The record-union., 1897-12-19


watched the sun set in mass of glow
| ing crimson cloud.
BY some strange association. sun
set such as this always makes me
think Of Gottschalk," DR.. Van Auley
said. as he half turned his eyes from
the western sky.
| Why?
do you see that bank of vapor to the
| left, its brilliant hues of crimson and
gold fading away? OF course it is a
well-worn figure to compare our hopes
and aspirations to such cloud lands.
! We build such grand, colossal castles,
| only to see them fade into nothing. /
am no pessimist, and yet l think the
| older We grow we build fewer of these
| phantom castles. But you asked me
why thought of Gottschalk? Did you
ever hear his Last Hope? l know that
many people who cannot appreciate
anything but classical music, and de-
spise people who like lighter kinds OF
music as WELL would be very patronlz-
ing toward me for even mentioning It.
| OF course it is light, but some way l
| never tire of it as l tire OF other things
of the kind. 1t is possible that the his
tory of its composition has something
| to do with the effect it has upon me. L
have read somewhere in a French paper
| that Gottschalk himself loved to play
| it every night On being asked the
| reason, he said it was heart memory
| of his, and he called it his evening
| prayer 1t seems that once,
when staying at a certain place IN
! Spain he formed a close friendship With
1 a lady afflicted with an incurable DIS
| ease. Mourning the absence of De-
| loved son, the only thing which seemed
| to comfort her and quiet the restless
| wish for his return was GottSchalk S
playing. One evening, when she was
| suffering more than usual, and very
| unhappy, she went up to GottSchalk
| and exclaimed: In pity, dear friend,
| give me a little melody. La Dernlere
| Esperance. Tell me, shall 1 see him
| once again" And in response to her
| passionate wish, Gottschalk then and
! there composed what the signora called
| this plaintive and caressing song, one
| of those aspirations of the soul which
seem tc ascend to heaven and almost
! demand an answer according to ones
wish.
''The next day Gottschalk went into
| a neighboring town to give a concert,
and Oh returning, two days later, ne
heard the bells of the old church toll
| ing. His heart sank with feeling or
| foreboding, and putting spurs to ms
horse, he reached the doors of the
| church in time to look once more on
| the calm and peaceful face of the slgno-
| IA as she was being carried to her last
| resting place. And so in memory OF
| her, ne ever loved to play with pecu-
liar feeling the melody with which he
had tried to comfort her and give the
| longing of her heart expression ou
know Wordsworth in his great ode says
| a timely utterance gives relief to the
! over-burdened heart and makes it
| again strong. This is one Of the great
services of music. 1t gives expression
to emotions which can be expressed in
no other way, and by that expression
the soul of man is strengthened and
lifted up.
But I must try and play The Last
| Hope for you, Miss Winford. Though
| you ere such an enthusiast over Chop
in, Wagner and the other immortals, I
believe you are broad and liberal
| enough to see also the beauty in this
simple melody
| Dora's double consciousness the strains
of Gottschalk's song, as played now
by Professor De Lizst and by her friend
and lover two years before. And
with the notes Of this revelation of hui
man sorrow We're also heard the words
of DR.. Van Auley's interpretation:
Il think you can see, Miss Winford,' -
he said, turning around toward her,
| .ha, hos hror obf m
me a message of consolation, of hope
and of healing. There is a half-con-
cealed tone of joy running through the
whole which promises a restoration of
lost happiness, which must have sug-
gested to the signora that she and her
son would meet again. You notice that
Gottschalk begins with statement in
few broken notes of the disappoint-
ment that has come into her life from
the removal of health, friends, and so
much W Which once had been essential TO
her happiness Then comes a little up
springing of hope, which is almost i'm
| med.ately overruled by the dominant
sorrow Just as the wounded lark,
whose home is in the skies, tries to soar
aloft; but there is no strength in his
| wings, and he sinks wearily to the
tdilI- IUSu COiuSS d. StIuSSle dS TO
which feeling shall be victor, hope or
sorrow, merging at length in the har-
mony of the aria which beautifully de-
clares that the heart must be the home
of both. For you see that each pathetic
lamentation is Immediately accompa-
MED by a beautiful note of hope.
Though the soul seems tempted to give
itself up more and more to the sense of
loss, the message of hope makes a
more frequent appeal, suggesting, as
said before, the possdbil that the lost
joy may come back, the lost happiness
be restored"
The voice in Doras memory ceased
and another scene came before her
mental vision with still greater vivid
ness.
She and Lillian had been for a horse
back ride with Dr. Van Auley, and on
their return, as he had dismounted to
help them from their saddles, he placed
a letter in Dora's hand. With smile
of tender meaning, an expression in the
eyes made up of doubt and uncertainty
and yet of glad relief, he sprang back
upon his horse, and galloped down the
avenue.
1t was not till half an hour later that
Dora found a moment alone to read
the letter. which was destined to be the
cause OF not only her greatest happi-
ness, but Of her deepest pain.
Dear Miss Winford,' it began, Il
have been with the wounded at Sedan,
and been through some very trying
scenes in this country; yet have never
felt myself to be q coward till now.
| ~, ry.it