The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-27

before. From whence he came, his fdcn-
tity and his history no one knew, and no
| one could even guess. But the startled
group mentally placed him as another
Mr.. HYDE of the Robert Louis Stevenson
type. perhaps a Holmes, a Whitechapel
fiend, or mayhap a Durrant- As he en-
tered the room softly closing the door be-
hind him, he stood for one brief moment
and hurriedly cast searching look over
the audience. The black eyes seemed to
emit that soft of sparkling, snappy fire
which the venomous serpent glitters when
charming the mother bird in her nest
lip curled with a cynical, sardonic sheer.
He seemed to be as one at bay, realizing
he was ostracized, yet feeling his power.
and knowing his own resources. Though
it was apparent he could never enter and
come into congenial mingling intercourse
with the party there, yet there was arous-
ed that bitter sense of defiance wherein
genius gloats over the crushing triumph
already IN his grasp. The face of the
man was actually hideous; evident crime.
ignoble passions, depravity, and sensual
appetites seemed TO be the master, ruling
with a hell furnace of warning forces the
whole man. There was no mark Of dist
patton on that fierce and repulsive counte-
nance. rather than subtle killing and un-
restrained bestiality which might be de-
scrfbed as refined ignomy. The high
spirit Of proud disdain was more pronounce
ed right then than any element of coarse
OF cheap commonplace waywsrdness. He
seemed 10 realize at once that he would
not be admitted TO the inner circles of that
group on this Sunday night. But ne was
not dismayed-true genius, however cor
rupted, never is. He scanned the faces of
all present in one sweeping, hurried gaze,
then deliberately walked clear across the
room to one of the pianos which had been
closed, raised the olive green drapery,
lifted the lid, and sat down with his back
TO the thunderstruck and abashed throng,
every eye of which was almost painfully
leveled at him and wondering what next
Slowly and with the deadly silence of
the room oppressively weighing down on
all, stin with the cold and spiritless sneer
mantling his white face, the Tall Mas
ter" wheeled around and faced an empty
music rack. Slightly fitting his head as
though in dreamy reverie, his eyes prac-
ucally closed and every action of hands
and fingers seeming so natural and easy
he commenced That diamond gemmed
finger tripped over the keys and both
hands gradually went over the whole key
board until in rapt and enchanted ecstacy
the room fun were swayed and governed
by the charm of matchless music It
seemed, sometimes. to the overwhelmed
audience as though the angelic choirs
above could not give forth more sweetly
charming music and beatific melody In
subdued and subduing strains the piano
forte resounded with glorious and elevat-
Ing cadence. Now q sweet and dulcet har-
mony from a well known operate air,
then a quiet air from some oratorio selec-
ton, followed by the gentle quiescent
movement Of waltz time, and then wild
burst of laundering and powerful, ponder
Gus battle charge. at once succeeded by
the more soothing and quieting chimes of
cathedral airs and the solemn chant Of in
spirited imnstrelsy. Aiawys his head was
slightly tilted, leaning over his left Shout
der as though in a retrospective mood.
and apparently dreaming over some past
time, when the manliness and higher
ideals Of his evident force of character
held sway, and the better side Of his spir-
ituality was master supreme Thinking,
V,
govern and control, and for over two
hours, as afterwards learned. although It
seemed as but a brief rhapsody this
strange and paradoxicsl being manipulate
ed those keys. Jesus Lover of Ny Soul"
Home Sweet Home" Nearer My Gcd
to Thee Rock Of Ages" were COM
mingled with grave phases from Wag-
ner, Handel, Verdi, Auber, Bellini ard
BALI. The street songs and popular airs
Of the day were heterogenously mixed
with the solemn chants of high mass and
Episcopic church music. From one to an
other would he glide, and with the ease
of long trained scholar and as one who
had evidently some time in the past been
q cultured and well disciplined artist But
the awful contrast between his early de-
meanor when he entered the room and the
uplifting and inspiring effects of his won
derful operations on that piano, Sudden
ly he stopped, right in the midst of wild
and harrsssing plunge over that ench1 ant
ed keyboard. Slowly from the breathless
ecstacy to which he had so easily and so
simply carried along his profoundly az
tentive audience. he gradually scaled
down. the rare and beautiful symphony
still voluptuously swaying and swinging
the enraptured and GREATNESS listening
audience. Clear down to a molrnful vet
sweetly enthusing softness did he train
that tantillating charm, all the while with
the same sheer and hooking fiendish lear
mantling the marble white face Abruptly
he ceased, the music died gently. almost
imperceptibly away. the inspired c'sver
arose calmly and with set stern, almost
fa2 bo
fully replaced the cover lid. and tur. ed
with defiant challenge mien to his hear
ers. Without = word ne bowed with a
So ely mien AMI he ,7iznl-y o. one who
knows. and hurriedly left the room.
He was never seen again about the cor
ridors Of the hotel, the diningroom. or any
where. The Tall Master ESCAPED as
subtly and mysteriously as he appeared
on that dark. rainy and oppressive sun
day night. Who could he be? From
whence this strange visitor? His past lie.
the lurid sensuous and depraved face
and Yet sou. most gloriously blesstG,
with benediction at his fingers ends. a
power for good and for evil, an enrAntu-, d
and beatific ability within the zoneless
realms of lovely and sanctifying music.
A rare and matchless grace, one supreme
command Of a healing and beautisyinS
branch OF the highest art in all a master
grand and superb. who knew and express
ed in finer sensibilities the lest in 1uen
and women. and put forth with infinite
skill the one only form IF 71nan INFER
pretation of the finer All more delicate
sentiments of the Most II sh Ills was a
genius OF which he CO III wei feel TIE
power. and exert over - ,se who scored
and spurned him an influence 50 refiaed
and 50 deadly supplying as to squelch his
scornful audience. He was indeed The
Tall Master"