The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-01-22
VO l.. TX.

Stautuue 10 yOui your motive could have bee
only KIND one IN coming to sacrifice a par
oiyour evening in talking TO plain person
when you are surrounded by so many hand
some ones, that | could not find il in my hear
to requite you BY a series of'yes and mo- re
plies even with the variation Of DO Won thin
, SO " Very rue and Il have often considered
, SO, myself
: And can you really suppose that feel
sacrifice oflim to converse with YOU
Not now, because it is evident you ar,
entertained by my conversation; but whef
I you only judged of me by my exterior, you
taste could not incline youto cultivate my &C
quanhnce; however your pity might Undue,
you TO do so.'
BE more charitable to yourself, and to me-
not conscious Of being uncliariable tc
ether
Yes, you fail in one species of charity,
however you may excel in another; the boun-
ties oil Miss Gerard in her own neighborhood
are not unknown to me-
4 The bounties Of Miss Gerard are all un-
worthy 10 be SO publicly chronicled.'
Would that she might condescend TO in
duige me with 4 private communication of
them
Nay, you would soon grow weary of the
annals oil The outage aud the village school.
No, when related by one who -
Pray pardon me for my want of courtesy
in interrupting you; but am anxious TO save
you from still greater lapse OF courtesy, a
young lady is preparing to sing
Amherst was silent, and the song was be-
gun and finished.
Let me prevail on you TO favor us, said
Amherst TO Miss Gerard, with the slightest
possible tinge of PATRONAGE his manner =
you need not be discouraged by the style of
the lady who has just quilted the piano.
/ 'Assuredly not she replied with a smile;
her style is very defective; she has evident
/ ly not. like myself, had the adva ntage of a
| good master
Ard you also possess said Amherst, that
advantage which is defined to constitute two
thirds of ,he requisite in a singer and am
much deceived i'll your voice in speaking
if your tones are not delightful in sing
ing
Il suppose / ought, in accordance with the
established rule, 10 say that have no voice,
and that have sevsre cold, and that am
quite out of practice; but as could not say
any Of these things in truth, l am not dis
posed TO say them at ALL
Then you will oblige us!'
Willingly; as l cannot be ornamental
with Mrs Estcour's party, the least | can
do is to make myself useful
| Amherst led Mrs Gerard to the piano,
! thinking at the same time, that, clever. ami
mated and entertaining as she was, she GER
tainly seemed the least in the world vain OF
her musical abilities. The young lady who
had proceeded her, and who, on account of
her profusion of sunny ringlets, was gen.
orally known by the name of the fair one
with the golden locks had played and sung
as fair ones with golden locks are very much
in the habit of doing. She had played the
somphony of her song with feeble, confused
touch, and when she had got to the end had
played it all over again, meaning to perform
much better, but in reality performing much
worse. She had begun her strain ina very
faint, quivering tone; as she progressed, her
voice had grown loud, but proportionably
husky; when she came near the end of the
air, she percipitated the time in her anxiety
10 get her task over; and she concluded with
cadence penciled for her by her Master,
which put every one in mind of slovenly
shuttle at cards, and which she crowned with
all imperfect, ill-sustained shake. As she
had played The symphony twice over at the
beginning, she made matters even worse by
merely striking chord (which WAS false
one) at the end of her song smiled around OH
her auditors as if she were awaiting for three
rounds of applause-and when told that the
song was charming, and that she had sung it
divinely. meekly responded, DO you think
SOP
\ different sort Of exhibition awaited the
party. Miss Gerard, after brilliant and sci
entfc prelude, began 10 sing well-knOwn
and popular song; her splendid and exquisite
ly managed voice rather resembled the clear,
ringing tones of professional excellence, than
the low, languid murmuring of ameteur per-
Torrance. She displayed neither diffidence
nor confidence; it was evident that the Ian
guage of song was as that of speech to her,
and she was completely careless as to the eff
feet she produced upon her auditory, know
ing before hand what it was certain to be-
Few people are accurate judges of either
music or painting, butthe brilliant singerand
the exquisite artist find their way at once TO
the hearts and taste of the multitude. OF
Miss Gerard's singing there could be no two
opinions; a child would admire it for its
sweetness, and a professor for its science;
the room was hushed in silence, and even
! few of The chaperons came in from the adjoin-
ing apartment to add their tribute of wonder
to that OF the rest of the panty. Miss Gerard
carelessly struck chords on the piano which
showed her perfect familiarity with thorough
bass, while the burst of applause that gfeeted
her song continued till, on hearing " the fair
one with golden locks" whisper to a friend
that "she thought very little of singing, and
I that it was far more desirable TO excel in in
strumental performance" she Immediately
struck into wild extcmpore piece of music.
[ Mrs. Anderson could scarcely have made
the instrument speak more intelliSibly; she
absolutely electrified the prim cabinet piano,
which had never revibrated TO such touch be-
fore. She then rose to quit her seat, but Am
herst, almost passionately entreating for 'one
more song induced her to resume it, and
with exquisite pathos she sung words of high
poetic beauty which were unknown 10 Am
herst, adapted to an old Scottish melody
which was well known to him.
Now then,' she said to Amerhast, Il
must hope you will not ask me to sing
again, for | do - wish you to subject
yourself to the modification of refusal
AYE why refuse me, Miss Gerand
Are you tired yourself, or do you think