The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-11

the low slanting swallows impressed him
, like mournful music, and it soothcd him
to sit there and listen to it in quietude.
, lie was an old man now.
! 1t seemed strange, but the more he
! thought of it the more the fact impressed
| him that since his meeting with the
matchmaker he never had been truly hap.
| py or contented.
| The drizzle of the autumn rain and the
chirp of the swallows wove themselves
! into music, and rs he listened be seemed
to distinguish some of his own music in
it. A few strains only that died away,
and then again it was only drizZle, driz-
I zle and chirp, chirp, and then the lost
| strains came again and hoated through
the somber drizzling and plaintive chirp-
ing. and before he knew it the music of
the prayer in Moses" was plainly audi
bic.
With choked shrek the old master
jumped to his feet. He snatchcd the
watch from his pocket. Michel Plivee's
masterpiece was playing of itself! HUI
man hand had not touched it.!
A few minutes afterward a messenger
called at the study to deliver letter and
found the old master in swoOn. When
he recovered and saw whom the note was
! from. he told those who attended him to
we the room. He then read the fol-
lowing letter:
Honored Master-Now is the time. Come to my
house at midnight and shall tell you the vau.
able meaning of the ciphers Q, 81, 81. Kind re.
CARDS Your obedient servant,
MICHEL PMvEE.
Rossini opened the window and shouted
for the messenger. The boy heard him
and returned.
as Sgnor Plivee ill.," asked the mas.
ter.
mo. signor: he is WELL"
"Thcn tell him shall be with him at
the appointed time"
The mysterious appointment at the
hour of midnight and the possibility of
the fulfllment of a desire he had nourish-
ed for SO many years combined to raise
the nervous temper of the old master to
its highest pitch. He attempted to short
en- the hours by playing. He could not
play to suit himself He could neither
read nor write. and he would not talk or
partake of food. All day and all evening
the Wizard of Pesaro" could be heard
pacing about in his lonely study.
As the cathedral chimes struck - Ros-
SIM knocked at the door Of Pliyee's house.
A pale tear stained face looked out.
Moaning and weeping sounded within.
my God! What's happenedw cried
the artist.
Remeau. the celebrated physician.
came to the door and said: "Only few
minutes ago Signor Plivee. our beloved
host, was sitting among US. hale and
hearty. Suddenly he had a heart stroke
and fell from his chair, crying. The ci-
piers the ciphers!' His death was in
Simultaneous. do not know what he
meant by the ciphers.' Do your"
The news so shocked the Impressions.
Bile composer that he almost tainted.
When be was questioned as to the cause
of his late visit, he shrewdly avoided an
explanation. for he was seized by the fear
that the inscription would bring him only
distress md unhappiness.
II never want to hear another word
about him." he told his wife, who aux.
iously awaited his return. 'fhese hg-
ures mean DEATH"
From that day Rossini put the costly
timcpiece away In his dressing chest and
in its place wore common watch. He
declined to give bis wife permission to
obtain some clew.r from Plivee'B widow
regarding ths. probabie Axiska1Cs Of pa