Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-01-17

pied with her rival And so she felt her |
long trip had been for naught, and while
her judgment told her to forget him, her
rebellious heart clung to her girlhood's
lover.
What could say to comfort her?
Nothing, excepting that God knew
ness was but the forerunner of glorious
dawn.
After this she spent most of her time
after tea playing the organ at the church,
and | believe it was a soothing outlet for
her pent up feelings. l often went into
church to enjoy the exquisite melody
which foated out under her fingers.
Sometimes she used such selections as
Gottschalk' 5 .'Serenade,' Jungmann's
''Hemweh,' or Marston's "Slumber
Song" but more frequently it was he.
own improvisation.
One evening through the dusk / dis
cerned another listener, who, however,
slipped away before l could identify him.
This occurred several times, until placed
myself where could see his face as he
passed, when | recognized him as Law
boyhood. He had recently been APP
pointed /, teacher Of science in the High
School, and wise men said he was des-
tined to make his mark in some college.
In May the cantata Of esther" was
given at our theatre. 1t was not worn SO
threadbarc then, and though it was on
The boards. every night for 4 week tle
house w;.S ALWAYS crowded. and families
came up by the wagon-load from all the
surrounding villages and crossroads.
To Miss Hunt was assigned the char
acter Of Zerah, and expect never TO en-
Joy rendition of it so much again. She
had often sung to me in Intervening, ac-
companying herself on our little organ,
and while | thought her voice musical
and pleasing, still it had girlish quality
and lacked power. But this rich con-
tralto which rolled over the audience and
sobbed and thrilled-could that belong
to our Louise? Yes, through her great
heart sorrow had come her voice, beauti-
full, womanly, refined.
All the women were in tears and many
| Of the men showed emotion, while l,
who loved her and understood her long
ing, wept uncontrollably. 1t did not seem
as though she could keep up that tension
another night, but every evening of the
cantata witnessed that same fervor and
the same effect on her audience. Sunday
she was prostrated, and her organ posi-
tion for that day was filled by another.
In the fall, year after she came to our
house, she told me that her mother had
moved to another city aud had sent for
her. The evening previous to her de-
parture, Lawrence Roberts called to see
her, as he had frequently done lately
Other friends came to bid her good bye
and as stepped into the garden to cal
her, heard her say
"You have been very kind to me, bu,
never suspected it would come to this.
Tell me truly, have not given you false
encouragement, have II"
AS he answered in the negative, l called
her name, delivered my message, ane
started for the house. They followed
me, and as the air was so still, | could
not avoid hearing her last words:
"Under any other circumstance
would not tell you what now you should
know, my heart was years ago given t
another and'-in whisper, rejected.
parted from her with regret, and WI
kept up Il correspondence for some time
Then lost track of her.
Last week met a gentleman who
an old friend both of Louise and her bo
lover, Clinton Hadley. He related t
me this finale
"One evening attended a musical
given by New York lady noted for he
high-class soirees, and there met Hadley
whom had not seen in several wears
He looked as handsome US ever, but
trife bored. We were talking over pa.
events, when / suddenly said sD
you know, Clint, that your old girl
Louise Hunt, IS on the programme to
! night
) 'He started. NO! Why, she di
not have much Of voice when I kner
her. What has she been doing all thes
} years! She must be-let me see--twenty
I'll maid