San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-12-09

WIN lONGS greatly pOSS6SSeS |
in his intuition the capacities of all !
instruments of observation which man |
has invented and supplied for his use.
The lenses Of his eyes can magnify
the iufinitesimal detail to the dimen-
sions of common things, and bring
objects to his vision from immeasura-
BILE distances; the labyrinth of his ear
can choose and distinguish amidst the
and the discords OF the
world, muf1ling in its tortuous passages
the reverberatiOn of ordinary sounds,
while multiplying a hundred-fold the
faint tones of the one beloved voice.
His whole body and his whole intelli-
gence form together an instrument
of exquisite sensibility, whereby the
perceptions of his Utmost soul are
hourly tortured, delighted, caught up
into ecstasy; torn and crashed by jeal-
ousy and fear, or plunged into the
frigid waters of despair.
The melancholy hymn resounded
through the vast church, but though
the Wanderer stretched the faculty Of
hearing to the utmost, he could no
longer find the note he sought, among
the vibrations of the dank and heavy
air. Then an irresistible longing
came upon him to turn and force nj:
way through the dense throng of men
and women, to reach the aisle and
could slip between the tombstone of
the astronomer and the row of black
wooden seats. Once there, he should
see her face to face.
He turned, indeed as he stood, and
he tried to move few steps. On all
sides curious looks were directed upon
him, but no one offered to make way,
and still the monotonous singing con-
tinued until he felt himself deafened
as he faced the great congregation.
II am i'll, he said to those nearest
to him. Pray let me pass.
His face was white, indeed, and
those who heard his words believed
him. A mild old man raised his sad
blue eyes, gazed at him, and. while
trying to draw back, gently shook his
head. A pale woman, whose sickly
features were half yelled in the folds
of torn black shawl moved as far as
she could, shrinking as the very poor
and miserable shrink when they are
expected to make way before the rich
and strong. A lad of 10 stood upon
tiptoe to make himself even slighter
than he was, and thus to widen the
v,o,- aud Tho lnror found n imSplf
after repeated efforts, as much as two
steps distant from his former position.
He was still trying to divide the crowd
when the music suddenly ceased, and
the tones of the organ died away far
up under the western window. 1t
was the moment of the elevation,
and at the first silvery tinkling
of the bell, the people swayed little,
all those kneeling who were able, and
those whose movements were impeded
by the press of the worshippers bend
ing toward the altar as field OF grain
before the gale. The Wanderer turned
again and bowed himself with the
rest, devOutIy and humbly, with half
closed eyes, as he strOve to collect
and control his thoughts in the pres
enCe of the chief mystery of his faith.
Three times the tiny bell was rung, a
pause followed, and thrice again the
clear jingle of the metal broke the
solemn stiffness. Then once more the
people stirred, and the soft sound OF
their simultaneous motion was like a
mighty sigh breathed up from the
secret vaults and the deep foundations
OF the ancient church. Again the
pedal note of the organ doomed
through the nave and aisles, and again
the thousands of human voices took
up the strain of song.
The Wanderer glanced about him,
measuring the distance he must ira
verse to reach the monument OF the
| Danish astronomer, and confronting
| it with the short time which now re-
NAMED before the end of the mass.
| He saw that in such thrOng he would
have no chance of gaining the posi-
ton he wished to occupy in less than
half an hour, and be had now but d
scant 10 minutes at his disposal. He
gave up the attempt, therefore, deter
mining that when the celebration
should be over he would move for
ward with the crowd, trusting to his
superior stature and energy to KEEP
him within sight of the woman he
sought, until both he and she could
meet, either just within or just with
out the narrow entrance OF the
church.
Very soon the moment of action
came. The singing died away, the
benediction was given, the second
gospel was read, the priest and the
peoplerepeated the Bohemian prayers,
and all was over. The countless
heads began to move onward, the