Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-05-18
GRANDMOTHER s,Noa
A Melody that Had Thrilled Her FiSsy
Years Ago.


plano, singing sweet and low; she most
Of all was glorified by the ruddy rays
from the translucent paper that fell
over her. There was the mother, and
beside her sat the mothers mother,
near the circumference Of the halo, the
one listening with glow Of pride, the
other, to whom the girls voice was new
the grandmother was q visitor ut the
house-listening a. one who hears q
voice calling In a lonesome place. She
sat there thinking, thinking. thinking.
did this dear old soul, Of day when
she, too, had sat at the piano herself, 30
proudly, and had sung the tender bal.
lads Of that bygone day with . voice
full Of passion, deep contralto voice.
one that touched the heart in its most
sacred depths, when the strong, clear
notes were struck, and then broke into
. pleading trcmolo In the upper regis.
ter. Fifty years ago that granddame's
voice had thrilled hearts now dust. or
worse than dust-hearts that were
numb to tender thlAgs-and there was
borne In the burden Of her songs one
message, that Of love--even before her
heart had known it, meaning her voice
had spoken love. Tho voice Of tho giri
sitting at the piano was like her grand.
mothers had been. 1t hunted chords
In the hearts Of those who heard her
and set them pulsing in echo to her
own sweet longing that could find no
words. God only knows what long
silent, rusted chords she touched with
her resonant voice, did this child In her
srandmother's soul.
She sang the simple ballads Of the
day-"Last Night" 1.-THE Claug Of the
Wooden Shoon," "Aiargucrltc"--and 40
she sang her mother, to whom the sing.
Ing was an old story, slipped out Of the
room-takins all her years with her.
perhaps--and left them together; to-
gether even In youth that secs vislons
The young shall see visions. and the
old shall dream dreams, saith. the
prophet. But when, by some magic Of
Q voice or some alchemy Of the soul.
old age. which has dreamed dreams.
secs In one vivid fash Of light the
dreams Of tho past as visions there ID
tragedy.
Tho girl under the crimson lamp
shade turned idly from leaf to leaf in
her portfolio and sang by piecemcal.
The elder woman only nsked that she
keep on singing. She only asked to
hear that voice. her own voice, to the
very quavor Of q. And her dreams
werc oil but visions. and life WINS all
but youth again. There had been .
wild song. one that the nearer did not
know, and tho chorus sObbed out:
20, 10 It forever.
Love. that we must sever.
O Love. will you never
Come back again."
And the story that the song told Of
was Of two lovers who had met under
the roses and had known tho love Of
. day tho love Of hfe." What Q swirl
Of fancics the singing Of the child sent
eddying through tho aged bralni The
music did not ceapc. The. girl recalled
o sweet old song. o peaceful, sorrow.
full ditty our grandmother sang,
''Could 70 come back to ms. Douglas.
Douglas,
n The old likeness knew,
I'd b 70 faithful % loving. Douglas.
Douglas,
Douglas, tender and true"
The Girl sang on until ahe thought abe
had tired her grandmother, aud then
whirling around on the stool she said
sayly:
"Well. grandma, how do you like 1T
Haven't improved IN ten yearst"
She rose ~ she said this and without
even waiting for reply, a IL the way
Of careless. thoughtless youth. shs left
the room humming:
"Now all men beside are to me like
| shadows,
Douglas, Douglas, tender and true"
The girl went to her mother. who SHE
knew was attending to some duties OF
the household. The words AL men
like shadows ran through the aged
w9mAn's head when the girl left the
room and she was thankful for the
child's th0ughtlsssncss which had left
her alone for q moment Tho spell OF
the pleading song was upon her. Hss
life was turned backward. (,
Young faces smiled Ut her. She seem
Cd a. bold % youth-.thls shy old wO.
man, who two hours before had besn
afraid to protest against the Overchargi
of q cabman. She heard her daughter'l
steps and the child's In the room above
her. and. thrilled with the mesmerit
snchantment Of the song. she became
wrapped In a consuming longing to try
II she could sing the old song again.
ehe tiptoed about the room, and clos
Ing the doors and looking ever behind
her she circlad to the plano.
She wished to sing out loud some
thing that was In her heart, to put i
into words and let 1t come from bel
lips. She believed that to say the ach
ing words would case . throbbing II
her heart She could not at first brini
herself to begin the song, 10 she FUN
bied among the keys. pretending Il
hunt for the air. and said the words Of
the first stanxa to herself In silence
She touched the pianissimo pedal o.
the instrument. Then. 40 her handl
upon the keys led her to the second bar
she mOaned:
"As lay my heart on your dead heart
Douglas,
Douglas. Douglas, tender and trua."
And when she heard the horrid croal
Of her own voice she remembered--ev
erything. God pited her and sent h.
two great tears. tears t.a. were O
youth that had been kent yccret