The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-08-13
1ConcluSion.1


Before the violin was purchased, they some
times, when at work in the corn-felds, suppl
ed the want by simple rustic instrument
formed from the cornstallx, called in their
country the corn-stalk fiddle and Asa, who
was always fond of the violncello, used to
keep time in the village-choir ON Sundays by
old wooden pew, by which he could produce
somewhat the effect of that instrument. 1t
may not be amiss to mention here that their
vocal practice was mostly in the fields" the
happiest place on earth, as one of them has
said, I" to sing in," excepting when in an eve
ming they returned from the fields, and all
and brother-in singing some good old-fash-
fancy, which are ever new, and never to be
forgotten" But to return to the violin, for
which Judson worked so hard.
He practised on his violin secretly, and in
the meantime John also possessed himself of
one. Whether the one emboldened the other
or not we cannot say, but it so happened that
tons March" within their fathers hearing,
though at that time unknown to them. To
their great astonishment but to their infinite
ASihCi, ilO LlduC III ODJCCClol w UhSli 'lOilhoi
which now came forth into open daylight, and
his consent was soon after obtained to their
devoting themselves to theirart They now
organized their little community into bands;
four of whom were always to remain at home
to work on the farm, whilst the others were
out on their musical tours. They commence
ed singing in public in 1S41.
AT this very time, besides the four in Eng
land, another quartett-Joshua, Caleb, Zeph-
aniah, and Rhoda are travelling in America
1t has been beautifully and appropriately said
of this interesting family, that they have one
quartet in Heaven, one in the Old World,
one in the New, and one remaining to work
on the Old Home Farm The necessity how
ever, that there seemed to be for a fifth broth
er to accompany the quartet to England, to
take the management of the business depart
ment, has left at this moment, but three on
the farm and in speaking of those in Eng
land, we must not omit to mention this fifth
brother, Jesse, of whom the public know
nothing. He is considered by the quartet
themselves as superior to them in talent, and
is also the author Of several songs which they
have made familiar to the public; for instance,
g Get off the Track" "The Slaves Appeal"
The Old Granite State" &c. Like all the
rest of the family, he has his own individual
calling at home, and is by trade printer
The whole family are extremely attached to
this brother, and it has been beautifully said
by some of them, when speaking Of him
"When Jesse comes into the house, it is as
If he brought fresh breezes from the hills
with him." This is delightful also, and gives
a charming idea of the family spirit: AS
soon as he was seen, while yet but a printers
apprentice, coming towards his home on a
Saturday night by the little foot-path that
crosses the hills all would set up shout Of
joy-even the very dog parked for JOY of his
coming or when his voice was heard singing
as he came near, the sound thrilled to every
heart" There is, it is said, an extraordina-
ny enthusiasm about him, which carries all
hearts along with him; and at Temperance
and Anti-Slavery meetings in his native coun-
try, his eloquence and force of character are
irresistible,
Our readers are acquainted with the beau
tlfud and pious custom of the Thanksgiving
day, which, originating with the Puritans, in
celebration Of the arrival of the Pilgrim Faith
ers in a land of liberty and peace, is now be-
come as much social as a national festival.
The American farmer holds his Thanksgiving
day at the close of the harvest, when he has
enriched himself with the bounty of the year,
and his heart naturally overhows with graft
tude to the Giver of all good. Happy fami-
lies celebrate it,perhaps on some especial day
of domestic blessing, when all their members
meet to rejoice together. In the Hutchinson
Family this festival is held in December, on
the birthday of the old grandfather Leavitt,
now turned ninety, when four generations
assembled around him, to the number, on the
last occasion, of forty-four persons. This last
general meeting of the family was, however,
one Of deep sorrow, and removing one below
ed brother from EARTH completed the quartet
in Heaven.
The four youngest members of the family
returned home from a tour of five hundred
miles, to celebrate the annual day of rejoicing,
and found their brother Benjamin, a young
man nobly gifted like themselves, slightly un-
we'll Serious symptoms succeed and the
greatest alarm spread through the family !;
It was typhus fever; and from the rst he fore
told his death. Before many days, the sisters
husband sickened of the same complaint, and
terror and dismay fell on the whole house.
One day Benjamin heard the dinner-bellring,
and said, Let mo rise and make myself
ready, for that bell is for the Thanksgiving