Show for the despret news the last lait days of Al mozart A fistori cal sketch BY ALEX alexander ANDEn ander OTT mozart noble bard thy mind was a mirror of the world around reflecting its objects and scenes beautified by the prismatic hues of a poetic soul to descend into the depths of thy own spirit to unlock its immeasurable riches and to embody thy thoughts in music as the them hieroglyphics of human feelings was thy predominating inclination that great maestro mastro has no wrested long lone years in the gravel but the remembrance of him and his works moves me yet his likeness as I 1 saw it in the I 1 imperial picture gallery of vienna 1 I I shall not forget the ca calm caim I 1 m dignified fied fled handsome man with his black locks grom from whose every feature beamed peace love and beneficent goo is still vividly before me and recalls to my mind the events of his last aa adaya Moz arts beautiful opera the tragic flute had fidd been performed with a success almost unparalleled in dramatic history this wonderful work in which the composer poured out his soul to heaven as if he were some lost peri that would fain thus sin sing g its redemption back within the gates of paradise improved at last his temporal prospects A number of the he hungarian aristocracy had promised him an H annual subscription of while the natch dutch government increased the funds for the support of the great artist with the condition of whitin g eve y year ear a few pieces exclusively for the im m stage but alas mozart was not permitted to rest long on n the laurels of his artistic triumphs the great exertion he made in writing hl his s grand requiem that wonderful work the or origin 0 min gin of f which is wrapped in so much mystery impaired ired hits fits heal health thi s seriously erious ly at the same bame time ja depression of spirit overcame him to such extent that nothing could remove it little cause reason has sometimes to exult in her fancied triumphs triumphal though forti lorti gie rie arvith every prudent resolve and strengthened edgy edry a strong train of consequences let but sic bic i mess wess appear in full force she quits her sead sea fand trembling yields the empire to her powerful adversary ill mozart who from the philosophical cast of his mind generally looked on the bright sunny side of things had with a peculiar despondency at the first attack f I 1 indisposition n cil oll position almost fancied himself at the at ates a 0 of death deith 0 on a beautiful day while taking a ride with w wiep in the famous prater tears gushed lil ill yes eyes and he said cylear ear cons Cona constance tance I 1 feel I 1 shall soon I 1 ae I 1 J e for ft a better world I 1 do not kno know w how it ibi iti i i lit ut I 1 cannot get rid of the idea that some inq given me a slow poison where i P relapsed into a moody silence th g is in every true womans comans heart a A ark of heavenly fire which lies dormant in in tri the broa uda daylight light of prosperity but which ki adles uund beana and blazes in the dark ibur ur of a it was at such a moment hat at his wife showed herself the worthy com anion of the great gleat nim nix itro being naturally aa a ky gay buoyant disposition she revolted at se e gloomy mood of her husband and clun clung to tra tre P ach sunny regions of former happiness hap happiness giness in they had hitherto revelled bevelled revel led she he there her sprightly powers and tender blandishments blandish ments to win tina lira nim din back to his wonted hii hit hily aw ity y baklin barrin in the characteristic smile had from his cheek the lustre of his eyes was vas was quench quenched edwith with sickness the once rt light lightly ya in n that bosom was e now I 1 weighed hed down by a gloomy despondency nc y tiance C on lne the cele celebrated biale d dr closset con stance waS advised to take her husband tbt TOT c atagi e w oui out outstay sid the suburbs near the pra ter remote from all the noise and bustle of a tumultuous city life beside that vine clad cotta cottage which from the many associations with Moz loz arts last days has become a classic memento of departed genius and claims now the passing tribute of the intelligent and fine feeling traveler is a stone bridge arching a flamin foaming T torrent beneath farther beyond are the roofs of a village and towering over all rises a noble castle and in the back ground is a chain of blue hills rising here and there into a peak while from the gothic steeple of an old chapel near by ring out the mornin morning and evening evening 0 chimes plaintive soot soothing hing bing aimes almes chimes that soften the heart to a tender sadness as their music comes floating through the air sach sich was the romantic and beautiful spot in which mozart breathed his bis last moments on his arrival at the lovely cottage be he seemed to improve and declared that the idea of being poisoned was merely the