Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-12-01

FROM
MISS GRAY

RlpCuilDn III lut luIdISo othOoio a
ear ago. left Durango for Boston to
take years course in music and
alocution. The Herald secured prom
Use of an occasional letter. The first
of the series arrived this week and is
given below:
Boston, For years ] had dreamed
OF it, but 1t was like dream about
visiting Mars, or enjoying tally-ho
ride in an air-ship sailing through
space at rate sufficiently bewilder-
ing to produce unconsciousness. Many
time has old Dame Reality shaken
me severely for these visionary wan
derings. knocking my air-castles all
down. and warning me not to indulge
in daytime maps.
| But | awoke and found my dream
come true and am really here on holy
| ground-ground sanctified by the
spirit lives of angel men and women
| whose names we are accustomed to
| breathe with reverence. One cannot
he long in the historical city before he
begins to feel the mystic influence of
superior souls who haunt the place
aud forever commune their benedic-
ton to kindred beings. The atmos-
phere is laden with the perfume of
helpful lives and the very air rings
with notes OF sympathetic praise for
mmortals who have offered incense
for the multitude and kept the light
burning before the shrines ofArt, Mu-
sic. Poetry and Patriotism.
| think I am susceptible to these su-
pernatural environments. ! ought to
he for my nature was nourished in the
lofty Rocky mountains. and where can
one get closer to the Divinity than in
the pine-clad hills of Colorado?
Then, TOO, | saw Niagara and can
anyone look upon this wonder OF won
lers and not feel his soul awaken to
the celestial glories of the universe? :?
I have stood and watched the mighty
torrent until my whole being surren-
dered to its power. Then. most of
all. / realized His all-absorbing wis
dom-Elis omnipotence, and with com
plete self-abnegation | murmured with
he multitude: "Thy will be done"
| bowed before the all-glorious tor
rent, and was baptized anew In the
kindly sympathy for the sorrows of
inortals who come there to worship.
| have heard secrets in the sublime
music of its roar and been encircled
by the halo of radiant colors with
which it crowns its humblest wor-
shipper
Never before had | understood the
meaning of light and sound, and |
| banked the Creator that He had
blest me with the God.given senses
by which these Impressions could be
conveyed to my soul.
Niagara is the weightlest sermon
that was ever delivered. and her tenn
| Pile is the earth, and her congregation
the inhabitants thereof. She speaks
| straight from the heart to nature, and
forever speaks. You who have had
,hese same experience will appreciate
it when say they were an inspiration
to me. They animated me to purpose
and led me up to sympathy with my
present surroundings.
Prof Samuel X. Kelley of the Kel
| icy School OF Oratory was the unfor
tunate victim of my admiration as q
earher, and | am now. with his guild
ance. directing my energies along the
| lin of dramatic and oratorica work.
II you have never had your atten
lion called to how profoundly, exquis
itely ignorant YOU are, Just take les
son of Prof Keller
He will bring your stupidity before
| your mental vision in manner pecul
larly his own. and more vivid thar
iiattering, | assure you. Besides ones
regular studies pupil is expected tC
witness the best in drama. opera ant
concert.
At these performances. we very OF
ten see the leading roles played by
men and women who were pupils ol
Prof. Kelley. and are now stars in the
dramatic world 1t is encouraging te
have our kind professor tell us thai
these famous people were once juniori
and were not more promising thar
some of the present ones of that awk
ward class. But then juniors are sup
posed to be awkward; they have beer
from time immemorial, and any In
fringement upon this sacred right of {
junior would be disrespectful to es
tablished custom and contrary to tn,
law of precedent, Transgressors
please take notice
Then the Symphony; We go ther,
to have our souls swayed. tosse,
about, and beaten back by the musi
cal waves of passion, and then quieted
soothed, lulled into restfulness an,
peace. All of this is infinitely purify
ing and keeps ones feet from adherin
too closely to the earth-earthly.
But, do not think dear friends, tina
this transcendant refinement an
beauty VIII ever sever me from m
mountain home. The magnetic Unfit
ence OF the mountains Is force so II
Iesistable that no one once unde
, heir hypnotic spell has ever been abb
I to escape them entirely. Sometimes
ride out to Franklin park and yo
know Boston Is famous for its natura
parks, aud there | find every variet
, Of scenery. but the kind my hear
loves best is the rough rugged boulde
that stands ont bravely and faces tn
storms.
But as | continue. my letter grow
I longer and the hours shorter
I Hark. hear the bells a-ringing