The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-11-28
R Z o B z N.

b Il N.
1t was legacy from the father who
had died before Reuben was ten years
old and left him to the care of Uncle
Josiah, the brother of Reuben's long
dead mother. The strongest memory
Reuben retains d of his father was a
mind picture of a white haired man
sitting up in bed, with the beloved
violin in his hands, filling the poor
attic-room with sweet sounds. He
was partially paralyzed even then,
and later, when his fingers became
helpless, his heart broke and he died.
Then Uncle Josiah came from the
country to the great city, and took
the lad home. At the bottom of the
hair trunk containing all Reuben S
possessions, were safely stored the
violin and case, with score of music
the dead musician had left the boy.
On the farm in Jersey Reuben
found a rough, kindly welcome.
Aunt Polly cried little over the or
phan; Sue and Jennie, kindly maid
ems, kissed and caressed him, and
Daisy, whose blue eyes were like twin
violets, stole shyly up to the dark
haired lad and slipped slice of cake
into his hand. 1t was busy hive,
the old farmhouse, where no drones
found place.
Uncle Josiah disapproved altogeth-
er of the violin. Never had he heard
of fiddler blowing field or raising
stock. Never had he seen any prac-
tical good come from scraping catgut,
and in more than once instance des-
truction was threatened to Reuben's
one pleasure. He grew afraid to raise
the sweet sounds he loved, inside the
farmhouse, and would steal away to
practice the lesson his father had
taught him, by the brookside, in the
whispering woods or the shady lanes.
Nobody loved his violin but Daisy.
Daisy would softly touch the strings,
and listen with parted lips and shift
ing color when Reuben woke the
spirits of music with his bow. Sue
and Jennie did not object to a good,
lively dance tune; but only Daisy
would follow Reuben into the woods
where dreams foated into the sweet
melodies, and the bow and strings
talked in music's own language.
Daisy alone knew of the lonely walks
with the dear companion and Daisy's
lips would culver and her blue eyes
fill when the boy whispered in her
ear of his heart hunger.
Years passed by and the boy be-
came man.
Scarcely worth his salt," Uncle
Josiah pronounced him, and yet loved
him we'll, for his gentle obedience,
his willingness to perform any task,
however distasteful.
"A dreamy gawk, in everybody's
way" Sue and Jennie said, but saved
the choicest bit of dainty country
fare for Reuben.
ga poor weakly body" Aunt Pol
ly said, and her touch was soft on
Reuben's hair, while she sighed gent
lv, convinced that the pale thin
cheeks would never grow round or
rosy, but likely rest under the dali
sies," she thought pityingly.
Only Daisy really understood the
sensitive nature, the tender heart, the
starving, longing intellect. Only
Daisy grieved when the long delicate
hands blistered and bled over rough
work, and would never harden. Only
Daisy, as maidenhood came, shrined
Reuben in her heart of hearts and
knew no other could ever take his
place.
Only Daisy filled Reuben's heart |!
OF all the rough life around him,
there was only one gentle influence to
keep his heart from breaking. The
fair, blue-eyed girl, with hair like
floss silk, alone understood him when
he talked of the books he borrowed
from the minister and eagerly perus-
ed. Daisy alone kept him from utter
loneliness.
So these young hearts, in eleven
long years, learned the story of MT
tual truth, mutual dependence, SYM
pathy, tenderness which we call love.
On the day when Reuben was
twenty-one he told Uncle Josiah he
loved Daisy and Uncle Josiah sadly
shook his head.
You'll never be able to keep a
wife, Reuben" he said. "Never
l love Daisy too we'll to trust her to
you. Why, look at it, lad /; you've
never earned full days wages since
you came to the farm. If you'd give
up your foolish fddling, now, you
might make something of yourself
but as long as your heart is in that
saving and scraping you'll be good
for nothing else. It's my advice to
you to smash the fiddle over the first
rock, and then II talk to you about
Daisy"
Break his violin Destroy his
dearest friend, his comforter But
for Daisy? What would he not do
for Daisy?
Perhaps Uncle Josiah was right.
Perhaps, if he had no outlet for the
dreams that filled his soul they would
| conni,or tha mazv.routine of farm