Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-04-02

, and eloquence, with pathos and importantly.
fund himself compelled to yield, which he did
with the worst grace imaginable. Away went
the choristcrs, rejoicing in the triumph of music
and full of glec at the thought of the wonderful
figure they should cut on the morrow, when, as
sisted BY the chaps from the next village they
astonished the natives with the Ilallelulah Che
rus.
That night neither the singers nor the rector
slept; the former were kept awake by the an
ticipation of musical glory, and the latter was
made restless by the dread of musical absurdty.
Good Friday came the whole village looked
more like scene of fcstvty than of fasting
The chaps from the next village as Martin
Grub called them. were as gay as so many larks:
there was such display OF blue coats and yell
low buttons as never was seen before. The
singing gallery was full to suflocaton, and the
church itself was crowded. The squire of the
parish was present. aud his family also were pres
ent with him. and the singers were so happy that
they could hardly contain themselves. They
did not mind the PRAYERS: they had heard them
before. and did not think them half so well worth
hearing as the IIallelujah Chorus. There was
such rustling of leaves. OF music books, and
such buzz of whispering voices, that the worthy
rector could hardly be heard. The chorsters
had arranged that the IIaeuiah Chorus should
/
thought that the prayers would never be over :
they were as inpatient as young horse IN har-
ness.
At length the prayers were finished, and the
merciless chorisiers let loose upon the congre-
cation to intlict whatever musical torture they
peasod. Away they burst with relentless and
resisiless fury. There was such scraplng. and
blowing, and roaring. and growing. and scream
ing. as never was heard; the powers OF every
voice. and of every instrument, were eXerted to
the utmost of their capabilitv there was such
an infinite variety of articulation of hd'ieiorW
hoiieiuyear, 0'yluyer. and aiD,en. and dicHeH and
ameen. that none but the initiated could form IA
guess what the singers were about. The pa
tent and afflicted rector sat still in his pulpit.
waiting till the storm should be over: he knew
that it could not last forever, and that they must
soon sing themselves hoarse or out of breath
There is an Irish proverb which says, Single
misiortunes never come alone this was verified
in the present case: for IA misunderstanding oc-
Cured, which produced "A double infection of the
music Messrs. Grubb, Crabbe, Bang, Crack,
and their friends when performing at the cath'
dral. had observed that one or two parts of the
performance had been encored by signal from
his grace the Duke of -. who was present as
patron, and that signal consisted of the silent
waving or lifting up OF a white pockct-handker-
chief. Now, unfortunately. ustas the band was
bringing its mighty performance to a close, the
squire of the parish most innocently drew his
handkerchief out of his pocket; but happening
to draw il forth with peculiar grace, or with
what Mr.. Grub and his friends Thought pecu-
liar grace. they were most graciously pleased to
take it for granted that it must be signal for "A
repetition of the chorus and therefore, Just al
the moment when the good rector was pleasing
himself with the thought that the absurd display
was over, they all burst forth again with renewed
vigor. tie thought that Iney were absolutely
mad; he looked he sighed he shook his head
but he was only answered by 'halieiuyear,' ally
luyer;' and when they had finished the second
time. he was half afraid that they would begin
again, and sing it the third time. When the SER
vices was over, the good man took the liberty to
hint to his musical parishioncrs that he thought
they had performed work Of supererogation in
performing the chorus twice. They themselves
felt that they had somewhat encroached, but they
laid the blame upon the squire, whose slightest
wish, thry thon-ht should be obcyed.--The
squire was very sorry wipn he tbu nd what
mischief he had inadvertently done, and prom>-
ed that he would take care in future, not TO pull
out his handkerchief again in singing time.