The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-05-22
THE ORGANIST OF PONIKLA



like those Of stork, had at last be
come dear to her. The father, though
he himself also had often empty pock
cts, did not wish to hear anything OF
Klein
| my daughter will have no trouble tC
find better" he declared. docs not
every one admire her beauty She will
never be reduced TO accept n man on
whose arm she would be ashamed to
present herself"
IL was. then, with I'll grace that he
opened his door 10 the musician-which
did not often happen. But the death OF
Mlelnitzki changed everything. As
soon as Klen had signed his contract
with the curate he hastened TO an.
nounce II TO Okla. The father for the
first time invited him TO sit down and
offered him one after another several
| little glasses OF rum. And when tho
| young girl came In he gravely told her
that henceforth Klen was going 10 be a
geDtleman-much better. the first In
Ponikla, after the dean.
Then. also for the first time the mu
siclan had been authorized TO remain
near Okla from noon until evening
and night was coming as he returned
| to Ponikla with the snow cracking un.
der his feet The frost was sharp. but
| Klen had never been so happy, ana he
| felt very warm at heart In recalling the
smallest incidents OF that decisive day
Along the deserted road, to the fields
| buried under the snow, he carried his
| Joy like n light across the increasing
darkness.
What do care for prosperity
Okla had told him sweetly. with you
! would go beyond the seas, TO the end
of the world! But for father 1t is bet.
ter that your position be settled"
| Then he had kissed her hands relig.
lously, murmuring:
"Olka, dear Okla. may God return "a
you all the happiness you give me in
| speaking So"
But now, thinking II over. he was
| mortified at his own f0olishness. lie
ought to have said many things differ
| emily: omitted this. added that. and
particularly answered better to so inn
portant n declarations think of young
| girl telling young man that. If IL was
not for her father she would follow
| him all over the world! II seemed to
| him that both were walking together
OH the white road. This did not pre-
vent him from hurrying his steps. as
| the snow was cracking in a manner
more and more alarming.
"IIo! my Okla! unique treasure, you
are going to be n lady, my lady,?
His heart swelled with gratitude.
Ha! had she really been near him how
he would have pressed her in his arms
with all his might! This Is. yes this is
what he ought to have done one hour
before at Zagrab! But II Is always So
| At certain moments one feels dizzy.
and the tongue goes astray precisely
when II ought 10 say so many. many
things. Decidedly il is much more
easy TO play on the organ than TO eX-
press In words what one has In ones
heart.
In the cold sky the stars began &c
twinkle with a sparkling light. Kler
felt that his ears burned To save time
he took small. familiar path across
| fields. His shadow heightened funnily
on the white earth.
IF l played on my flute II might re
vive my fingers" A few sharp notes
flew away in the night. They seemed
| like birds frightened 10y the surround
| ing silence. the intense frost, and the
shroud which covered the land. And
Klen modulated the gayest tunes OF
| his repertoire those Okla had asket
him 10 play In accompaniment 10 hei
small voice.
An old song. called "The Greer
Pitcher" had particularly pleased In,
father and the daughter. II was a dia
logue between n lord and maiden
which began thus:
"Ha! my green pitcher.
The lord has broken it,"
And the lord answered:
DO not cry. child;
shall pay for thy broken pitcher!'
Okla, of course. figured the maider
with the green pitcher. and Klen th,
lord. This prodigiously amused In,
old workingman.
And now. along the little path across
fields, Klen. with an ecstatic smile
played THE Green Pitcher" or ratheI
attempted 10 play IT,
His fingers did not revive: he had {,
give up as this journeying took hi
breath more and more ut every mo
ment.
He had not thought that the snow
was less hard and deeper in the field
than OH the roads. and that lie coul,
not always trace the path. He allowe,
himself TO be directed hy chance. The,
he tumbled at every step. burying hi
long legs In some unseen ditch.
The stars sparkled still colder. an,
then the wind rose again. Klen was Il
perspration. but he shivered He trie,
once more TO play OF his flute. But h
could not feel his fingers and coul
hardly move his lips. An impression
OF overwhelming solitude davnCd upo
him. lie thought OF the wc'l-heate
house which was ready for him a
Pouikla; then of the one where h
had spent the afternoon.
Okla must have retired at this houl
and. thank God. under her roof IL
warm"
7 The certainty that Okla was war;
| made him hnppy hut caused him 4