The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-12-09

sembled the statue of Melancholy. The
light Of the lamp illumined her classic
profile and blond hair; her eyes pre-
sented a peculiar appearance as If they
were covered by veil; she seemed to
be blind; In her attitude and features
there were tokens Of sorrow and resig-
nation, but in the light of her forehead
faith and hope shone with rays Of di-
vine purity and sweetness. All the sur
roundings of this young couple betok-
ened poverty, even misery, but a mis-
cry bravely borne, a life Of toll marked
by decency and pride.
Eyes, 1 remember" said the young
man. ut was on Christmas eve, on
just such night as this, that you had
that adventure, an adventure that
would bring a pitiful smile to the face
Of any but poor person. and yet l
cherish and bless it because it brought
ray Of sunshine into the dark shad-
ows Of your life. Tell me once more,
dear Alice, the story Of your adVen-
ture. I love to hear you In the deep
silence Of the night relate the story In
your slow and gentle voice, which
seems to come from above, while your
fingers lightly caress the keys Of your
old friend"
She resumed her place before the in
strument and dreamily played a few
chords.
"Oh, yes" she said, THAT was d.
vine melody. Alas, I can remember
nothing Of it but this one air. but that
simple air is as broad as the winter
sky and as deep as the ocean. Every
time play it the whole scene returns
to my memory. You remember, Fritz,
you had taken me that night to Aunt
Gertrude, who was very Ill In her little
attic in the Platz Roemer, and as you
had some work to finish you left me
there for several hours. Sitting at the,
side Of the invalid's cot, could hear
her breathing, and, although I could
not see her, imagined the appearance
Of her poor face, yellow, wrinkled and
emaciated by age, pri7ation. illness and
suffering. A profound silence reigned
around me. My habitual darkness ap-
peared to be deeper. heavier and more
cruel than before, and trembled as
I thought how sad and burdensome
this life was to the poor and unfor-
tunate such as l.
"Suddenly some one began to play a
piano in an adjoining room. The mu-
sic commenced with soft prelude like
the beating Of birds wings in the
distance or the approach Of a cohort
Of angels, and as the rhythm expanded
and increased I imagined saw the
seraphim, all white and dazzling, de-
scending from the stars and illumining
the darkness that surrounded me.
Then was seized and inundated by
an overwhelming harmony which open
ed to me the gates Of paradise. All,
how can l express the torrent Of in
efable sensations and delicious pleas
ures that submerged my senses IN
those enraptured moments! Inspired
by the wonderful notes that were Gre
ated by the fingers Of that magician, eV-
erything around me vibrated and lived
Radiant visions greeted my new found
sight. Beautiful saints, brilliant with
light and glory, pointed out to me the
heaven whence they came and whittier
they returned-without me, alas, the
cruel ones! Suddenly all this world Of
dreams faded away and disappeared In
the night: then. vast, profound, reh-
gious, consoung and inspired, the an
dante that have retained and learned
arose majesdcally In the midst Of the
mysterious darkness"
"Yes," said Fritz, "and when re-
turned I found you trembling and
weeping, and it seemed to me that the
features Of our poor old aunt were tn
pressed with an unusual degree OF
serenity. In fact, l imagined that Far
ther Christmas had paid a visit to both
Of you during my absence. But on our
way home you related to me that
strange adventure. Next day l made
inquiries and learned that Aunt Ger
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