result of his sickness from which he had now recovered and for a little while lebis his spirits were soothed and relieved by domestic endearments in the little world of love at home of which he was the monarch mozart and his big wife were knit together in the st strongest rODgest affection and he delighted if eted already in the tle anticipation of indulging her again in those romantic pursuits and de delicate t tastes that spread such a peculiar charm around his family circle but alas those two pure and noble hearts so long iong one were to be torn apart I 1 mozart relapsed again into his gloomy despondency and became seriously ill so that he was confined to his bed still his bis mind was on the 1 sublime requiem and so great was the zeal j with which he continued his work that he had each number as soon as finished played and sung in his room by several of the biad le ad j ing members of the imperial Emp erial opera he gener all ali ally aily ilis ills joining in or conducting the ensemble his illness assumed at last such an alarming character that his hia dissolution was hourly expected it was a sight touching to to tears to I 1 see the lingering patient look with a sad smile I 1 on her who when assailed by the bitter blasts I 1 of adversity h had a d been his stay and solace supporting tenderly his drooping head and I 1 binding up his broken heart from the application of water on his head he soon became insensible and remained thus up tip to his death even while in his last moments his wandering mind reverted to the requiem and he was wa blowing slowing out his cheeks while trying to imitate the sound of kettle drums and cymbals towards midnight he raised himself up his eyes glaring and glassy then benad bending his hea head towards the wall he seemed to fall fali la 11 asleep and at I 1 am 2 vilt december 5 1790 his spirit had winged 0 his flight lit to a better world ta the two faithful servants had bad to perform the melancholy duty of dressing their master whom they not only respected but loved the corpse covered with a black pall was laid out on a common bier in his study near the piano an inkstand ink stank with a pen in it stood on a small table in the middle of the room the I 1 music of the unfinished requiem lay on the j piano A few pictures hung upon the wall recalling memo memories ries rles of dear friends and of past scenes of enjoyment all day ion lon long the room was crowded with people of every every class of society who came to pay their tribute of respect to the great mastro maestro many a tear was shed and anti manya many a bosom heaved sorrowfully at the demise of him who had been kind and obliging towards everybody the people be began bean 0 an at last to realize whom they i j had bad lost loste poor broken hearted constance now deg destined to wander alone over the dark waves of life her star of happiness had waned and departed forever yr van sweeten Swi eten the rich and noble patron of cozatt mozart had the mourning widow removed to a family of his acquaintance he also attended I 1 to the arrangement of the funeral which in consideration of the reduced circumstances of the departed artist was a plain one the wealthy nobleman never thought of honoring the great inastri so much as to defray the expenses of of a decent respectable burial himself im on the ath december at 3 pm Moart Moz noart arts ls body was wag in accordance with the roman itoman catholic rite consecrated at the cathedral of st stephen not in the church itself but north of the same in ili the so called cross chapel which joins the sacristan church the weather was very bad as it snowed and rained incessantly and the few friends who had met to attend the funeral stood with umbrellas over their heads round the bier the ile procession moved towards the cemetery of st mark As the violence of the th eweather weather increased the mourners returned half way no friend no relation was at the grave from mere economy Moz arts remains were deposited in a so called common grave which generally receives about 20 coffins and which are exhumed every ten years to make room for others no monument not even a single cross designates Moz arts resting place the bereaved widow being left with two small children in very reduced circumstances applied to the emperor leopold for assistance and received from him an annual pension of and at the same time 2000 to pay Moz arts artys debts which had been incurred in I 1 consequence of much sickness i A firm in savannah has baa lust just received an order for feet of pine lumber for the holy land portions of the cargo are destined for jerusalem and damascus A similar venture made last year was successful As the savanah republican truly remarks rema r k a it there is something novel in the thought th that a athe the places of the holy land are to be rebuilt with mae rials nials taken frona from the forests of georgia 12 |