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A STORY OF HANDEL.,

   

G EORGE HANDEL, the great musician, was
We once, when a boy, invited with his father
’ to visit an uncle; “[he’father, who did not
° want his boy to study music, would not
let him go, fearing that in Halle, where
the uncle lived, he might find opportunity
for hearing good music, which would only increase his longing
to make it the study of his life. So the father went off alone.
But little George was not easily daunted. He started
out early in the morning, long before his father, for whom
he waited at a spot miles from home. He was so hot
and tired, and he had come so far, that his father could
not find it in his heart to turn him back, so they jogged
on together. At last they reached the end of their journey,
and during their stay at Halle George heard such music
as he had never heard before. One Sunday, after service
in church, the boy suddenly disappeared, and_ was, .found
playing the organ, while the organist, and his oe listened
in amazement:
A whisper of the boy’s wonderful fallen at fact reached
- the Duke of Saxony, who sent for him ‘and ~ his’ father,
and persuaded the latter to let his son study music. The
Duke paid for his lessons, and we all know how, in after
years, he became one of the greatest musicians the world
has ever seen. In his old age, Handel suffered from blind-
ness; but he would not give up his beloved music; and
it used to bring tears to the eyes of many to see the ‘blind
old master being led to the organ, and afterwards before
the company to acknowledge their applause.