Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-04-17
miscellaneous.
DEBORAH--A TOUCHING sToR,

am an old man. My hand trembles
as l write. It is strange looking hand
-shrivelled and brown, and NOTED with
dark spots which old age imprinted on
it. l can hardly believe the tale my
mirror tells me; for Time, in his busy
silence has wrought sad changes there
The curls in which | used to glory are
silver white; my eyes, once dark and
piercing, are sunken and faded, and look
out like dying light from underneath
their dropping, reddening lids. This
STOPPING, crazy form is but the wreck Of
what was once my pride. sang once
They say sang well. For years | led a
choir which was the boast of the coun-
try round. The highest falsetto was not
beyond my flexible voice, nor the deep
est bass below it, Now, that voice crack
ed and discor1ant, can hardly falter
through the scale, and dies away in a
husky whisper.
But did not mean to talk of myself.
These thoughts came over me as | looked
down the past, to catch a faint glimpse
of one who shone there so very brightly,
who shines now in the New Jerusalem.
1t was many years ago, for | was then
young, when | first saw sweet Deborah
Darling 1t was on the first Sabbath in
June. Oh how it comes up before me-
The waving leaves and the soft murmur-
ing of the fresh breeze as it rippled tbro'
them; the burst of liquid music that
thrilled without the church and the voice
Of the meek old minister within, whose
simple heartfelt eloquence bound us like
a spell. | occupied my accustomed seat
in the choir The singers one by one
dropped in, when, to my dismay, l found
that my first treble was absent. What
could VIC do? was perpiexed beyond
measure, for we had prepared ourselves
with unusual care, to sing before some
distinguished strangers present, and with
out our leading treble we were nothing
At last, one Of the singers suggested
that she had cousin below who sang
readily by ncte. And she might be per-
suaded, etc, etc. hurried down stairs,
and there, in an old square pew, for the
first time bebeld Deborah Darling. How
well | remember it all Her fair face
suffused with bushes at the thought of
taking so prominent position, her gen
tie hesitation and timid reluctance, the
sweet plying expression that stole over
her countcnance as | told my perplexity,
and her faltering acquicscnce at last. |
had conquered Deborah, but Deborah had
conquered me.
] led her to her place in the north
gallery, the bass were ranged in the
south, and between them ! took my
stand, with the counter singers in line
before me, and with a majestic flourish
on my pitch pipe, we burst, into one of
those fine old anthems which are now
neglected and forgotten. Never did ]
hear such music. Others may talk Of
Jenny Lind and Sontag, but never again
will my ears hear such strains as gushed
from the lips of Deborah. She sang
with her whole heart. The delicate color
dcepened in her check, her eyes glisten-
ed, and her face grew radiant with emo
ton. / sang mechanically Ny thoughts,
my eyes, were fixed on Deborah and
when she scared away, now caroling like
a bird, and gliding over the most difficult
passages without an apparent thought Of
anything but the language Of devotion
she was attending, ! felt az if listening
to the songs Of another world.
The anthem ceased, but my brain was
in whirl. 1t seemed to me that the
minister would preach about Deborah,
and that every one must be thinking of
her through the whole service. That was
an improbable Sabbath TO me yet she,
sweet girl, would gladly have led my
thoughts towards the Heavens, whittier
her own we're ever turning.
The Sabbath passed away; the week
passed away, aud have seen her, known
her, and loved her.
1t was on Sabbath afternoon, as
bright and beautiful as ever shone on this
fallen earth, that ! drove through the /
fragrant pine woods Of B. The air
was delicious, the scenery enchanting,
and by me sat Deborah. Every sense Of
her appearance comes up wildly in my
recollection. Her dress Of spotless white,
beneath which pOepod out that slender