Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-05-27

others, he had drawn further and
further away from his fellow men,
finding his only comradeship and the
clearest expression of his thoughts in
the clinging sweep OF the bow upon
the strings. He fell into the habit
of putting all his doubts and hopes
into the music which he played to him
self, and 1t seemed as though the vio-
lin understood and answered him.
1t came to pass that he rarely
spoke in any other way, but wenl
through his work silently, unheeding
the presence of others, unanswering
their words. His fellows in the
orchestra called him crazy and made
him the butt for many pleasantries Of
personal nature. The conductor
alone recognized the absolute GER.
tainty of time and strength and
purity of tone which the little old
man evoked, and when some one
must be found to take the solo part in
the great orchestration Hartzell was
chosen.
"We'il give you a chance" the
famous musician had said. "Remem.
Der your time and don't hurry, and
am sure you will get through all
right" and Hartzell had dumbly
bowed his thanks and gone home In
a condition OF dreary exalation to tell
the glad news over and over again to
the only friends whose sympathy be
cared for.
The distant peal of the tower clock
reused him at last, and he hastened
through his simple toilet and went
out into the cold, drizzling rain Of
the autumn night. The streets were
crowded with people on their way to
the various places Of amusement, and
he was jostled this way and that like
a frail skiff among larger craft, but
he noticed nothing, for in the glory
of hope he was as one marching in
the procession Of his own triumph.
In the dim orchestra room under
tie stage Hartzell received his final
instructions from the leader, and
then, mounting the dusty stairway,
found quiet corner in the wings and
sat down to wait his turn, hugging
the violin to his breast.
From the auditorium came the
faint burr of many voices, mingled
with q subdued rustlipg as the late
arrivals settled themselves in comfor.
table anticipation. Suddenly there
was hush, and the melody of the
grand overture burst forth in all its
swinging, swaying rhythm. Hartzell
listened intently. He had never be-
fore been upon the stage during q
performance, and the music sounded
strangely in his ears. He started ap.
prehensively at the rattle of applause
which followed hard upon the closing
strains of the overture, and a wave
of nervousness swept over him as he
realized that he must face so many
people. He was conscious of a wish
that hiu trial came later in the pro
gramme instead of being the thire
number.
| The prima donna stepped forth from
one of the brightly lighted dressing
rooms and nodded smilingly to Hart
zell as she passed. He envied her tn
confidence which she showed 81
plainly. A few moments later he
lglorious voice rang out as steady ant
clear as the Ginning of bell, but t.
him it was only as the running of tn
sand in an hour glass, for when i
ceased he must take his stand on tn
brilliantly illuminated stage, befor
the gaze of 1000 eyes. His heart be
gan to beat wildly against his breast
and he found himself tremblingl
shrinking from the moment to whicl
he had looked forward so confident
ly. Vague thoughts Of possible figh
flashed through his brain, but he re
allied that it was too late, and vaiui
tried to steady his nerves for the or
ideal.
Again and again the applause ros
and fell as the last notes of the won
derful contralto died away and tn
soloist had to bow her acknowledge
ment repeatedly; then there came
pause, which to Hartzell seemed t.
last for hours. At length .he orches
ira played the introduction to hi
mum ber, and he started to his fee
convulsively and stepped out into tn
glare Of the footlights.
| The audience saw an understood
gray haired man, whose clean shave'
face was almost childish in expression
as he stood there, nervously waiting
Hartzell saw q shimmering. changin
hlur from which half distinpuishahl