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road who was surprised to hear that Daniel Webster was dead；
and complained that folks were not so long…lived as they
used to be。
Aunt Hitty thought Lyddy a Goth and a Vandal because she took down
the twenty silver coffin plates and laid them reverently away。
〃Mis' Butterfield would turn in her grave；〃 she said； 〃if she knew it。
She ain't much of a housekeeper； I guess；〃 she went on； as she cut
over Dr。 Berry's old trousers into briefer ones for Tommy Berry。
〃She gives considerable stuff to her hens that she'd a sight better heat
over and eat herself； in these hard times when the missionary societies can't
hardly keep the heathen fed and clothed and warmedno； I don't mean warmed；
for most o' the heathens live in hot climates； somehow or 'nother。
My back door's jest opposite hers； it's across the river； to be sure；
but it's the narrer part； and I can see everything she does as plain
as daylight。 She washed a Monday； and she ain't taken her clothes in yet；
and it's Thursday。 She may be bleachin' of 'em out； but it looks slack。
I said to Si last night I should stand it till 'bout Friday；seein' 'em lay
on the grass there； but if she didn't take 'em in then； I should go
over and offer to help her。 She has a fire in the settin'…room 'most
every night； though we ain't had a frost yet； and as near's I can
make out； she's got full red curtains hangin' up to her windows。
I ain't sure； for she don't open the blinds in that room till I
get away in the morning； and she shuts 'em before I get back at night。
Si don't know red from green； so he's useless in such matters。
I'm going home late to…night； and walk down on that side o' the river；
so't I can call in after dark and see what makes her house light up
as if the sun was settin' inside of it。〃
As a matter of fact； Lyddy was reveling in house…furnishing
of a humble sort。 She had a passion for color。 There was
a red…and…white straw matting on the sitting…room floor。
Reckless in the certain possession of twenty dollars a month；
she purchased yards upon yards of turkey red cotton；
enough to cover a mattress for the high…backed settle； for long
curtains at the windows； and for cushions to the rockers。
She knotted white fringes for the table covers and curtains；
painted the inside of the fireplace red； put some pots；
of scarlet geraniums on the window…sills； filled newspaper
rack with ferns and tacked it over an ugly spot in the wall；
edged her work…basket with a tufted trimming of scarlet worsted；
and made an elaborate photograph case of white crash and red
cotton that stretched the entire length of the old…fashioned
mantelshelf； and held pictures of Mr。 Reynolds； Miss
Elvira Reynolds； George； Susy； Anna； John； Hazel； Ella；
and Rufus Reynolds； her former charges。 When all this was done；
she lighted a little blaze on the hearth； took the red curtains
from their hands； let them fall gracefully to the floor；
and sat down in her rocking…chair； reconciled to her existence
for absolutely the first time in her forty years。
I hope Mrs。 Butterfield was happy enough in Paradise to appreciate
and feel Lyddy's joy。 I can even believe she was glad to have died；
since her dying could bring such content to any wretched living human soul。
As Lydia sat in the firelight； the left side of her poor face
in shadow； you saw that she was distinctly harmonious。 Her figure；
clad in plain black…and…white calico dress； was a graceful； womanly one。
She had beautifully sloping shoulders and a sweet wrist。 Her hair was
soft and plentiful； and her hands were fine； strong； and sensitive。
This possibility of rare beauty made her scars and burns more pitiful；
for if a cheap chrome has smirch across its face； we think it a matter
of no moment； but we deplore the smallest scratch or blur on any
work of real art。
Lydia felt a little less bitter and hopeless about life when she
sat in front of her own open fire； after her usual twilight walk。
It was her habit to wander down the wooded road after her simple
five…o'clock supper； gatherings ferns or goldenrod or frost flowers
for her vases； and one night she heard； above the rippling of the river；
the strange； sweet； piercing sound of Anthony Croft's violin。
She drew nearer； and saw a； middle…aged man sitting in the kitchen
doorway； with a lad of ten or twelve years leaning against his knees。
She could tell little of his appearance； save that he had a high forehead；
