, he would be the practical farmer
to whom Uncle Josiah would give
Daisy.
Musing thus, very sorrowfully, Reu-
ben took the violin from it's case and
went to the woods, to an opening the
country folks called the fairy ring.
Here he sat upon q huge stone and
played his farewell, dirge of hope
Great tears fell over his pale cheeks as
the weird, melancholy strain echoed
through the space around him. Then
he wrapped the violin once, twice in
his arms, kissed it tenderly, and lifted
it high in the air to smash it on arock.
But his heart failed him. His arm
dropped nerveless to his side, and he
stood motionless, looking at his faith
er's legacy.
Suddenly there stepped into the
opening an, elderly man, gray-haired
and dark-eyed, and dressed in city-cut
attire.
$50 you would smash your violin, "
he said. "You had better sell it, or,
better still, play on it. Was it you l
heard playing as | came through the
woods?"
eyes. Twas bidding my violin fare
we'll"
HIM! Play again for me-"
Gladly Reuben lifted his violin and
drew the bow across it.
81 will play you the Carnival of
Birds" he said; and there arose upon
the air such twittering chorus, here
a saucy trill, there busy chirp, then
a roulade, till the very air seemed
sweet melody throbbed and melted in
Brooks Hymn" Reuben said, and
the ripping stream was Knocked and
echoed in faint, fantastic music.
"Who wrote these?" the stranger
asked.
"They were never written. They
came from my heart" was the quiet
reply. 81 will play you some written
music"
And again the violin obeyed the
bow, as the works Reuben had studied
from his fathers music rose upon the
summer air.
"And you were about to break your
violin? ?" the stranger said.
Eyes; for | can never be a farmer
while my brain is full of music" was
the sad reply.
"Ah You want to be farmer,
then. Would you not rather be g.
musician?"
Reuben's eyes glistened. Long he
and the stranger talked, and the sun
was setting when he turned his face
| homeward.
"Uncle Josiah, he said, when all the
chores were done, and the farmer rest
ed on the moonlit porch, ''if in a year
[ can bring you proof that can sup
port Daisy, will you give her to me ?"
Il WILL" was the hearty reply.
E'Have you broken your fiddle, Reu-
ben ?"
mo, and I'm going to leave you to-
morrow. I've been offered work in the
city"
"Work in the city! Well, lad, it may
be you are too peaked for farm work,
and will find it easier there. But re
member if you fail, there's always a
home for you here, Reuben
/ Reuben grasped the hand held out to
him in his long, slender fingers, and
his sobbing ''God bless you, SIR" came
from his very heart.
Not even to Daisy did he tell his new
hopes, but babe her be faithful and
whether he succeeded or failed he
would return at the end of the year.
When he took his place in the stage
coach for the railway station his new
friend, met in thefairy ring, was by his
side.
Little Daisy kept her heart true.
Every market day when the farmer
came from town with his great wagon
empty, he took from his pocket a let
ter from Reuben to Daisy, and every
one was hopeful. His work was pleas
ant and was paying him well. Some
of the letters were dated New York,
some Boston, some Philadelphia; and
when winter came Reuben wrote from
all the great cities, even New Orleans,
and Daisy's heart throbbed high with
loving delight to feel sure his love was
true amid the gay scenes he described,
the new friends he met.
Winter sped away, spring blossoms
bloomed and fell, and the end of the
year was drawing near. A letter came
to Uncle Josiah:
"Will you bring Daisy to New York, .
Reuben wrote, land Judge for yourself
of my prospects 20
And Uncle Josiah, after long consul
tation with Aunt Polly, concluded to