Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-02-05
and Of my fondness for flowers. and Of my
likings Tor holy music.

Nell, W cIlmron Slo" rhuu'h'l tfeathch
from beneath cloud, seeming 10 mingle
with the gold tint OF her golden hair. and
To veil her face with robo Of the sun'sown
weaving. she asked the IL | should like TO
be- a chorister. This was exactly what
wished for myself, and coveted il just now
much more than my prospective chancellor
ship; - I lookel up in wild worship Of her
beauty and told her all nv heart.
81, would be like hcayeu,' I .aid, Ito
sing in white roba morning after morning.
and evening i,creycnins; isn't !, what thr
angel. do'"
She seemed T. ;ika my fancy. anil smiled
ola such a smile, II'r gat' has -i5ur up-
on me ever since with the .pir,t.'ik' Ipy'li-
ness wIth which one day, hope, it 'hnll
shine upon nc again
All the next week was too rainy for me u
BE- allowed ou, OF doors. and when went IN
the cathedral again, she whom adorci was
no longer there. Week after week. as often
n dared, continued my search foF her,
through the cold frost and over the drrary
snow the wind. anne sometime to joiu m
the worship, anl the sun stole steal,hily
through the chccrlcss windows and then
again the lt,lc snowlrop' near the south
buttrcsses came o. spllcc ne. AMI the jubi-
LIANT chimes rang ont clearly through the
clear ky Of carly spring; hut still the
guardian -craph on the c,rbcl.stono watch
ed in patience, ior now notic,d the folded
arms more than the gllncins eye; and |,
too, watched IN patience, like th, cnrycl
angel, though ms vigil seemed a weary one
| wa- once, however, walking rather gloom.
ily up thcaillr, whom thcold canon, aiyanc.
ins with the short, quick steps Of age, over
took mc. and aid
81 have something to tell you, my little
man. when the srr,ir, j. ended"
Ol cour,, heard not a worl of the mu.
sic or the prayer, in an agony Of impl-
tirncs a, 20 whn, the new. might b, ages
seemed TO elar.a before the bn,sn gate.
were dans back. and it was ,imo or my
wonderment u cease.
~ have heard your voice sometimes In
the chants" he said, "and II your father
likes, You may b, - singing boy
Iru'hc.l home in ilu.h Of joyous imp"t.
uo'ity, TO tell my father f,r ,h' Gr'' time or
my passionate love Dr the cathedral, and to
ask hI' leave 90 bra chorl.i'r
Minister or .rtan, rather he thunder.
cd out At my last w,rl "Gp ami .ly.
that. thank God, am able t, support my
children without their entering into the ser.
vice Of thc state establishment
~ weeping. NJ cn,rca,ics could prevail
upon him to rclcnt; thi,. anl no other,
was the message must bear The same
afternoon, with a heavy heart and .aliencd
lolk, I skulkei into the my.,eriou. twilight
or the nave, and before long tho old canon
passed me- | told my tale "a, hc walked
hurririly on but b, seemed u Do in haste,
lur al that hs hiI time tn uy when be-
reached the sacri.ty door wi,: d" Well,
we'll; God blcs. you" | was disappointed
again, but fingered Tor -onc moments
near tie orsln.scrrrn, o. -" II my angels
angel was watchln. still, and then hii my
Ill In thc gloom OF th,a.,lc, for I .,e t.pt
there were many people cln'us up fHe
nave. They went mt 'li' c.ap'I. 1pI
son stole there t,p. l.,w t.,. ull ,Iu,n
m hl, robes, bat | lll MT :, mucIa. notice
him. nor vet The circirt "i t.pr' which
hung like a coronal over BOO, head, nor VI
the group OF ladies, nor yet the iew chprl..
tcr- wh, knelt round the font; nr she
whom wor,hippei was standing there
and on her breast was the lo,elicst baby
that the sun has ever shonc upon. |, was
Aer blb,, knew. for /, was llk, her in be.
ing " wonderfully fair, AMI besides. when
she smiled upon il she looked as only n
mother knows how TO look, half weeping
with holy ,c.tlcy. |, wasriGht, | thought,
that in thus coming To me, as it were, from
the tomb, she should bring with her lily
Of Paradise. And the baptism went on,
ani the blbc lay in the old mans arms
and the name was whispered out " Ceissts:'
and the mother blushed as il was uttered.
and lifted her eyes to heaven. lcrept away
noi'clessly, and all my .orows were forgot.
ten.
| was too much ashamed Of the message
had borne to venture near the cathedral
again; all that could d, va, to make a
cathedral Tor myself in the woods, rshear.-
Ing the seryic, rs we'll a, could remember
il. But after all, my fathers refusal OF the
cho:ister.hip has been the most fortunate
circumstance that has ever happened to me
I might have been u singing.m,n there sill,
if had accepted it. As il was my father
removed in few months to another town,
where be heard Of an opening lor his pric.
tice, and by strange coincidence, within
week Of our arriving there a vacancy arose
on the foundation Of the grammar school.
which was able to ill up. | rose rapidly
in the school, working with all my might,
aud my fathers practice also improving, no
was able to keep me there. When was
fifteen, | was invited to spend my summer
holidays in our old city. went gladly,
aud as tho memory Of what had happened
years ago was by no means elIaced, paid
an early visit to the cathedral. There was