Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

one thing you must reconsideration |
am at work l don't wish TO be disturb
co. If any one does so I shall not take
it kindly"
There was a malignant look in the
strangers eyes when he said this that
! frightened the old mechanic and made
MIN feel like saying a paternoster.
| He promised that the man should not
De disturbed. Then the stranger said
he must so. and Schneider. locking the
door OF his shop. gave him the key. and
he went down the declivity as lightly
as he had come up. Schreiber called 10
him, asking when he would come again.
but the only reply was faint echo,
| Come agaiu:"
| That's singular" remarked Schrei-
/ Der to himself I've lived here man
! and boy sixty years, aud that's the first
| echo ever heard. There are no hills
! nearer than the other side of the lake
| 10 send it back"
A week passed and nothing was
heard or seen of the stranger. There
| was only one key TO the shop, and
Schneider could not get into IL with
out breaking down the door. But he
had no desire TO go there; he had
wearied OF trying to produce human
harmonieS on a mechanical contriv-
ance.
One night there came from the shop
sounds of music. not OF a violin or n
flute or any instrument that requires
human touch. but a music box. Yet
there was nothing mechanical about It.
Indeed, it was full of feeling. 1t was
1nxr nd I,,1T, a..
would rise in a plalntive crescendo.
then gradually sink, softly. as it had
risen.
Schneider rose up IN his bed and
listened
Father" came a voice at his door.
edo you hear the music? Isn't 1t de
licious?"
Schneider saw something white and
knew it was Hilda in her nightgown.
Yes; the stranger must have been
working on the music box and Is trying
II. / wonder how he has done it,
Let us go out to the shop and see"
mo, no. my child; he distinctly said
that he must not be interrupted. Go
to bed"
The music ceased and Hilda went
back TO her room. Then suddenly came
n burst of melody entirely unlike what
had gone before. 1t seemed as If It
We're intended to incite men to deeds
of glory. There was fierceness in It
that the Schreibers had never heard
before. 1t seemed as If an army were
about to march to its death, dealing
death in dying. Hilda ran into her
fathers room and TO his bed. where
she remained locked in his arms, the
two trembling as If they were about to
be slaughtered between opposing hosts.
The music ceased and all was still
for some time. when it recommended.
This time it was n dirGe, sad. regret
full, the wall of n broken heart. The
girl chung to her father till it ceased
when she broke into a hysterical sob
bling such as she had given way to
when her father had broken her violin.
One more piece came in this noe
turnal concert, piece that made the
old man wonder how it could be pro
duccd on so circumscribed an instru-
ment. At first faint, low mutterirE
was heard, then n gradually increasing
roar. then shrieks mingled with deaf
ening thunder.
1T is the storm wind" said SchricbeT
holding his daughter closely to him.
The sounds increased-musical sounds
COMPASSIONATE IT seemed
that all the devils in hell had been let
loose. The commotion ended with one
vivid fash OF real lightning and "A
crash of actual thunder. Then all was
gain still as the grave.
Something tells me that the climax
has been reached" said Schneider to
Hilda. Neither human nor divine
power could go further. We shall hear
40 more. Go back to bed"
Hilda. trembling, went to her room.
1ut in few moments called:
Father, the shop is afire. Come TO
nv room. You can see it through the
window"
The old man ran as hastily ms his
trembling legs would carry him and
aw his shop shooting forth flames
There was a Iurid glare in It that he
lad never seen in fire before. Every
ongue Of fame Missed Ike that of
erpent, and sulphurous odor came in
through the open window.
For more than an hour the old man
nd his daughter watched the burning.
IS 1t died down there were fitful cash
g, like temporary recoveries from some
ying beast. At last all was still. and
ather and daughter went back to bed.
There are various explanations given
{ the matter by those living near
iustav Schroeder Some say that the
oft that occasioned the loss OF his
hop was sent from heaven to punish
i'm for trying to produce human feel
~ on an automatic instrument. others
lat he had worked long enough and
e would never have stopped had not
Is shop been burned. There are also
rose who blame his neighbor for say
". The devil take old Schrieber's
usic box" averring that Satan took
sr at her word.
Nov. IA in American