The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-06-24

sweet and yet so joyful that the vii
layers held their breath, and even the
mother no longer yearned for the song
which had been sung and was already
folded away within the scroll of the
great opera now almost full. They
said among themselves: "IIow beauti-
full must the entire work be, since these
are only parts!" Some, indeed, more
outspoken than the rest. said often to
the singer: "When shall we hear the
whole opcra?" Then the singer, smil-
ing ever, answercd: "Bide thou,
friend, and never grow impatient"
Atlast, however, there came an cven-
ing when the singer said to his people:
"The opera is done" They cried out
joyfully: Now we shall hear it ALP
But he checked them, saying: Nay,
you may not hear it yet" His voice
grew very gentle, as though he grieved
to dsappoint them. Good friends" he
went on tcndcrly, 1--WE have dwclt very
happily together, and your love has
grown very dear to me. Now, however,
| must leave you, for there are other
songs for me to sing and other operas
| for me to write. | may not sing them
iltlt, iol 'til NY w you dlC
must go to other villages"
But they cried: "Why dost thou
leave us alone? Without thee we shall
| have no more singing"
He answered: 81 may not linger,
dear friend; for if l tarried here /
should miss those other songs which
| will be given me to sing Do you not
know that beyond your mountain there
are other villages that need the songs i
have for them? Are you not willing
that they should have their music
| also?'
They wcpt, saying: Thou vert our
father, and we thy children, thou
| knowcst; but henceforth without thee
we shall be mute"
! He. however, smiled and said: NAY,
| have tasks for you" He held before
them the scroll in which were embodied
all their songs you must learn the
opera which 1 have written, holding
all the songs which l had in trust for
you. When return we shall sing it; for
there are many tunes, and many times,
and many keys. Without me to guide,
| you would miss the central harmony.
But unto each will give the song l
sang for him alone, and he shall learn
it by heart, that, when l return, alto
gether we may sing the opera, and l
will lead the whole"
He divided the scroll among them,
and to each he gave his piece, some
large. some small, but every one hav-
ing written upon it the song that had
been made for the receiver alone. Then
he dismissed them tenderly. They
went out weeping into the night, for
they grieved bitterly at being parted
from their singer. But they said
among themselves: "Shall we mur-
mur because he goes to sing to others?
Nay, did he not even tell us that if he
tarried ne might lose the songs which
he shouldgather upon other mountains?
Surely that were a pity!" Thus they
comforted themselves And when by
their own firesides each found upon his
scroll the song which most had touched
him in the other days. he fell weeping
to his knees and thanked the good God
who had given the singer this message
entirely for himself
In the morning the village stirred
with u new life. The men went to the
field, carrying their scrolls with them,
and as they rested from their work
they set about learning their song. 1t
was truly like a meadow of unfledged
larlls learning to pipe. At home the
women, us they busted themselves with
| household tasks or piled their needles,
sang cheerily as they spelled out each
new phrase. So through the day they
worked, laughing gleefully at each
others mistakes and false notes AT
night they gathered together for mo-
ment to think of the singer who had
gone from them, but had left them each
his song, neither too high nor too low,
but just adapted to his voice and capa,
BILE of bringing out all its sweetcs,
tones. The good singer" they said
"how well he knew us ALL"
So the days were spent in practice.
If by chance anyone grew weary an6
his hope failed, or if, cast down for the
moment, he feared that the singe,
might not, after all, return, he woult
reassure himself, saying: How grant
will the whole chorus sound" Some
times, too, one became spiritless ant
discouraged over his task, rebelling a
his discords. Then would another say
to him: "Shall then the singer wher
he comes be disappointed in thee
What if, lacking thy one part, tn,
whole opera should waltz" Thus the,
cheered each other.
AS the seasons waned, however, ant
the singer came not, the little doubt
began to grow stronger, the little dis
couragcments We're less easily recovered
from, and even (among the more indo
lent of the villagers) could be heart
murmurs. "Of what USE" they grum
bled, "is this tri!l here and that not,
there? ] never can sing it in that way
no one will know if leave it out" An
other was bolder still. ~ will no
trouble myself with that phrase" h
would say: ~ will write it over to sui
myself Still others, more self-wille,
than the rest, cried out: "Oh the stupi,
song! it was good enough for last year
but have quite overgrown it. / all
sick Of its old drone. will make an
other iike it, but more varied and bet
ter suited to my voice, which of lat
has grown so much stronger" An,
there We're one or two who found thei
songs SO small in comparison with 9th
ers that they We're quite angry and CAV
up their parts altogether.
In vain did the wiser heads in the vii
lage demonstrate, for soon, indeed
most of the villagers had followed tn
lead of their bolder neighbors an
altered their songs to suit Themselves