The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1914-01-09
with II Whist you Ike. have had
enough Of It"

enough Of It."
My dear fellow, do you suppose
would take something for nothingl
That is a human business trait which
Is beneath me. But I'll tell you what
/ will do. win complete your music
box for you. and when 1t is finished 1t
shall belong to you"
THAT is very kind of you. Where
will you do your work on it?"
Fright here. where the tools are
handy"
will you work all dayT
81 shall work when the spirit moves
me. A man cannot write poetry when
he has a toothache nor compose har-
monies when he is asleep. l may work
in the morning or the evening or at
the dead of night. 1t does not concern
you or any one else when work. But
one thing you must reconsideration
am at work don't wish to be disturb
ed. If any one does so 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
him feel like saying a paternoster
He promised that the man should not
be disturbed. Then the stranger said
he must go, 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. Schneider called to
him, asking when he would come again,
but the only reply was a faint echo,
"Come again?"
That's singular" remarked Schrei-
Der to himself. I've lived here man
and boy sixty years, and that's the first
echo ever heard. There are no hills
nearer than the other side of the lake
to 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 it with
out breaking down the door. But he
had no desire to go there; he had
wearied of trying to produce human
harmonies on mechanical contriv-
ance.
One night there came from the shop
sounds of music. not of a violin or
flute or any instrument that requires
a human touch, but music box. Yet
there was nothing mechanical about it.
Indeed. it was full of feeling. 1t was
low and sweet a lullaby. At times it
would rise in a plaintive crescendo,
then gradually sink, softly, as it had
risen.
Schneider rose up in his bed and
listened.
Father" came a voice at his door,
do you hear the music? Isn't it de
liciOus?"
Schroeder saw something white and
knew it was HiIda in her nightgown.
YES; the stranger must have been
working on the music box and is trying
it. | wonder how he has done it"
Let us 20 out to the shop and see
NO. no. my child; he distinctly said
that he must not be interrupted. Go
to bed"
The music ceased and Hida went
back to her room. Then suddenly came
a burst Of melody entirely unlike what
had gone before 1t seemed as If 1t
were intended to incite men to deeds
of glory. There was a 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 1t was a dirge. sad, regret
full the wall of broken heart. The
girl chung to her father till 1t 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-
duced on so circumscribed an instru-
ment. At first a faint. low muttering
was heard. then gradually increasing
roar, then shrieks mingled with deaf
ening thunder.
at is the storm wind" said Schrieber,
holding his daughter closely to him.
The sounds increased-musicals sounds
interpreting a tempest-until it seemed
that all the devils in hell had been let
loose The commotion ended with one
vivid flash of real lightning and a
crash Of actual thunder Then all was
again 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
no more. Go back to bed"
Hilda. trembling. went to her room,
but in few moments called:
Father, the shop is afre. Come to
my room. You can see it through the
window"
The old man ran as hastily as his
trembling legs would carry him and
saw his shop shooting forth flames,
There was lurid glare in it that he
had never seen in fire before Every
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