The Evansville journal., 1867-12-11

be called. Only permit me to remark,
that if he had had my early training,
or if [ had had his opportunities, we
should both have got on much better
than we have But [ myself might
not in that case have had the honor
and the pleasure of the present inter
view, which. [ need scarcely say, finds
me fully prepared to develop sound,
classical, musical tastes in the infant
minds of your Juvenile choir. L know
what infant music is, having been able
to play my fathers violin before IAEas
big enough to lift it, and having learnt
my notes before most children learn
their letters. But to pass briefly over
my early days, you doubtless remem-
Der sir, Beethoven's overture to Eide
4 lio in E2'f' fss-
No, I don't" replied our vicar.
fast losing his patience; nor did |
want to discuss it now. / wanted you.
to rive the children some singing les
SO ;, that they may lead the psalms
AZ church"
And |, sir" said B., should
come to the same point almost imme-
diately. But, about Beethoven"
No, no, Mr.. B., [ don't want to
KNOW dDOuJ Dc6IlONeU Dub W HdL
would you charge for the lessons?"
. trust, sir, that moderation on my
part would insure satisfaction on
yours, and in regard of that eminent
composer"
Really, Mr.. B., you need not men
ton him again. | am afraid, too, as
the school children don't require lee
lures. but lessons, you would be throw
ng away your time and theirs by COM
ing here to teach them, if this is what
you think would improve them"
But B. had come to talk, and he did
talk for twenty minutes more, until
the vicar walked away almost in
rage.
Next day came triangular note in
an angular handwriting from Mrs O.,
offering her services TO instruct the
choir. But the vicar had seen enough
of teachers from a distance and he
would have none of them, but held
conference with Whiplad, who was
our sexton, schoolmaster and clerk,
and finally agreed that the children
should sing to Whiplad's fiddle. D,
the "tunings up that we used to get
stealthily done during the prayers
O., the wonderful grace notes that
came from violin and from children!
But we tosre grand one Sunday. We
actually sang the Kyrie after the
tenth commandment, and the Clio
ria !" before the Gospel (Which the old
choir never did, and which kept
| Whiplad tuning his instrument nearly
all the time. However, L do think
the children grew more endurable
just before old Whiplad died. After
his death his successor attempted to
lead them with much worse results
sometimes pitching the note too high,
sometimes getting into the wrong
tune-keeping on. however, with most
laughable perseverance,. whatever
happened.
At last the complaints grew too loud
to be disregarded any longer, and our
worthy vicar invited advice as to what
should be done. Some advised bar
rel organ, but against them was
broughta story of congregation who,
having set their self-acting organ to
play, Cor rather to work. could not
stop it, and had to cay it out of
church, that it might OK its thir-
ty-six airs anywhere out Of hearing.
: Besides, the organ will be too ex-
pensive; get pitchpipe, said an
other adviser; cor better still, let some
one play flute" This last would
have been a very good plan if only
there had been any one who could
play the flute and who would come.
After all, our vicar himself devised
the best remedy. Il have been in
quiring," said he, one Sunday, about
one of those instruments they call
harmoniums [ find that we can get
one as low as ten guineas, and | think
| if we once had it in the church, the
playing would be easily managed"
| So the harmonium was bought, one of
Wheatstone's, little harsh in tone,
! but a good. durable instrument, very
| easy to blow, (though we did not think
so at frst) seldom getting out of or
| der and never out of tune. In very
damp weather the notes clung tOgeth-
er rather, and produced cypher-
! iDg;" in very dry weather the vibra-
tions of a leather flap, which went
across the square passage conveying
the wind upward from the bellows,
made "a most dreadful roaring. For
| the cyphering, a little sand paper
rubbed on the side of the note, or a
careful Strengthening of the pins on
which it hung, set all right. For the
other evil the best cure would have
been to take cut the square wooden
pipe and let the makers remedy it, as
it could easily have been sent to them
separately. But these difficulties
came long after the harmonium was
introduced. To go back to its un
packing and first appearance; we were
surprised at its smallness, and still