The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1903-12-17
CHAPTER XII.
Bly,.
Hoeeard
Fielding
OI1INA . N2t 2AAs
THE RIDDLE OF THE SONG.

AI met crippled fouth, the son
6sTsNI Of IN Alpine guide, and he
GsssS could sing remarkably well.
His repertory was not large, but 1t in
dictated good taste and an unhappy
disposition, both of which are supposed
to be necessary elements of the artistic
temperament.
One day heard the singer exercising
his voice upon something exceptionally
weird, minor and melancholy, and
when L sked him what 1t was he re-
piled that he had dreamed it the pre-
vious night. 1t was unsteady incom.
plete, and he had supplied only one
line Of words, which may be translated
thus: "The path was straight and
neither long nor steep" All the rest
was tra-la-la, as he sang 1t. t.@.
At my request he spoke the single
line, so that might catch 1t exactly.
'"Fhe path was a ray of light from
her window" he added in explanation.
"The woman he loved. you under
stand"
"WellY said in an encouraging
fashion.
"That path" he continued, was sup
ported upon little snow wreaths"-and
he waved his hand with gentle, undu-
lating motion, as IL indicating the I'M
substantial arches of the drifting
storm. 1T led straight to her"-and
here he paused and looked up into my
face-"over chasm as deep as the
world"
He drew his hand sharply across in
front of him, as II his fingers had been
the blade Of a magic knife to carve the
impossible rift of his dream to the
very heart of the globe.
.'The man saw the way, but could
not CO." he FASTENED to say, afraid, as
an artist always is at such moment,
that his pearls might have been cast
before swine.
Seeing that I had not failed to COM
prehend, he settled back upon his hsnshl
and glanced downward with a SILVER
at his helpless and distorted legs.
A month or more afterward in Berlin
/ put this air into a form that made a
song of II, though the finished compost
tion was sadly inferior TO the frag-
ment. was fully aware OF this, but
/ had to do 1t. There was no other
way to get the thing out OF my head.
Also i wrote some verses which sound
ed Ike those familiar English trans
lations Of classical German songs made
by a person ignorant of both languages
and OF the art Of poetry. Yet patient
and discerning listener might gather
from my lines the gist OF the poor
young Switzer's notion.
This little story Is necessary to the
telling Of a strange thing that hap
pened on Mrs. witherspoon's lake. IL
may have been four or five days later
than the incidents described IN the last
chapter. and meanwhile ] had been
making most egregious donkey OF
myself from purely altrulstic motives.
I had devoted myself 10 Miss Jones,
taking her away from Trask whenever
/ couId--and. singularly enough. that
did not seem 10 be very difficult. Such
small articles as I am master Of fire.
quently sufficed to divide the sketching
party under the north tree into two
groups. thus giving me an opportunity
to talk with but one listener-some-
times without any at all. | dare say.
looking lack upon Il now.
Ny amiable intention was to give
Trask a chance to learn the truth Of his
own heart. I had changed my mind
about telling him to go away, and had
decided that he was really in love with
Miss wi,herspOon and didn't know H.
That she loved him was beyond ques-
ton, and Il seemed no more than fair
that she should be seen for herself and
not hidden in the light Of another girls
beauty.
have mentioned the report that Miss
Jones was an heiress. n rumOr which,
In the singular conditions prevailing, !
was not able to verify. She certainly
had the way Of one accustomed to
everything that money can buy. But
I never really charged Trask with mer-
eenary motives. believed that he was
dazzled, that he was under the spell Of
o physical allurement, which, ! am will
ing TO confess, was strong enough some
times TO make me tremble. For the
girl was beautiful beyond belief, and
that's the truth about II.
The experienced reader will say at
once that I was doing the worst thing
possible, and 10 this opinion | can add
that nothing else need be expected OF
me. In matters Of romance am the
complete and perfect blunderhead. Poor
little Lucy Ami That I should wish
her well and plot In her behalf was
enough Of itself alone 70 lose the game.
FfstsN.. kaH 49,. s..f.s. - Fer Afto heat