Smyrna times., 1893-06-07
HER TRIUMPH.

Ella Wheeler WiicOE
HER TRIUMPH.
Our city was so small and the nine
organ so large that it was an eleDhant
on our hands, as good organists had to
De hlred from other cities at large ex-
pense, the only player in Hubbard be-
ing the one who manipulated the
Presbyterian organ, which instrument
we had tried to Outshine. We were
MethOdists.
AT the end of two years. during
which we had endured anv number Of
organists, good, bad and Indifferent
(mostly the latter},I was delighted
one summer Sunday morning, upon
entering the church, to hear real mu
sic, and surveyed with some curiosity
the small figure of a young woman
about twenty years old on the organ
stool. She did not attempt ANYTHING
intricate, but the music was all males.
tic, soleful, religious.
A lew weeks later, one of the trus-
tees asked me if we could give the
new organist a room at our house. add
ing that possibly sister and myself
might lind her pleasant companion
In our little home. She had been in
town about six months, writing in an
insurance office, but she objected TO a
boarding house and wished to get into
a private family.
She came to us quietly, every inch a
lady. You might not call her pretty.
but she had speaking eyes which
made you forget everything else when
she looked at you They were bright
when she was in conversion. but 7
soon noticed that when she was not
animated they were sad, and | fell to
wondering what sorrow had befallen
her so early in life. She was pleasant
and helpful but confidential, aud moth
ing eventful occurred until Just after the
holidays when she came in quite excl
ted, saying that one of her vOunp
friends at home was to be married the
next week, and she had leave of ab.
sence for a fortnight. She had said
very little about her family. but |
knew she had sent a Christmas hoy
so if thought anything of her emo.
ton, 1t was for the JOY of going home.
1t was surprising--the vacancy she
LETT Id our house, and you NAV be sure
we welc )med her return with much
warmth. But though she evidently
appreciated our feeling toward her, /
observed that she was making q great
effort to control herself. Thinking she
was suffering from home-sickness I
wrapped at her door in the evening to
asked if she cared for my society In.
tie while. She was weeping. SO VIC.
lently that she could scarcely sneak.
and when l put my arm about her she
burst out:
20, Miss Van Zandt, if could only
talk to yOu-tO some one-who
would help me-tO bear it-and tell
me-what to do ! o dearl o dear /"
BY soothing words and pats. | assis-
ted her to something like calmness.
and while did not urge her talk. she
understood that my sympathies were
with her.
Finally she told me that she had had
warm feelings toward a young man
two years her senior, since she WAs six.
teen, but that he tired of her appar.
emily, or being influenced by another
young lady. For year she suffered
torments at home, and then came to
Hubbard to see whether time and ab-
senCe would not kill her affection or
bring back his. 1t seemed to have
done neither, for she had met him at
the wedding she had Just attended.
and although he had expressed pleas.
ure at meeting her again, he did not
seek her society and his time was oe.
upied 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 I say to comfort her?
Nothing, excepting that God new
best, and probably that this great dark.
ness was but the forerunner of a glor-
iOus dawn.
After this she spent most of her time
after tea playing the organ at the
church, and l believe it was a sooth.
ing outlet for her pent of feelings.
often went into the church to enioy the
exquisite melody which hoated out
under her fingers. Sometimes she
used such selections as Gottschalk's
''Serenade," Judgemann's "Hemweb. u
Marston's "Slumber Song" but more
frequently it was her own improvisa-
tion.
One evening through the dusk I dis.
cerned another listener, who, however,
slipped away before 1 could indentify
him. This occurred several times.
until placed myself where could see
his face as he passed, when recog.
nized him as Lawrence Roberts
whom | had known from boyhOod'
He had recently been appointed a
teacher of science in the High School.
and wise men said he was destined to
make his mark In some college.
In May the cantata Of Esther" was
given at our theatre. It was not worn
30 threadbare then, and though it was
on the boards every night for a week,
The house was always crowded. and
families came up by the wagon load
from all the surrounding villages and
cross roads.
To Miss Hunt was assigned the char. |
acter of Zarah, and expect never 10
enjoy rendition of it so much again.
she had often sung to me in the even
ing, accompanying herself on our little
organ, and while though her voice
musical rnd pleasing, still it had a girl.
sh quality and lacked power. But
his rich contralto which rolled over
,he audience and sobbed and thrilled
= could that belong to our LouieseY ?
Yes, through her great heart-sorrow
had come her voice, beautiful, woman
y, refined.
All the women were in tears and
many of the men showed emotion,
while l, who loved her and understood /
her longing, wept uncontrolaby. 1t
did not seem as though she could keen
up that tension another night, but
svery evening of the cantata witnessed
hat same fervor and the same effect
on her audience. Sunday she was
Drostrated, and her organ position for
hat day was filled by another.
In the fall, year after she came to
)ur house, she told me that her mother
had moved to another city and had
sent for her. The evening previous to
her departure, Lawrence Roberts called
20 see her, as he had frequently done
ately. Other friends came to bid her
goodbye, and as / stepped into the
garden to call her, heard her say
you have been very kind to me, but
never suspected it would come to
his. Tell me truly, / have not given
Won fa lao apaota ro o. n.a..t 49,.