window. So on every moonlight night he took the book from the cupboard and worked hard at his window, copying the music note by note. Before morning he had to slip the book back into its case.

For six months he toiled to make a complete copy. He was not old enough to realize that he was straining his eyes in this poor light. When he grew up, his eyes gave him a great deal of trouble, and in his old age he became totally blind. But in his boyhood he never thought of this danger. He rubbed his tired eyes when they ached, and worked harder than ever to finish his copy of the beloved book.

He was

Just after the copy was finished, his brother found it. The unkind man was more jealous than ever. angry, too, because of the boy's disobedience. the copy away and hid it.

He took

Sebastian's many nights of

patient, loving labor were wasted.

When Sebastian was about fifteen years old his brother died. Now he was left without home or money. He had a fine voice and soon obtained a place in the choir of a nearby town. Here he had an opportunity to study and to receive lessons. He helped the director of the choir and also made himself useful in playing the clavichord and the violin.

On holidays Sebastian used to walk to Hamburg, over thirty miles away, to hear a famous Dutch organist. One day when he was trudging home, he stopped to rest outside

an inn. The kitchen window was open and the hungry boy knew from the odor that a good dinner was being cooked.

While he was wishing that he could get something to eat, a servant threw two fish heads out of the window. Bach promptly picked them up. To his astonishment and delight, he found a piece of money in each one!

All his life Bach worked and studied as hard as he had worked in his boyhood. He became a good violinist and a great organist and harpsichordist. But most important of all, he became one of the greatest composers that the world has ever known. He wrote music for every instrument then in use. His church music was particularly beautiful.

Although Bach had some troubles as he grew older, his home life was very happy. He had a large family and all his children were musical. His wife was a good singer. She was interested in his work, and he composed songs and clavichord pieces for her.

A German-American artist has painted a pretty picture that shows the Bach family singing their morning hymn. The composer is seated at the clavichord, one of his sons is playing the violin, the mother is singing in her sweet soprano, and the eldest daughter is helping the younger children with their music. The dear little girl on the floor is more interested in the cat than she is in the hymn, and her father is giving her a kindly smile.

One of Bach's sons was almost as famous a musician as his father. This son was named Emanuel. He became a musician in the service of Frederic the Great.

Frederic was a lover of music, and he was eager to have a visit from the renowned Sebastian Bach. But Sebastian was by this time an old man. He was very busy and did not care to make the long journey. At last, however, he decided to visit his son at Frederic's court.

The King had an orchestra which gave concerts every evening. Frederic often played on the flute at these concerts. One evening when the orchestra was ready and the King had just put his flute to his lips, a servant brought him a list of the strangers who had arrived that day.

Still holding the flute, the King glanced through the list. Then he turned to the musicians in great excitement. "Gentlemen," he cried, "old Bach has come!"

Frederic laid down his flute and the concert was given up. Bach was at his son's house. He was asked to come immediately to the palace. There was no time to put on his black court dress, and he had to appear before the King in his dusty traveling clothes.

The King led the grand old musician from room to room and begged him to try the fine pianos. Everyone was astonished by Bach's performance.

"I am not easily surprised," said Frederic the Great, "but I must confess that this wonderful music amazes even me. Ah, there is only one Bach!"