The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-11-20

ne sympathetic, ElilGls vicar OIL Illt
place, himself an accomplished amateur
musician and as such kGenly approciative
OF the calamity that had hefallen Chris
tina, sought her out By this time she
had acquired the pitiful skill of reading
words by tLc motions Of the lips.
You must bo brave, p" she could perceive
he was saying to her; and resigned"
Would you be-" she asked.
Il should try, - he answered. sticking to
his guns, "and with help perhaps succeed. -
Christina smiled and shook her head.
You are not the only one, you know"
| continued the vicar, disconnected and
! laundering III his effort at consolation.
| There have been others-Beethoven. "
Beethoven broke in the girl holly.
81 have been reading about him lately,
and here is what he said himself What
! humiliation when any one standing be
! side me could hear at Il distance n flute
that | could rot hear or any ono heard Il
shepherd singing and could not dstin-
| guish a sound Such circumstances
: brought ne to the brink Of despair, and
I had we'll nigh made me put an end to my
| itC-nothing but my art held my hand.
| THAI is how Beethoven felt about it, and
| he had his art, you sce-the consolation Of
composition. Bat what have l? A little
mechanical skill and passionate love for
| music--nOw become a curse to me. tell
! you candidly, vicar, that it is sheer cow
ardice that prevents me from taking my
/ life"
| The vicar tried to look shocked, but only
! partially succeeded.
! IT'S very sad" he said simply, "but
| patience is the only weapon we poor NOR
| tails have against fatc-that and time"
And deadly, drcary weapons they are.
! Bur by all means let lis console ourselves
with our own &pericctions-th impOssi-
bility of retaining sharp edge to our i'm
prcssions. In time perhaps L may become
dull enough TO forget that there is such Il
thing as musiC--or heaven. Possibly with
care I may make even further progress to-
ward vegetation"
She spoke with great bitterness, and the
good clergyman, not being able to make
anything of her mood, beat Il retreat.
He was not man, however, to sit
down easily under rebuff. Christina
Phillipson interested him personally, and
the problem Of her life interested him still
more. He determined if possible, to find
some tolcrablc solution of that problem.
1t was under the pressure OF his urgent
adv;gc that the girl resumed her piano
forte practice. The movements Of her fin
gers over the keyboard helped, she found,
to reproduce the score IN her mind, and
she took to playing for hours at stretch
unit! the old Dcvonsliro dame who kept
. the house was almost fam to wish she were
deaf too.
But, in spite of this solace and in spite
OF tie helpful vicar and his admirable
wife and all the soothing influences of
rural life, Christina became more and
moro restless and unhappy, and when the
, landscape grew white under hard winter
and tie blue summer seas changed to an
iron gray she fell into 50 Respondent Il
state that her friends at the parsonage be-
came seriously concerned for her.
And then an event happened which once
n:Crc changed the course Of her life.
Returning one afternoon from brisk
walk which had lent Il touch of color to her
pale cheeks, she WAS met at the doorway
by her old ducnna.
.Thcre's visitor to see you, miss" she
remarked, with half smile.
Wondering Il little as to the identity of
this afternoon caller, Christina passed into
her little ro"m.
\ man SIT with his arm resting on the
table and his head bent. His back was
turned toward her but she realized in an
instant that here was her lover returned.
.'Davidr' size exclaimed involuntarily.
David Fraser started 70 his feet.
Il have found you, lie cried and held
out his hands.
But the girl did not Immediately re-
spond. and for Il moment they two re
gardcd each other with mutual pity.
Fraser was wasted by sickness, and tho
seal Of Il great sorrow had left its mark
upon Christina.
She had huTnc her trouble dry eyed I'M
til then, but the sympathy expressed il
her lovers face WAS too much for her, and
she broke into flood Of tears.
David Fraser was not the man to neglect
his opportunity. lie took her hand i'll his.
"Christina," he said, ''wo want each
other, you ard I. Your deafness matters
nothing My life has been shaken TO its
foundations. Inccd your help to strength
en- it
He struck tie right note, not the note of
pity, but that # appeal. Christina
watched the words form on his lips and
hope arose in hey heart.
Are you sure you want me?' she asked,
and added hastily, but for both our sakes
for heavens sake, do not say yes out OF
compassion
And Fraser made answer in the i'm
memorial fashion.
Eighteen months had passed and Chris
tina sat with her lIsthorn child i'll her
arms. I.anguiGly she watched the June
lnses nodding ut tie open window, and
then her eyes fell upon the sleeping child.
In moment the cid trouble swept over
her like L flood.
My God!" she cried in despair Never
to hear his yCtcc-ncvor, never!'
And then faintly, fecbly, far away, it
seemed in some dim court of her brain
there a.csc Il line thread Of sound
Christina listened with parted lips and
eyes dilaIcG-listancd with her whole soul.
She rose TO her feet, Ter lace turned to-
ward the child, which moved rcstlessly in
its sleep The trembling hope in her breast
grew 1irme".
Her husband entered the room.
David David" she whispered, hold
ing tie riiId toward him, Il near the cry
! of our ChiiG"'
And 81 Christina passed once more into
| the world OF saund.-C. II. Palmer e