As one emerging from the sea the
leader mounted his perch. As be looked
calmly about the gaze of 1,400 alert
eyes centered on the little stick beheld
lu his hand. With the little stick he
rapped on the rail of bia perch. There
fell a hush like that which comes be?
fore a storm. Ile raised his arni. The
hand holding Ca- baton made a quick
movement From tba1 big orchestra
burst a volume of music. The over?
ture was begun. Grandly lt swung
along until, with a wavelike motion.
the chorus rose. A whole arm sweep
of the little stick and 7<KJ voices were
blended into one mighty volume of
sound.
It was as much like the roar of surf
as anything I had evtr heard; but, at
least to my ears. I: was not music In
vain di<l I listen for harmony, for mel?
ody; in vain did I try to lit the sound
to the sense. ??Help, Lord! Wilt thou
quite destroy usV" Thi se were the
words they were repeating, over and
over again; ii--t with any regard to
their tragic meaning, so far as I could
discover, but according to some arbi?
trary form fixed by tbe composer.
Un and on they sang, the volume DOW
diminishing, now Increasing; violins
wailing, cymbals ringing, drums throb?
bing, brasses braying and patt me,
with no music In me, straining every
sense fo grasp that which others heard.
But no music could I hear. Humbly I
make the confession it was noise, just
a big noise, and nothing more.