and hair that waved well back from it in rather an unusual fashion。
He was in his shirt…sleeves； but the gingham was scrupulously clean；
and he had the uncommon refinement of a collar and necktie。
Out of sight herself； Lyddy drew near enough to hear； and this she
did every night without recognizing that the musician was blind。
The music had a curious effect upon her。 It was a hitherto unknown influence
in her life； and it interpreted her； so to speak； to herself。
As she sat on the bed of brown pine needles； under a friendly tree；
her head resting against its trunk； her eyes half closed； the tone of
Anthony's violin came like a heavenly message to a tired； despairing soul。
Remember that in her secluded life she had heard only such harmony as Elvira
Reynolds evoked from her piano or George Reynolds from his flute；
and the Reynolds temperament was distinctly inartistic。
Lyddy lived through a lifetime of emotion in these twilight concerts。
Sometimes she was filled with an exquisite melancholy from which there was
no escape； at others； the ethereal purity of the strain stirred her heart with
a strange； sweet vision of mysterious joy； joy that she had never possessed；
would never possess； joy whose bare existence she never before realized。
When the low notes sank lower and lower with their soft wail of delicious woe；
she bent forward into the dark； dreading that something would be lost
in the very struggle of listening； then； after a； pause； a pure human tone
would break the stillness； and soaring； bird…like； higher and higher；
seem to mount to heaven itself； and； 〃piercing its starry floors；〃
lift poor scarred Lydia's soul to the very grates of infinite bliss。
In the gentle moods that stole upon her in those summer twilights she
became a different woman； softer in her prosperity than she had ever
been in her adversity； for some plants only blossom in sunshine。
What wonder if to her the music and the musician became one？
It is sometimes a dangerous thing to fuse the man and his talents
in this way； but it did no harm here； for Anthony Croft was his music；
and the music was Anthony Croft。 When he played on his violin； it was
as if the miracle of its fashioning were again enacted； as if the bird
on the quivering bough； the mellow sunshine streaming through the lattice
of green leaves； the tinkle of the woodland stream； spoke in every tone；
and more than this； the hearth…glow in whose light the patient hands
had worked； the breath of the soul bending itself in passionate prayer
for perfection； these； too； seemed to have wrought their blessed influence
on the willing strings until the tone was laden with spiritual harmony。
One might indeed have sung of this little red violinthat looked to Lyddy；
in the sunset glow； as if it were veneered with rubiesall that
Shelley sang of another perfect instrument：
〃The artist who this viol wrought
To echo all harmonious thought；
Fell'd a tree； while on the steep
The woods were in their winter sleep；
Rock'd in that repose divine
Of the wind…swept Apennine；
And dreaming； some of Autumn past；
And some of Spring approaching fast；
And some of April buds and showers；
And some of songs in July bowers；
And all of love； and so this tree
O that such our death may be！
Died in sleep； and felt no pain；
To live in happier form again。〃
The viol 〃whispers in enamoured tone：〃
〃Sweet oracles of woods and dells；
And summer windy ill sylvan cells； 。 。
The clearest echoes of the hills；
The softest notes of falling rills；
The melodies of birds and bees；
The murmuring of summer seas；
And pattering rain； and breathing dew；
And airs of evening； all it knew。。。。
All this it knows； but will not tell
To those who cannot question well
The spirit that inhabits it； 。。。
But； sweetly as its answers will
Flatter hands of perfect skill；
It keeps its highest； holiest tone
For one beloved Friend alone。〃
Lyddy heard the violin and the man's voice as he talked to the child；
heard them night after night； and when she went home to the little
brown house to light the fire on the hearth and let down the warm
red curtains； she fell into sweet； sad reveries； and when she blew
out her candle for the night； she fell asleep and dreamed new dreams；
and her heart was stirred with the rustling of new…born hopes that rose
and took wing like birds startled from their nests。
V。
〃Nor scour the seas； nor sift mankind；
A poet or a friend to find：