The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-03
Sweeping and Singing.

son-whether 1t was Alexander | know not
for being an excellent singer. And if you
shall say, That was because Philip was nc
lover OF music l must tell you No but it
was because he thought the cultivation Of
music beneath the dignity OF prince ; on
which account l am glad am not prince
Are you not ashamed, my son. said he, to
sing so well = And DR.. Clarke has some
where Observed can not put my fuger on
the place just nowthat man who is good for
music is hardly ever good for any thing else.
Of course | must not openly differ from men
SO distinguished as the Greek king, on the one
land and the Irish commentator on the other,
and yet | intend to cherish secret wish that
| could sing well. do not think l should be
ashamed of it. hope not. And as to my
being, in that case, good for nothing else, |
do not think it would follow. At all events
| love music, and since the last time--which
was a good while ago. heard Shells of
Ocean coming from somewhere within the
mysterious recesses OF the piano, under the
delicate manipulations OF pair Of hands that
any one might be proud Of, have felt better.
At this very moment, while [, after four
hours hard study Of subject that need not
be mentioned, am trying to rest myself o lit.
tie, there is a young woman---a joyous glad
hearted young woman-ln an upper room,
sweeping and singing. The broom and the
| Tyre An unpoetlc association, 1T may be,
but none the less musical. Not only mu-
sical but useful. If we must sweep, and rub
and saw, and strike, and pillow, let US make
! both the instruments CT labor and the act OF
it as musical as possible Have | NOT cut
away many log Of wood to the tune Of Old
Dog Tray Go and Try it, my young friends
OF the ak and s4w-try 1t tomorrow and SEQ
! If you don't feel better, aud nave better luck
than you had yesterday. Or, have [ not
covered many hill of corn, twenty years age
singing at the top of my voice, Oh, that will
be joyful all the while keeping as perfect
time with my unpoetic, unlmaglnatve papaw-
handled implement as if 1t had been veri-
table metron0ne, add not q mere hoe GU
may say that no donbt the joyfulness Of ny
> inspiration arose from the thought OF pros.
pective roastn' cars; but | will shame
you by telling you that then, as now, fire.
lcent rJastn ears. No, sir had nobler
thoughts, brother R--r. | sung because |
was yonDg, aud joyous, and hopeful because
the earth was beautiful, and the sunshine go
bright and warm, and the air so sott, add
fresh, and genial and the trees so green aud
/ glowing, and musical, and the blrds--yes, my
friend, because the BIRDS the beautiful joyous
birds-were singing, all Of them, and all IN
chorus; the robin red breast, the hooking jay,
the orioIc, the yellow bird, and the gaudy
wood pecker. And the uDderham Of bees and
oreezes--ah when the birds, and the bees,
and the winds, and the ees-natures own
sweet harpstrlngs--get together and sing OF
thUse songs that they only can sing, | teel
that heaven and earth I'VE not so far apart after
all. That was the way felt when | was in
the corn6eld, stopping anon to catch the clear,
ringing echo that shouted back to me from
out the dark forest on the other side of the
field. Or when was telling trees and cut.
ting Away the rail cuts, or the wood cuts, or
tho shingle cuts, with saw, for the fire, and
the fence, and the frame. Or, when on the
beautiful evenings Of June, was bringing the
COWS home, through their almost intermna-
bic lane-which, however, like all ether lanes,
mad turn and an end to t-driving the cows,
and singing as usual Was walking behind
them ! No at AL. | wss riding, my friend
| always rode on such OCCASIONS Not on
horse, though, but on old Pied, my tavorltc
GOV, my mothers favorite cow, and the moth
or Of nearly the whole drove riding and sing
ing bareheaded, bareoosed, and happy. Oid
Pied walked leisureIy home, chewing her only
tobacco with an air OF calm satisfaction, and
50 did her children, some behind, some be-
fore, and some on either side. Pied's bell