Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-17
GRANDMOTHER SINGS.
4 Melody That Thrilled Her Fifty
Years Ago.

u ElCdto IllhAlFl
Three generations sat in the soft glow
Of the deep crimson lamp-sha1e that mel
lowed everything in the little parlor.
There was one daughter seated a. the
piano. singing sweet and low; she most
of all was gloridcd by the rudy rays
from the translucent paper that fell over
her There WAS the mother. ana beside
her sat the mothers mother. near the
circumference OF the halo. the one listen
ing Win a glow Of pride, the other, TO
whom the Eirls voice was neW-the
grandmother was visitor at the hoCsa-
listening as one who hears voice calling
IN lonesome place. she sat there think
ing. thinking thinking, did this dear Ola
soul. 81 "a day when she. too. had sat at
the piano herself 80 proudly, ana had
sung the tender ballads Of that nyeone
day with a voice fun OF passion, deep
Coutrllto voice. one that touched the
heart i'm It's most sacred depths. when
the strong, clear notes were struck, and
then broke into "A pleading tremOlo in the
upper register Fifty years ago that
eranddame's voice had thrilled hearts
now dust, or worse than dust-hearts
that were numb to tender thngs-and
there was borne I'm the burden Of her
songs one message, that or loVe-even
before her heart had known rs meaning
her voice had spoken love. The voice OF
the girl sitting 40 the piano was as her
gran mothers had been. IL hunted
chords in the hearts Of those who heard
her and set them pulslng IN echo 10 her
own sweet longing that could find no
words God only knows what long silent.
rusted chords she touched with her resJ-
MART voice did this child in her grand
mothers soul.
She SAN. the simple ballads Of the day
Last Ni-ht" "The Clang Of the Wooden
Shoou." "Aiarguerite'-8n as she sang
her mother. t. whom the singing was an
old story. iTPei out Of the rOom-ttkiug
all her years with her perhaps-and left
them together; together even In youth
that sees visions The young shall see
visions and the old shall dream dreams.
saith the prophet. But when, by some
magic If q voice or some alchemy OF the
soul the old age, which has dreamed
dreams. sees In one vivid fash OF light
the dreams Of the past as visiOns-there Is
tn gcdy.
THE girl under the crimson lamp-shade
turned idly from leaf t. leaf in her port
folio and sang by piecemeal The elder
woman only asked that she keep on sing
ing. She only asked 20 hear that voice,
her own voice. to the very quaver on G.
And her dreams were all but visions. ana
lie was all but youth again. There had
been a wild song one that the hearer dld
not know. and the chorus sObbed out:
O. is 1t forever,
Love, that We must sever.
O. Love. viii you never
Come back again?
And the story that the song told was or
two lovers who had met under the roses
and had known The love of day, the
love OF a life" What swirl OF fancit 5
the singing Of the child sent eddying
through the aged brain, The music did
not cease The girl recalled sweet old
song. a peaceful soTrowful ditiy our
grandmothers sang:
Could We come back TO me. Douglas,
Douglas.
In the old likeness | knew.
I'd be so faithful. so loving. Douglas.
Douglas, tender and true.
The girl sang on Until she thought she
had tired her grandmother. ans then,
whirling around on the stool, she said,
gayly: 49,.
well grandma, how do you like II?
Haven't improved in ten years.
She rose as she said this, and without
even waiting for a reply, as Is the way
OF careless. thoughtless youth, she left the
room, humming
Now all men beside are 70 me Ike
shadows.
Douglas. tender and true.
The girl went to her mother. who she
knew was attending 10 some duties Of
the household. The words IAN men like
shadows" ran through the aged woman's