THE LEGEND OF THE ORGAN-BUILDER
Day by day the Organ-Builder in his lonely chamber wrought;
Day by day the soft air trembled to the music of his thought;
Day by day the soft air trembled to the music of his thought;
Till at last the work was ended, and no organ voice so grand
Ever yet had soared responsive to the master's magic hand.
Ever yet had soared responsive to the master's magic hand.
Ay, so rarely was it builded that whenever groom or bride
Who in God's sight were well pleasing in the church stood side by side,
Who in God's sight were well pleasing in the church stood side by side,
Without touch or breath the organ of itself began to play,
And the very airs of heaven through the soft gloom seemed to stray.
And the very airs of heaven through the soft gloom seemed to stray.
He was young, the Organ-Builder, and o'er all the land his fame
Ran with fleet and eager footsteps, like a swiftly rushing flame.
Ran with fleet and eager footsteps, like a swiftly rushing flame.
All the maidens heard the story; all the maidens blushed and smiled,
By his youth and wondrous beauty and his great renown beguiled.
By his youth and wondrous beauty and his great renown beguiled.
So he sought and won the fairest, and the wedding-day was set:
Happy day—the brightest jewel in the glad year's coronet!
Happy day—the brightest jewel in the glad year's coronet!
