Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-08-31
BERTHA RUDOLPH.

380 - -
stheln separated. Rudolph was 70.
IN u distant province For two
ysaTs Ne would follow the lessons Ut
clever master; then, on his return,
Berfhasss father would rive him his
daukhtef, and surrender his position
III ch0ismaster In his favor.
sEAFtha." said Rudolph, s4et Us
May together ones more this air you
1Oyo % well. When We shall be sep-
aFated, at the end Of each day, at
the hour Of grave thoughts, We both
shsll play our parts and IL will bring
~ closer, one to the other"
Bertha took her harp, Rudolph ac-
companied her upon his fiuta. and
they played several times Bertha's
fAy0rite tune. AZ last they began to
CT, and kissed ono another. Ru-
dOlpa departed
10th were true 70 their words
Each evening, ct the hour when
they had met for the last time,
Bsrtha went 70 her harp Rudolph
took his iiuto, and each n played
their part This evening hour Is
solemn and mysterious; it predis-
pOaes to musing; In reddish vapcrs
that arise upon the horizon it seems
that one sees all tho past events ap
rear In q vivid picture; that IN can
live q all his last days, some gay
and crowned with roses. others sad
dsapcd In mourning.
AZ that hour the last breath Ut tho
wind among the leaves seems to mod
ulAto tunes to which We afiix sweet
AMI sod reniembrances; music Is the
souls voice.
Rudolph sometimes stopped play
Inn; he Thought he heard the vibra-
ti0ns of Bcrtha's harp mingling with
the sounds Of his flute. Two years
passed thus.
One evening Bertha and her father
we're under the arbor 10 their little
aardeu. This arhor was formed by
fiye acaciaA, which spread over head
i wreath Of foliage. strewn with
white towers: the dark leaves OF II
lacs closed the distance between
their trunks while three or four
climbing honey suckles made the spot
= perfect bower
Through the marrow entrance tho
purple line produced by the setting
sun was Visible. II was the hour
sacred to remembrance. Bertha
plxyed tho favorite tune upon the
harp but suddenly she stopped t.
listen.
Evcrythine was silent; the breezel
even had ceAsed TO move the leaves.
Bertha again played the tune, again
she heard Rudolph's flute.
1t was Rudolph coming back.
TwoyearS later Rudolph and Bertha
had : beautiful little daughter. Oh.
spring Of i union blessed by Bertha's
father before his death. Rudolph
was choirmaster, and the income from
his situation was ample for the younl
people.
Rudolph had bought q pretty littl,
house. At the back Of the house wa
. thick growth OF lindens; In front
iarge green meadow. upon which tn,
child played Large Bengal ros'
bushes crept all over tho white walls
and evefything wa "a coy and bright
There va not . crack through which
one could peep from the outside
happy peOple love retirement
Then the child passed away. an,
one month later Bertha died OF grief
when she felt the end DRAWN,
near she said to Rudolph:
.sIn vain do ! seek to cling to lif
Through my. prayers; l must rejoil
Our child. abandon you, await you Il
batter world. IL the dead have tn
power 10 reappear upon this eartl
YoU shall see me again; my shadO'
shall hover around you, for my heave
II tho place where YOU are. Whe
tho day hiss como when We can b
united again ! shall come TO seek YOU
and our two souls concentrated /
onA shall rise for ever from the earth
whore nothing moro Will bind then
Each year on my birthday, whethe
ron shall b happy or unhappy, love
81 abandoned, cad or gay, ut the hOu
when the sun IL setting, when prayer
mounttO Heaven amid tho o0und &
a the evening bells and the perfume {
fowerA play this tune, which for
long q time has soOthed the pains I
absence; this will b the only col
s0iatiOn / shall have In this Ion
s~enaratiOn. This music shall be moi
harmonious to my soul than all th
I concerts Of the churches"
4 Then she kissed him and died.
I Rudolph became crazy. They mad
him travel for s0loe time Tn his r
turn his head was moro calm. but
deep melancholy took possession