Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-02-07

IL
with him. Indeed, | am candid to say, he was
an intelligent and worthy gentleman, and l pre-
sumo he was right in this matter, though | al
WAYS mourned the mutiaton Of that old church.
There the two wings of Peter Belts had caught
me up into the heavens and made me feel the
truth of an old gentlemans saying, that "the
singing was the best part of sermon" There
| had come up to hear the sermon. sometimes
rather to look at the minister while my thoughts
were running along the other side of that quad
ranple where the roses from all the farm houses
were ranged arrow. The astronomers say the
best way to see star is to look one side of it.
SO have no doubt great many Of us young
sters look at the minister for the purpose Of see
ing particular flower on the right wing of Peter
Belts quadrangle. | suppose it was wrong
but am writing history, and feel obliged to be
candid
Then there was all the reverence and affec-
ton bound up in the arrangements of the old
church, the same es in an old Bible or hymn
book. Every board that was torn from its place
tore into the very heart of Deacon Webster and
Uncle Eiakm Jones, and several other patr
archs, who would gather at noon in one Of the
great square pews, lean their gray heads upon
their slaves, and talk over the old times and
the degeneracy of the age But the reformers
had their way The quadrangle was broken up.
The pews in the north gallery were ripped up
and piled away as old lumber, and seats were
arranged one behind an other, the singers seat
ed anew, beginning with the graver men and
matrons, and ascending and tapering off with
the boys and girls, whose heads nearly touched
the ceiling above. The next Sunday, bark and
behold the musical wings were clipped forever,
and the singing rained down from what they
called an orchestra, perched away up in the
north gallery. The people below, however,
:. Il hx.,, htrln
were anything but complimentary. "Pigeon
loft" shay mow,' "hen roost," and divers other
terms suggestive of rural tastes and occupa-
tions expressed the disgust OF the Oxford con-
servatves, of the desecration of their meeting
house. The controversy between the trap doors
and lockiaws, conveniently abbreviated as the
''traps" and the clocks paed away, though it
was not forgotten, in the new controversy be-
tween the quadrangles and the orchestra men.
which extended beyond the choir and involved
the whole congregation.
The next thing was the choice of a leading
clorister, for Mr.. Solomon Huntington's term
was drawing to its close. The traps of course
went to Timothy Case, and the clocks went for
Peter Belts. There was, however, third party,
which represented young Oxtord, and which
held the balance of power. They were mostly
"traps" in principle, though they did not make
that the most important plank in their platform.
| Peter Belts however, was h5sen by decided
majority, for he rallied around him the kindly
disposed of all parties, who would not see him
RIDLEY thrust from his place. He arose with a
| good deal of emotion his words were few; but
to the point -
Il thank YOU, my friends, for this honor. but
must decline. l will never sing with the
choir huddled together like flock of sheep.
OF course the reader will excuse him from
| c.o, lipol rp
miniscences. The third party rallied its forces
They put forward, as thoir representative, &
young blade by the name of Seth Hubbard.
Seth lived in removed part of the town, bu
he was one of the rising lights of Oxford, HI
was fond of singing, fond of dancing, fond 0
female suciety, and female society was general.
fond of him. He was engaged to two young
ladies at the same time, and would have bcel
to third had not circumstances prevented =
There was girl of smart, queenly appearances
that came up every Sunday from MIR Thoma
Cleveland's dairy-larm, and sat and sang in tn
quadrangle. Ellen Cleveland was among tn
best specimens of honest country life. Strength
of muscle, mind and heart had come to he
from the work of the dairy room. She ha
large black eyes, her cheeks were like two bald
wins and her ruby lips poured forth strain
which could always be heard, clear as a lark
in the highest and most tumultuous flights c
the quadrangle. Her vocabulary was very lin
tied, especially in the direction of polite phrase:
and she cut short with the word CANNON
great deal of the general nonsense at the cour
try parties. 1t was currently reported and be
lieved that Seth had tried to engage himself I
3 Ellen Cleveland. that she cut him short wit
CANNON that she applied her palms to his eai
I in such wise that fugung tunes sang throug
his brain spontaneously for several hours an
that she sat him whirng like one of her ow
cheeses till his face subsidized into homewar
I direction. This, however, had been hushed ul
= and Seth had come shining out of any Ii
u tie clouds of this sort. Every Sunday he cam
: with his gilt buttons cleaning in the distanc
: AS far as you could see Seth so far you coul
e see the rows of metal on him, shining in tt
sun. Even the clouds Of dust which the ca
y riages raised along the road seldom shut OF
: entirely the glimmer of the fourteen buttons I
u they hove in sight. You might say of Sc,
then, when on his way to church, more tru
than Goethe does of the loved one
= see thee, il far up the pathway yonder,
. The dust be stirred.
. Seth was chosen first chorister by a triuu
phant majority. He was a decided "trap," al
!, some of that party having formed coatiC
% with youpg Oxford, carried the day. Almo
= all the older singers, who had given dignity al
- character to the quadrangle, went below in
;. ~ their pews. They were not going up into tn
" pigeon loft, let Grandville and all the world {
!! as it might. Peter Belts never sang any NOR
. His mouth came closer and closer together, t
it occupied the extreme LETT of the clocks" al
~ when the Orchestra party prevailed, it shut c
" tirey, and he went below.
- =: Great preparations had been made for 4
:. :. first Sunday after the reorganization of I
.e choir. Mr. Solomon Huntington has closed b
W school and gone. The choir have met eve
y evening in the week to practise under the nj
chorister, and it is expected there will be an u
'e common blaze of harmony from the pigeon lC
le on Sunday. Something must be done to shar
p the conservatives, and convince the "old fogie
Vi of the quadrangle that theirs was not the mu!
y y of the spheres.
10 Sunday comes the choir are in their nj
u, seats, and Seth Hubbard shines in front in
l twice seyen-fold metallic brlliancy. Dur
VI prayer time and sermon time there is mu
AZ bustling and rustling and turning of leaves /;
le other times-but the reader must not exp,
VI me to describe the torrents of psalmody ii
le rolled down from the pigeon loft into the ais
nc The grand effort, however, was reserved for I
ot close. After the last prayer in the afternOc
OF Parson Harrison rose, and announced to I
ne audience that the services would close with
voluntary. Thereupon Seth Hubbard left I
OF pigeon loft and went below. The people star
49, and stretched their necks as he came wendi
up the broad aisle, fingng the golden she