Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1891-01-03

on the sky and water. two English ladies,
with their maids and baggage, got OH the
boat. One was a m,ddle-aged, faded
woman, who quite looked the pant OF
maiden aunt to the vivacfeus little figure at
her side-a young girl. with brown curly
hair and blue eyes, which could be as sad
and wistfRl sometimes as they were now
bright aad sparkling: She was looking
about her with evident delight Ia the
beauty Of the place, ard at the same time
making all her arrangements without once
referring to the elder lady, who stood pas
sively behind her. II was always like this.
Celia was always the comet and Aunt Lucy
the tail. Aunt Lucy never quite knew
why they came abroad a. all, but she fol-
lowed obediently, Just as she listened In be-
wildered faith to her niece's conversation
with the many friends who clustered
round her. Cecilia is very clever, she
would say with sigh, and nowadays
girls have such advantages" This vague
nhrase had kind of comfort for her-it
seemed to explain the situation.
Perhaps the situation did not need an
explanation, foc Celia won her way into
peoples hesrts with the strange confident
oaickness of child She had an intuition
ABOUT men and women which was almost
genius, so unerringly did she reach the
quick and living side. In the light of her
presence the flowers in every heart un-
curled their Gloss petals and summed them
selves; aud as she gave her best without
stint she gained their best from others in
return. She moved those who loved her
ike the strain of a song, SAD and soft, yet
full of aspiration. and its echo sounded in
their ears long after her voice was still.
Sebald was playing as usual on the bal
cony when she passed, and he heard her
stop before him, and watch him silently
fer few moments, and then move away.
He felt that she had liked his music, and
when sweet low voice begged him to play
again he guessed who the speaker WAS. He
played one of his strange unearthly melo-
dies, and then another and another with
out stopping. for he knew she understood.
When at last he finished, a little cool hand
was lsid on his and she said: Thank you,
thank you-it is very wonderful How do
you know il all if you cannot see? Why,
the very color of the water and the trees is
there"
Sebald could hardly answer her. Many
had listened before, many had praised
him, but none had understood him like
this: none had taken his hand.
Il am so happy to think You like it, he
said at last Il will play to you as often
as you wish"
She had got up from her seat and was
standing close beside. him. Il am afraid |
shall wish it very of;en,n she answered,
with little laugh. "0h, / am so glad you
are here! Good night. Don't forget me;
We shall meet again tom orrow.n And she
was gone.
But ne met her again that same evening,
for, as he was fishing close by the inn, he
heard the notes of a piano aud then the
notes of a voice. He knew at once to
whom it belonged, and it thrilled him as
no voice-not even the beloved one of the
water-hsd ever done He listened en-
tranced, the very spirit of music was speak
ing to him. Here was all that he had ever
wanted to express, here was the soal of
nature speaking to his soul, here was the
mystery which he had never been able to
translate.
What was it? Why could he hear, as
she sang, not only all the myriad chords of
nature not only the solemnity of his own
fervent worship, bat something else more
passionate, more human. more divine? He
went home in almost dazed state, and sat
far into the night, with his head in his
hands, and this time ARA could no. guess
the reason of his sadness.
Next day Celia came and talked to him
again. She had been wondering, she said
how he learned new music, FOR he did not
always play his own compositions Sebald
answered her by playing the first few bars
of her song of the night before, and Celia
clappei her hands in delight.
did you hear me, she cried, or did you
know the song?"
mo, nc" he answered; "and l do not
know it now. cannot remember it at all.
If only" and he stopped shyly.
Come up stairs With me-" said Celie,
I will
Ny songs will sound much better on your
either than on nv own squeaky little
strings"
Then she took his hand and led him into
her room, and gave him comfortable
chair, with his either on table before him,
and he forgot oil about his daily trip on the
steamboat, and stayed OF, not playing much,
but listening. Her voice was quite a small
one, but it had a passionate ring in it which
carried her hearers away with her into a
land aglow with love and feeling, and Sc
bald followed her. He had never been
there before, and it bewildered him. She
ended by singing him song-one of those
rushing, fervent melodies full Of sweetness
and force, which The Germans know so well
how to write.
He had often played it himself, but be
recognized now how little he had under
stood ii. His familiarity with the melody
only made her rendering of it ring in his
ears with greater insistence. He could
boar it no longer; the rush of new emo.
tons overcame him, and he stood up,
stretching out his arms with a helpless,
imploring gesture. Celia came to him
quickly and took both his hands in hers.
We shall be friends, you and l." she
said. I'VE are made of the same bit of
earth"
Sebald was trembling; he could hardly
stand.
Friends !" he said in low voice.
Friends You and l can never be
friends"
Celia was half frightened a. his tone and
began to laugh.
why not?" she said. 81 want to be
friends with you, and l always do what
want. Come" she continued, giving him
his hat and his either, II am going to walk
to your home with you. l want to know
your wife and your little boy. You sac l
have been curious enough to find out all
about you and l even know your name
Sebald, like the saint" All this time she
was leading him down the stairs and out
into the glazing sun. Did she know what
she was doing? Perhaps not; but if she
had known she might not have acted diff
ferently.
The sun was very hot, but she went on
with him, asking him eager questions all
the way, and telling him about herself;
how she lived with her Aunt Lucy, and
what an odd independent life she led.
II get tired of all the people sometimes"
she said, and then l make Aunt Lucy
bring me to some little place like this
Sebald's home, as have said, stood close
to the lake. 1t was a small white house,
with little strip OF garden in front blazing
with flowers, Ali the windows were gay
with geraniums and fuchsias, aud on the
white walls were tall cyeepers with scarlet
blossoms.
do you or your wife look after the gar
DEM" cried Celia, delightedly. II should
like to live here"
"Afra would tell you ii was my work, T"
answered Sebald with smile. "She says
l have happy hand with flowers, but
could not do much without her.
Afra came out of the house, shading her
eyes with her hands. She was evidently
looking for her husband. and seemed very
much surprised to see him walking with
Celia