Eastern times., 1855-09-06

o S"n0 vi singlng IN our own way
10 our choir, Sunday after Sunday, for years
and years No one has thought of invading
our haliowed precincts, or calling us 10 ac-
count for our doings. When we sang well,
the congregation turned over their hvmn-
books, and beat the time approbatively. and
when by any unlucky accident tune went
wrong, they only made wry faces--sometimes
going SO far as 10 cast reproachful glances an
the red curtain, but, upon the whole, they
looked up to US kindly and respected our per-
formances.
But during all these years there had been
Perfecting and maturing among the majestic
old trees of down east Maine tall, enter
prlsing young Yankee, and last summer, he
came to refresh the dwellers at Merry Bank
with the light Of his agreeable presence
Flimkins was his name, and his equally tall
and enterprising wife did not approve our
psalmody; soon our tried and true adherents
began to fall off one by one; faint whispers
reached our ears that somebody had told some
body else that his brothers wife had heard
Deacon Jones say in the post uffce-'Sunthin'
must be done bout our singin', and that i'm
mediuntly; for it's fact it's runnin' down
shameful
As the new member was pretty busy head
ing committees, blazing away at temperance
meetings, and making himsels generally use
ful as well as ornamental, and his wife was
quite as officious in her way-taking what she
called an 'actire part in all the female prayer
meetings, as well as occasionally volunteer
ing an address in promiscuous assemblies, in
face Of St. Paul's admonition to the contrary,
we were at no loss 10 guess from what quarter
the grumbling at our choir-singing originated.
Before many months, Mr.. and Mrs. Film
kins became, by hook or by crook, members
Of our body; he erecuaing the tenor, and she
lending her vocal powers for the betterment of
the soprano. Though her pronunciation Of
the 'ne-ows' and 'the-ows' was little promi-
nent on the high notes, still we accepted their
services and considered them as helps in a
general way; in short we looked upon their
incursion with as much favor as could be rea-
sonably expect ted to be shown TO new ms by
the old incumbents in Office But alas we
found ere long TO our cost, that we were some
what in the condition of the man who com
planned TO his father-in-law that his wife
wouldn't be mistress of her own house. sOh,
yes, she will, ! guess, if you will let her., re-
piled the old gentleman. No she won't, bless
her, rejoined the tried husband, Il tell you,
dad, she's determined TO be master
While our new church was in process of
building, our choir were busy-after the man
ner of all chors from time immemorial-talk-
ing and whispering in all corners and by-plac-
es about the seats TO be assigned TO certain in
dlviduals, each claiming the precedence OF
somebody, and each declaring that he or she
wouldn't sing at any price unless particular
wished for places could be theirs, secured to
them beyond all power of doubt or question.
Some Of our body carried our grievances tc
oussinister; but he, like wise and prudent
masitf, as he is, kept carefully aloof from all
expressions Of his opiniop-entrenching him
self behind 'ahs, 'hums,' and 'indeeds, as be-
hind wall.
On Saturday evening, at rehearsal, we were
all quietly seated in our places except Mr..
and Mr. Flimkius. Henry named the tune,
and the little hustle caused by the rustling of
the leaves of our singing books as we found
the page, had subsided, we all sat with our
fore fingers raised ed-prepared to open on the
time, and our lips parted in readiness to catch
the Keynote, as soon as the clear ringing
tones of the flute should herald it; when
loud voice in our rear proclaimed in accents
so purely Yankee that no throat in Merry
Bank but Mr.. Flimkin's could possibly utter
them-'my wife don't set in no seat in this
gallery but the top seat!' All heads were
Instantly turned at this startling announce
ment, and all mouths were shade wider open
than before with astonishment. There to cor
roborate the valiant assertion of her welded
lord, stood Mrs. Flimkins, in all the elegant
dignity of her staid matronly propriety, note
book in hand, armed and equipped to do battle
for the right. Directly before little Carlotta,
her tall figure raised itself; and her meaning
glance at the place she occupied said, as
plainly as though she had thundered it upon
the house top, 4 want your seat-and intend
to have it, SO move along down..
Poor Carlotta, quite overcome by the barbed
arrows shot at her from those indignant eyes,
jumped up in mighty hurry, and gave place
Immediately Mrs. Flimkins seated herself
with perfect aplomb-taking off her gloves
proceeded to find the page-turning with easy
grace 10 the alto seat TO inquire What teune
is it, Julia = and making herself generally az
much at home as if she had been brought up
under our vine and fg-tree instead OF the heavy
timber Of the. far off forests OF Maine. a-f
The 'teune' did not Immediately proceed.
however, for | grieve 10 say, that Harry SO far
forgot his dignity as chorister, as to fall back
in his official chair and laugh so long and so
loud as 10 make it doubtful whether his mouth
could ever again pucker itself up sufficiently
to meet the embouchere Of his instrument
IT'S true, dear Independent, there is not
much devotion in all this, don't for an in
stant pretend there is nor was our Saturday
night rehearsal particularly promotive to prais-
- I'll