The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-24

which had been sung and was already
folded away within the scroll of the
great opera now almost full. They
said among themselves: How beauti-
full must the entire work be, since these
are only parts.'' Some. indeed, more
outspoken than the rest. said often TO
whole opera?' Then the singer, smil-
ing ever, answered.: '.Bide thou,
friend, and never grow inpatient
At last. however, there came al even
ing when the singer said to his people:
The opera is done" They cried out
joyfully: Now we shall hear it all.''
But he checked them, saying: Nay,
| you may not hear it yet" His voice
grew very gentle, as though he grieved
to disappoint them. Good friends" he
went on. tenderly, I'VE have dwelt very
happily together, and your love has
grown very dear to me. Now, however,
l must leave you, for there are other
| songs for me to sing and other operas
for me to write. may not sing them
here, Cor all my songs to you are sung.
must go to other villages"
But they cried: Why dost thou
leave US alone? Without thee we shall
have no more singing
He answered: Il may not linger,
dear friend; for if 1 tarried here l
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
have for them? Are you not willing
! that they should have their music
also?'
They wept. saying: Thou vert our
father, and Ne thy children, thou
knowest; 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 We're embodied
all their songs. You must learn the
opera which / have written, holding
all the songs which I had in trust for
you. When l 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 l give the song
sang for him alone, and he shall learn
it by heart, that, when l return, alto
gether we may sing the opera, and !
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 tendarly. They
went out weeping into the night, for
they grieved bitterly at being parted
from their singer. But they said
among themselves: ''Shall we muir
muir because he goes to sing to others?
Nay. did he not even tell us that if he
tarried he might lose the songs which
he shouldgather upon other mountains?
Surely that were pity" Thus they
comforted themselves. And when by
their own fresides each fond 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 NOR ming the village stirred
with a 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. It
was truly like a meadow of unf1edged
larks learning to pipe. At home the
women. as they busted themselves with
household tasks or piled their needles,
sang cheerily as they spelled ont each
new phrase. So through the day they
worked, laughing gleefully at each
others mistakes and false notes. At
night they gathered together for q 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 sweetest
tones. THE good singer they said.
.'how we'll he knew US H.
So the days were spent in practice.
If by chance anyone grew weary and
his hope failed, or if, cast down for the
moment, he feared that the singer
might not, after all, return, he would
reassure himself. saying: How grand
will the whole chorus sound Some
times, too, one became spiritless and
ulSCOuTdStt oNtt MS tdSb-
his discords. Then would another say
to him: Shall then the singer when
he comes be disappointed in thee?
What if, lacking thy one part, the
whole opera should waltz" Thus they
cheered each other.
AS the seasons waned, however, and
the singer came not, the little doubts
h 10 n
couragements were less easily recovered
from. and even tamong the more indo-
lent of the villagers could be heard
murmurs. ''Of what use" they grum
bled. lis this trill here and that note
there? l never can sing it in that way;
no one will know If leave it out" An
other was holder still. Il viii not
trouble myself with that phrase" he
would say: Il viii write it over TO suit
myself" Still others. more self-willed
than the rest, cried out: 'Oh the stupid
song, it was good enough for last year.
but l have quite osergrown It am
sick of its old drone. / will make au-
other like it, but more varied and bet
ter suited to my voice. which OF late
has grown SO much stronger And
there were one or two who found their
songs 50 small in comparison with 9TH
ers that they were quite angry and gave
| up their parts altogether.
IN vain did the wiser heads in the vii
lage demonstrate. for soon, indeed.
most of the villagers had followed the
lead of their bolder neighboTs AID
altered their songs 70 suit themselves.
So it came about that only few re
tanned the simple, sweet melodies
~L.o,. -, e;,1axL,5 lie. .he-, ~ .he