GRAND OPERA.
Jordan improved rapidly, and soon began to take long drives to different
points of interest. After a month it was one evening proposed that they
should all attend the theater. It was agreed to, and it was left to
Jordan to decide where to go. Queerly enough, he selected a theater where
the opera of "Tannhauser" was to be performed.
"Did you ever attend a grand opera performance, Tom?" asked Sedgwick.
"No," was the response. "Thet's ther reason I wanter go."
He seemed greatly absorbed throughout the performance. The opera was
put on with every splendor possible, and the strange man sat almost
motionless through the mighty rendition, and was unusually silent all
the way home.
Arriving there, Grace said: "Mr. Jordan, give us your idea of the opera."
"I reckon yo' might laugh at me ef I should," said Jordan.
"No, we will not," said Grace; "for when it comes to that, we are none
of us quite up to the comprehension of the mystery of a grand opera--at
least, none but Margaret."
"Well," said Jordan, "mystery are a good word ter use thar. If yo' jest
occerpy yo'r eyes and ears, yo' hear mostly only a ocean roar uv singin',
a brayin' uv trumpets, a clashin' uv cymbals, a beatin' uv drums, with
ther soft strains uv viols, harps 'nd flutes, and not much music. Ef yo'
set yo'r mind workin' ter foller ther myths outer which ther story of the
opera war made, then ther tones become voices, 'nd ther music only tells
er story. But ef yo' give yo'r soul a chance, then it's different. Ther
music assumes forms of its own; it materializes, as Jim would say, and
each man as listens understands in his own way its language. It brings
ter ther human ear the tones uv ther ocean when it sobs agin ther sands;
it steals ther echo of the melodies thet the winds wakes when they
touches ther arms uv ther great pines on ther mountain tops and makes 'em
ther harps; it steals ther babble from the brooks; it calls back all ther
voices of the woods when within 'em ther matin' birds is all singin' in
chorus; it borrers ther thunder from ther storm; it sarches ther whole
world for melodies, 'nd blends 'em all for our use.
"Still, they all ter-night war, ter me, only compniments. Underneath all
wur a symphony which wur thet of a higher soul singin' ter my soul--may
be 'twere my mother's singin' ter my soul uv glories thet we hasn't yet
reached. It war a call fur men ter look higher ter whar thar is melodies
too solemn 'nd sweet fur ther dull ears uv poor mortality ter hear, ter
whar ez picters too fair fur our darkened eyes ter see, but which all
august is a-waitin' fur us.
"When I war sick, I thot one night I hearn Margery prayin' fur me; some
uv thet music ter-night seemed like a rehearsal uv thet prayer."
"Why, Mr. Jordan, that is better than the opera itself," said Grace; and
Margaret bent and kissed the brave man's hand, while he blushed like a
girl, and said, "Sho'."