Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-08-24

Onihe Ihdt VI many singers, tne artichIatlol
of little Mary" was perfect. The Deacon
soon found the place, and to the astonishment o.
the congregation, indignation of the choir. and
perfect horror of little Mary, he :" struck in y
and accompanied her through the whole solo
Accompanied soft in the Silly night" ac-
companied by Capt. Bragg's battery, would
give some notion of it. Poor little Mary was
sick fortaightv Why don't you cut that old
fellows tongue off :" said one of the Boston
singers. "What good would it do'" replied
the clroir-leadcr, I" he would howl through his
nose" They were all very cross. As for the
good Deacon, he looked around as innocent as a
lamb, and thought he had sung as well as any of
them.
immediately after meeting, the choir-leadcr
called on the minister :. Sir said he, " this
must stop IF Deacon Goodman sings again,
do not"
Oh, know it., said the minister, " have
long felt the difficulty, but what can we do 7
Deacon Goodman is u most excellent ma n,
his only faults are that he is rather set in his
way, and will sing in meeting"
q" But Deacon Goodman is a reasonable man, "
said the choir-leader.
Certainly; on most Occasioas," replied the
minister.
"Do go and see him, sir, for my mind is made
up; if he sings in meeting, do not
The minister did 60 deacon Goodwin,
siI he " have come on delicate errand
have come to present the respectful request OF
the choir that yon would not hereafter sing in
meeting"
The Deacon was thundorstruck but he soon
recovered. Singing is praying" said he
" They may just as well ask me not to pray.
shall sing in meeting"
On the next Sabbath, sure enough, he did
sing-and louder, and, if possible, more inhar-
moniously than ever The men singers looked
daggers at him. while the girls hid their smiles
behind their music books. Little Mary was not
there.
"This shall stop" said the choir-lcader. 81
will 60 and see him myself"
"Deacon Goodman" said the leader, " we all
most highly respect you, as you must well know
but you have not the musical ear nor the mu.
steal voice. and it is the earnest wish of the
choir, and many of the congregation, that YOU
do not again sing in meeting"
The Deacon was again thunderstruck, but
soon recovered. "Singing is praying" said hei
"and they might just as well ask me not tc
pray. | shall sing in meeting"
The good Deacon was dreadfully set in his
own way, and it went on again week after week
in the same old way.
Finally, while engaged in an errand of mercy
one day, the good Deacon caught very serious
cold it affected his throat, his nose, and even
his lungs; and gave to his voice . tone not uns
like that of the lowest note Of cracked bass
viol alternating with the shrek of clarionet
powerfully but unskilfully blown. Saturday
evening he soaked his feet in warm water drank
copiously of hot balm tea, went to bed, and sale
he felt comfortable.
"Now, Deacon" said Mrs. Goodman, "you
are dreadful hoarse; you won't sing to- morrow
will you!" "Singing is praying-and he
dropped asleep.
Sure enough, he did 81 sing tomorrow" ant
it surpassed all that had gone before. "This
is the last of it," said the choir-leader. 81 hay,
done"
In the afternoon the gallery was vacant, SOM
of the singers absent and others scattered abou
in the pews The minister read three verses o
psalm, and then observed, L" the choir being
absent, singing must necessarily be omitted.
But Deacon Goodman saw no such necessity. HI
arose and sung the three verses himself Ill
stopped six times to sneeze! and blew his nos
between the verses by way of symphony
The next day he was sick abed. A parisl
meeting was hastily called, and resolution
unanimously passed, that, whereas the solem
nifty and decorum Of public worship depen'
much on the character Of the music; Resolved
that hereafter no person shall sing in meeting
in this parish, without the appreciation of th'
choir " Ratho stringent measure bu
what could they do!
The minister called on Deacon Goodman, ant
handed him the resolution. He read it owe
three times lie then calmly folded up the pa
per, and handed it back to the minister. 60 Thi
is free country yet, hope. shall sing ii
meet'ng!" lie said those very words. He wa
dreadfully d" set in his way"
Then, Deacon" said the minister, 81 hav
a painful duty to perform. am instructed t
tell you that your connection with the societ
must cease"
The Deacon here started from his seat. Ha
the full moon split in four pieces, and danced
quadrille in the heavens, Orion singing, and tn
Northern Bear growing bass, he could not hav
after emotion rolled over his heaving spirit. A
length tears came to his relief, as they say i
the novels. He spoke, but almost inarticulatt
ly. 81 know am poor unworthy creature
but hope they will take me in somewhere
The minister wept himself; how could he hel
iti
The Deacon's cold was nearly cured, and i
about an hour after the interview, he was see
amounted on old Mag, heading due north. Fou
miles in that direction lived worthy ministt
of another parish. The minister was in h
study, where also was his daughter copying mi
sic. She was proficient in the art, and playe
the organ in her fathers church. She had heal
of the Deacon musical troubles, and had all
heard him sing
"Sir," said he to the minister, there hi
been little difficulty in our parish, whiC
makes me feel it my duty to withdraw and
have come to ask the privilege of uniting wit
yours" (At this moment the young lady va
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