The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-06-08
Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty.

nve! Sne mad reacneu ner twenty.
fifth year. M. Bretwiller only sought
an occasion, and the occasion came to
him without his suspecting it. The
rumor spread through the city that
M. Catbise had composed a mass in
sol minor for the approaching sell
omnity of Easter. At first the organ
ist did not believe it.
''Sol minor? Sol minor? Persons
OF his sort only write in major, sir!
AS far as he is concerned, how should
he write anything at all, even in
common, hilarious tone? He has not
an idea. Catbise cannot have COM
posed a mass; my own in re minor is
not finished, although I have been
working on it for fifteen years"
It was true, however. When he
received the score from the priests
hands rage took possession of the
organist; a rage in which there en-
tered musical passion and great deal
of jealousy. The priest said:
You will accompany M. Catbise's
mass on the little organ, will you
not, dear M. Bretwiller? He will
conduct"
"No, sir. only accompany that
which exists. Catbise does not exist"
His resignation followed on the
same day. The organist wrote 1t Off
hand, without hesitation, without
emotion. He was free. He could re.
turn to the north and realize his
| 30 tu,o G,ya N
twenty-five years is great age for
dream.
The first use which M. Bretwiller
made of his freedom was to go back
to the cathedral and to enter the
| organ-loft. He tried the haut-bois,
which he found of most superior
quality; the celestial voice, which he
often used; the trumpet, which did
not displease him. With sigh he said:
"Fine instrument, into what hands
are you about to fall" And with the
point of his knife he inscribed upon
the largest pipe these words, which I
have read: This organ will think no
more" 1t gave him strange sem
sation to turn the key in the old lock
of the organ-loft.
AS he came down the street from
the cathedral he went into the shop
of a man who sold hot cakes. He
used to buy one every Sunday, as he
went home from the great organ.
"Adieu, NJ. Besseguet."
Don't you mean au revoir?"
'No, adieu."
He did not explain himself, for he
was affected. He felt the curiosity
of foreigner in this city which he
had not wanted to see during all his
life there. He observed the houses,
measured with his eyes the trees on
the avenues, recognized the passers-
by, and saluted them with slow ges-
ture which followed them.
When he came in front Of his gar
den hedge, he saw pomegranate
blossom which had just opened. II
shall regret that" he said. He went
along between the borders of violets
which were so fragrant every morn
ing when he settled himself at his
piano, and he went past the grape
arbors which he visited so gladly in
the autumn, until he came to his
daughter, feeling less proud than he
had expected to feel. She had al
ready approved of everything. She
had more things to rerget than he
had; but, after all, since he was so
eager to leave the country
M. Bretwiller was astonished to
find that he was held by so many ties
to a land which he detested. His
nature was insistent. He loved to go
to the bottom of questions He said:
what matters 1t to us, here or
there? We shall carry with us our
happiness, my little Catherine, our
dear intimacy which is everything to
u.s."
Undoubtedly"
1--WE shall live in Just the same
way"
Good heavens, yes!"
"How you say that! Are you not
happy, Catherine?" He thought:
"As to me, there are reasons why l
should be sorry. But she? For
twenty-five years have lived for her
alone"
Catherine let herself be urged to
answer. She hesitated, and ended
by saying, without understanding all
the cruelty of her words:
Il have been loved by nobody but
you!"
And M. Bretwiller went to the
north, having learned two things in a
short time; that 1t is dangerous to try
to realize an old dream; but that 1t
is still more so, that 1t is an absolute
imprudence, to wish to know the in
most essence of our happiness
Translated for the Argonaut, by Ed