The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-05-01

TO make the most socisble use Of the few minutes
| opportunity Of conversation.
| Here and there were ashyer couple or two,
discoursing more in looks than in spoken words,
| and perhaps more in heart than in eye, provoking
the sly smiles or more sly jokes Of their rough,
unsympathizing comrades. In the first rank sat
one or two who gazed round upon the throng with
an expression of self-satisfaction and assurance
| they were of +" the initiated
The door opened and mere was sudden rus
| Ting down into great pause as " the master D
entered He switched before him a large-headed
cane with an air of authority, and bore under his
left arm a bundle of bank-looking books
Running his fingers daintily through his long
| front locks, and making solemn professional bow
to the "ladies and gentlemen" he commenced a
most edifying prelude, in which he dilated on
" the qualification it gave him to have the honor,
&c. the Importance Of the art and science of vo-
cslism, &c the advantages Of cultivating the
vocal abilities in youth-(and here he added, with
an encouraging nod to his right hand, that none
Of any age need despair of attaining, by perseve-
rance, a high promontory of excellence, though
they should not climb the. pinnscle) &c the in
dispensability Of good order (which he doubted
| not warA be preserved1 TO good progress &C"
| He wound up his perorstion BY graceful wave
|
meath him-a high recommendation of the same,
accompanied by an exceedingly brief biographical
sketch of Lowell Mason, the author OF said
books-and, finally, an appeal to the assembly in
general to provide themselves Herewith, for a
certain number of dimes, as an indispensable step
in the way whereby he was to guide them.
This was little unexpected. The young peo-
| pie opened their eyes wider, and stared wonder
| ingy first at the speaker, then at the books, and
| A. -. L. rlor ooI .,,ko -
others faces little anxously and distrustfully,
or fumbled instinctively in their purse pockets
At last, one, gaining little assurance from two
| or three whispers behind him, advanced boldly,
and, with one or two "hems, y laid the " Boston
Academy's" down upon the table in front of the
orator.
"Some on us have this, and some have The
CboirI and there's two or three other good sing
in books amongst u.s. Can't we make shift to do
without all them new books5
By no means, my dear Sir" rejoined the new.
conner, with the blandest of smiles and the poitest
of bows, to soften his unyielding speech. /" You
can very easily see, my friends, how necessary it
is that all of you should have books, and that the
books should be alike How could district
school teacher get on with a class studying three
or four different spelling books2 leave it to the
good sense Of the gentlemen
None of the gentlemen were disposed to con-
slider themselves deficient in good sense,n and
certainly the demand appeared very reasonable
the more 80, after one or two of the most moneyed
men had stalked up to the stand, turned critically
the unsoiled leaves Of the new books and ex-
changed each q coin of hard silver for a copy.
Their example was gradually followed by others;
but knot of the more hesitating still fingered
behind consulting in perplexed whispers. At
last, one advanced from their midst, and laid his
hand upon book.
"Please, Mr. he stammered, with an effort at
carelessness "wad ye taxi the price In butter 2"
A somewhat embarrassed but still polite bow
preceded the vender's reply.
"Why, sir-really, IL don't keep house, sir !;
and 80 don't see that should have any occasion
for such an article! | dare say it will find a
ready market in town, and you can bring the price
to me, you know. paid cash down for the books
myself, must tell you, gentlemen"
A few more whispers followed, and then the
clique Of whisperers marched up masse, and
each possessed himself triumphantly of a volume
Now that the school was furnished with books
it became matter of some moment to supply it
steel oandlestcks susssinsd' 1 sSiH@%srins lights
upon the masters stand, and few Others private
property, sparkled here and there In the crowd /;
but shadow rested upon the faces of most.
boy was despatched to the nearest farm. house
for o bunch Of tallow candles, with which he re-
turned speedily, out of breath. But for candle
sticks2 Necessity is the mother of invention"
as saith the old copy book; and present necessi-
ties called quite q novel invention into being.
The blank leaves Of the old singing books were
twisted into horns a candle was inserted into
one end of each of these, and the other end fast
ened by some youngsters jack-knife to the back
Of the seat just before the one destined to be ilu
minated.
OF course, this untred mode of imparting light
was not without its dangers, like some newer
modes that have followed It. Whiskers and curls
were occasionally singed, and cap border or
veil curtailed of its fair proportions; but no
frightful confagration occurred, though our pat
ent candlesticks were much in use through the
season.
All things being made ready, Mr. Disney pro-
ceeded to the grand business of the evening In
good earnest
Ladies aud gentlemen!n exclaimed he, draw
ing up to dignifed height again, ait has been
my usual practice to try every one of the voices
in my class separately But will not insist upon
it tonight in the case of the ladies'" a complsi-
SAINT wave of the hand to the glowing daughters
of creation beneath him, "but shall request the
gentlemen, who are not SO easily embarrassed, to
sound each note after me, one by one.
"First bench Of ladies' will you rise and fall
the SCALE after me2o
Here the tuning-for sent forth doleful sound
from which his practiced voice jumped down the
ladder of notes to the "tonic"
"Do-ol Ladies, will you be good enough to
articulate do-o!"
Two damsels blushed, and were voiceless; one
put her book up before her face and giggled
while the remainder made an attempt at the tone,
not unlike the patterng of slow summer shower
upon timed roof for tremulousness. 1t quiv-
cred away into kind Of faint stiffness, as the
frightened heroines turned pale and ohoked at
their own audacity
"Well, we'll you must get over this bashful-
ness lades!n exclaimed their tutor pro tenn clear
ing his throat rather impatiently. "Gentlemen,
| know you all have voices and are not afraid to
have them heard Mr-Q don't know your
| name) please to srticulate doc"
1Don exploded like a csunon-ball on the lips
Of the sturdy farmer, who had never in his whole
| life uttered any sound more musical than "hur-
| ra 10 his oxen Nature had given him correct
ear, however, though 1t had lain dormant as re"
| spected sweet harmonies until how. He Chamber
| ed successfully up the seven rounds Of "the
SCALE" but faltered in trying to ascend higher
| Still he persisted, with his lips and eyes firmly
| fixed, and the big drops starting from his brown
| forehead, till his tone dwindled TO the expiring
shrieks Of distant steam-engine whistle.
"You'll make singer, sir! very fine singer,
sir! 6rst-rate singer sir !" CALCULATED the graf
fled Mr.. Disney. @Never too late, sir never
| too old Glad to see you here sirl"
The farmer bowed his head In sort of depre-
eating modesty, while the knight of the tuning
fork passed to the next.
The "pitch" was given and taken, and the
| master went up the usual ascent, confidently ex-
pecting TO lead his pupil after him. But not so
not one step would the voice Of the follower take
from the dead level of "don The young man
was evidently not troubled with bashfulness; he
tried to perform his task in the very best posi-
BILE manner, and enunciated the one tone fully
and distinctly but il was impossible TO drive