The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-05-29

EIFETIE1h
Ject, he found himself reIuctantly ac-
ceding, compelled by courtesy to dis
guise his real feelings.
That night a strange thing happened.
ssas. pursued in her dreams by this
haunting fancy that had seized her,
walked in her sleep down to the turret
room and, waking there all alone in
the dark, tainted with terror.
In the morning, when she was found
lying there, cold and insensible, they
thought she was dead, but with re-
neWed animation came fever, and for
days she was very i'll and went near
to dying, while in her delirium she raw.
ed constantly Of the melody that had
come to her only to mock her with its
beauty and pathos and then to leave
her memory blank. M
At last the critical moment passed
when the fever left her, though the re-
sulting weakness threatened to take
the little life that5remained to her.
Father" she said family, ST want to
be carried down to the turret room.
must hear the tune again before die. !"
In vain he reasoned with her, entreat.
ing her to rest, to get strong, to put the
thought of this dream out Of her head.
She would not be appeased until she
gained her own way and had been
dressed and carried down to the sofa
in the little room she had learned te
love SO we'll She lay there contented-
" for some time; then presently rising.
she crossed the room with feeble, fal
tering steps to the armchair.
1t was here that the dream first
came. to me- she said. s. wonder il
Lord Verramount would give me this
chair If Iasked him r
~ gu need not wonder" said a voice
at the door. The chair is yours from
this moment.
Il am so glad tosee you down again, Z
he continued. 7 have missed you hor
ribly.
Have you? And will you really give
me this chair? | have always liked i
so much. There is something 50 rest
full aboutsit. | have often wondered WIZ
it has this quaint old tapestry pane
! in the back and whether some fair Ia
dy worked it for her own true love-
AS. she spoke she noticed that thu
edge of the oval panel projected on ont
/ side more than on the other and press
ed it lightly into place To her sur
| prise. it fell forward, and behind it, il
! the hollow Of the chair, lay something
wrapped in a red silk handkerchief.
ssV y, what is this?' she said won
deringly. The chair is a casket, Lore
/ Verramount and contains a treasure =
And then she gave a little cry O.
amazed delight, for as she drew tn,
/ wrapper away there lay in her hands !,
] violin Of exquisite shape and workman
ship, with the magic name of Stradi
vari Inscribed on it and the date 1927
She stared att, breathless, fascinated
then, lifting 1t, drew the bow softl..
across the strings, tuned them and be
CAN'T play.
Slowly, then gradually with NOR
confidence and sWiftness. she playet
i until the room was filed with strain
4 so enchanting that it seemed as though
the very essence Of all harmony hat
1 been imprisoned within the hidden vic
lin and was exulting in its new liberty
Lord Verramount watched her spell
bound, scarcely able to believe hi
senses at this extraordinary change
i Not till the last sweet note had trem
bled into silence did Mans rapt eS
4 preston change or her nervous finger
relax their hold Of the bow: thel
4 stretching out her hand to him, sh
cried:
ut is foundi 1t has come back! &
j remember now every note of it! 4
must have been played on this wolf
4 by master hand, I am sure Of it
4 Perhaps BY Stradivari himself Alb
but her look changed suddenly TIL
Il violin is yours, Lord Verramount! I
must have belonged to the old man
i your cousin. Perhaps lie, too, spent hi
j life trying to remember the tune, AM
a that was why the people called hin
Il mad. Yousmust take it,
THE violin is yours" Verramoun
said quickly. 81 gave you the chair air
Il with no reservations. = ask Of yo1
only one favor il return that You vii
Il rest now and get well, so that you ma.
4 be- strong enough TO fulfill your ambi
ton and play as you have played TO
night to hundreds OF people. I
The effect he had counted on reward
4 ca him; the life and light flowed bacl
q into Mans pale face as she murmured
% play on this exquisite violin