Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1886-10-15
selfrf Rea1ing.
JOHANN VOICE.


tower. The great door way of the
church is draped with white.
Groups of young girls wearing wells
are passing in the streets; they stop
and stand in solemn silence before the
house of old Muller the organ maker,
which Is also draped in mourning
/ Within is coffin upon which wreaths
of white flowers are lying.
| Johanna, MuIler's only chlld-the
child of his old age-is dead. He lost
his wife years ago, and now that Jo-
hanna has gone, he is all alone in the
world.
He sits weeping in bis daughters
little room; at intervals he raises his
head and listens.
So long as they have not carried her
away from the house, so long as he
has not seen them lay her in the earth,
1T seems to him that she will come
back.
She was so beautiful, his Johanna,
with her blonde hairand eyes like the
blue sky Of an autnmn day.
She was so kind. too. especially to
those who were suffering: and she al
ways lad comforting words for the
ip6or and the afflicted.
Although but eighteen, she had the
senergy and wisdom of woman of ma
Iture age.
/ The wives and children of her IA
lther's workmen came to her. as they
did 10 her mother before her, to re
fcount all their troubles. and she was
toften the means Of reconciIing hearts
which had become embittered and
were about to he aliena:ed for ever.
She was Mullers JOY and consola-
ton; she was his pride, also, for no
one could sing as she could, simple
ballads, beautiful songs, or sublime
ianrhems, all of which were objects OF
worship TO the old musician.
For Muller was genuine musician.
He knew how TO play on the organs he
/ made.
1t was himself alone who tried his
/! instruments.
| At such tim the workmen gather.
ed about him. their faces grave and
thoughtful. for the melody born OF
J his touch resembled hymns and pray.
ers.
Often. in the evening, he would say
, to his daughter
Come, johanna. come, my child. |
want 10 hear YOU sing"
johanna @"uid come smiling, know
/ Ing. IS she did, that nothing Has more
restful or pleasing to her father Than
the sound Of her voice
! Seating himself at an organ he
/ played the accon, pauiment TO lohaa
mas song The Young voice poured
/ forth, clear anu flexible, aud floating
Iupsard wakened the echoes among the
dlngy raters OF the workshop roof.
| In bis rapture the old artist forgot
al. earthly cares and SORROWS.
Sometimes. when the last notes Of
+ the organ had died away, Muller would
remain motionless in his seat, his face
/ buried III his hands.
Johanna, gently removing his tin-
gers and finding them wet with tears,
would say
why. father, what is the matter
With you ,
"Oh," he would reply, as he kissed
her on the brow, Il thought was In
| heaven and an angel was singing TO
me.
/ These are some Of the memories that
come thronging into his mind.
/ The door is softly opened and Viii
helm, the foreman. appears.
He has known Johanna all her life.
When she was little babe he carried
her in his arms: il she had been his
own child be could not have loved her
more tenderly.
lie is silently weeping; it almost
| breaks his heart to See the room which
she will never enter again.
| He breads to 60 forward and tell
the poor father that they're only wait
ing Tor him.
Making great effort, "Master,' he
says, but just then his voice is choked
BY "A sob.
Muller looks up he understands it
Il am ready" he says; Goods will
be DONE
He goes down the stairway. His
eyes are din with tears, his limbs
tremble like one Just recovering from
IA long fit Of illness; he is Obliged to
support himself on Wllhelm's arm.
The procession advances slowly Il,
long the streets and squares.
Muller has ceased weeping, his head
is bowed. he is apparently in dep
study. Wilhelm. upon whose arm he
still l. ads, is astonished at the expres-
sion Of his face.
During the interment the old man
is quite Ca m.
Those present endeavor to restrain
their feelings for fear of awakening
his grlef, lulled, as it were, by some
mysterious power.
When the last wreath had been de
posted upon the fresh y-raised mound,
Muller suddenly cries out
Come, Wilhelm, You and | will
succeed-we can bring Johnna to life
again
He hurres away so fast that Will
helm can scarcely keep up with him.
The people eetandlng around exclalm,
Poor old man! grief has unsettled
his mind
For weeks and months Muller re-
. mains shut up in IA room of his shop
/ he will admit no one but Wilhelm.
AT first the people inquire what his
: master is doing. He makes no reply
: except to shake his head sadly.
However, they soon desist, conclud-
: ing that.if Wilhelm tells nothing, it is
because he has nothing good to tell.
:. FinsllY-Johanna has been dead