Year: 1870

1 49, ANNAAhE VI 'NhotNif'hN1o 1hh ouhut
prevented him. He went home, and again
his old violin might have heard breathed
over it the name Of Cora Dacres but this
time not in boyish enthusiasm for whatever
was pleasing and beautiful, but in the first
strong, all-absorbing love Of manhood, awak-
ened in a nature which was in every way cal
culated to receive and retain that sentiment
in It's highest, purest and most enduring form.


Reuben Vandrest, who had hitherto cared
for nothing on earth but his violin, soon
learned to love, and with the enthusiastic at
tachment Of an earnest and upright nature.
For, with all the allurements Of musical
career, Reuben remained as simple.minded
and guileless in character as the sect from
which he sprung. And Cora was worthy to
inspire the love Of such a man. Whether
she returned it or not, Reuben did not con-
sidcr-he was too utterly absorbed in the now
bliss Of loving, and loving her, TO think of
asking himself the question. He visited OF
her house. and became favorite with her
tathor--a would-be amateur, who took plea
sure in filling his drawing-rooms with musi-
clans and treating them as costly and not
disagreeablc guests,


But at last Mr.. Dacres was reused from his
apathy by the evident regard existing between
his daughter and the young Vandrest.


Though he liked the violinist well enough,
the hint Of Reuben's marrying Cora sounded
| i'll in the ears Of the prudent man, especially
when given by one Of those odious, good-na-
tured friends with whom the world abounds
| The result was a conversation between him
self and Nandrest, in which, utterly bewilder-
ed and desparing, poor Reuben declared his
hidden and treasured love first with the IT,
midity Of man who sees his inmost heart
laid bare, and then with the 6rmness given by
a consciousness that there is in that heart
nothing for which an honest man need blush.


am sorry for you, Mr.. Vaudrest," said
the blunt yet not i'll meaning citizen. But
it is impossible that you can ever hope for
Cora's hand"


Why impossibe2" said the young man,
recovering all his just pride and self-posses-
sion. " am not rich, but have an unspot-
ted name, and the world is all before me-
Do you object to my profession ?"


BY no means a musician is an honorable
man, just as much so as a storekeeper."


AT any other time the complimentary COM
parson would have made Reuben smile,
but now he only answered, while the color
deepened on his cheek


is it because of my early life? My
father was Of good family But it may be
you would blush to remember that your
daughters husband served in a BARRIERS shop"


8" My dear sir" said Mr.. Dacres, {" you for
get We are Americans and talent and wealth
are our only aristocracy. The first you un-
doubtedly possess, but without the second you
/ o,I 1ka., i olo
Of your becoming rich man."


Will you let me try ?" eagerly inquired
Vandrest.


" 1t would be of no use. You could not
succeed"


/" | could could exclaimed the young
man impetuously. "Only let me hope.
would try anything to win Cora "


And in this earnestness of love did Reuben
pursue his almost hopeless way. He had
pledged his word that he would not try to win
her-this her father imperatively demanded
but Mr.. Dacres also promised that he would
leave his daughter free, nor would he urge
her to accept any other husband during the
three years of absence which he required Of
Reuben Vandrest They parted-Reuben and
Cora-with the outward seeming Of ordinary
acquaintance; but was it likely that love
so deep as that of the young musician should
have been entirely suppressed by him, or un-
appreciated by her who was its object.f
| They parted without any open confession
but did not Coras heart follow the wan
derer as he sailed toward Europe did she
not call up his image, and repeat his unmusical
namo as though it had contained world of
melody in itself2-and did she not feel as
certain in her heart that he loved her as if he
had told her so a hundred times7


As Vandrest was preparing for the voyage,
he accidentally found the long forgotten note
of the stranger musician. 1t directed him to
Paris, and to Paris he determined to proceed,
as all Europe was alike to one who knew not
single soul in the wide expanse Of the old
world. llo arrived there, and found in his
unknown friend the kind hearted and talented
Swcde who, on the death Of Paganini, had be-
come the first violinst in the world-Ole Bull.


The success of the young American was
now made sure. The great vioinist had too
much true genius to fear competitors, and no
mean jealousy kept him from advancing the
fortunes of Vandrest by every means in his
power. Reuben ,raversed Europe, going
from capital to capital, everywhere making
friends, and what was still more important to
him, money. He allowed himself no pleas.
ures, only the necessaries of life, and laid up
his gains for the grand object of his care
the acquiring of fortune for Cora.


He rarely heard of her; he knew not but
that her love might change; and sometimes
sense of the utter wildness of his project
came upon him with freezing reality.
But intense love like his, iu an otherwise
calm and unimpassioned nature, acquires
strength unknown to those who are stirred by
every passing impulse. And Reuben's love
" by its own energy fulfilled itself"


Ere the three years had expired he returned
to America, having realized competence.
With beating heart the young musician
stood before his mistress, told her all his love,
and knew that he was loved. 1t was very
sweet to hear Cora reveal in the frankness Of
her true heart, which felt no shame with hav-
ing loved one so worthy, how her thoughts
had continually followed him in his wander
ings, and how every success Of his had been
doubly sweet to her But human happiness
is never unmixed with pain; and when Cora
looked at the altered form Of her betrothed,
his sunken and colorless face and his large,
bright eyes, dreadful fear took possession Of
her, and she felt that joy itself might be pur-
chased with too dear price. 1t was 50, in
deed.


Reubens energy had sustained him until
the reaction of hope fulfilled came, and then
his health failed. A long illness followed.
But he had one blessing-his afiianced wife
was near him. Amidst all her anguish Cora
felt thankful that he had come home first,
and that it was her hand and her voice which
now brought comfort to her beloved, and that
she could pray he might live for her.


And Reuben did live Love struggled
with death, and won the victory. In the
next year, in the lovely season of an Ameri-
can spring, the musician welded his betrothed,
and took her to a sweet country home, such
1 a. 4 r. II -. l.. A..