The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-11-29
A Crack in the Church Floor.

sweet Dells nunp. III had the QueeroSt
little organ gallery, with balustrades
about which cherubims seemed to flint
ter, and bird nest of Il pulpit hung
IN mid air. Once the French Hugue-
nots who settled New Rochelle had
worshiped there, but it was an Episco-
pal church now, and most Of the resi-
dents belonged to it.
Not that they always attended regu-
larry; for once, it was said, driven to
madness by the beggarly array of
empty pews, the Rev Elias Danbury
/ had begun his sermon thus:
Dearly beloved Mr. and Mrs. Nor
roway and Mr.. Parm4lyea -addtess-
ing the only members present who
were wide awake But that was of q
rainy day, and before the organ came
the new organ, bright and loud OF
voice, which wicked people, not TO be
tempted out by sermons came to hear
When thus became an attraction, and
good Mr. Hess, our German organst,
had formed choir, there was, on
pleasant mornings, quite a display Of
best bonnets within, and of wagons,
gigs and saddle-horses without. Then
would hunch-backcd Timothy Brown,
parish clerk ana cordwainer, tip-toe
during service time and save himself
trouble by putting boots and shoes,
made or meDded through the week,
under the seats OF his customers wag-
ons, that they might take them home
themselves; a n d, returning, drop
asleep until charitably awakened H
the head Of the house If Adur, occu-
plying the front pew, who poked at him
across pews with umbrella or walking
stick, and caused HIM to start to con
seriousness with a sonorous Amen
generally absurdly out Of place, but
sometimes as rdiculously in the neck
Of time
| sang in the church choir, and when
it was formed l may have been seven
teen.
One October dav, the last Of thc
month, which Glanced to fall on n
Thursday, we went, according to Gus
tom. to practice some new music at
the church. Early as it was, H. was
Christmas music, for we intended to
make grand display Of our acquire
ments on that day, when the church
was full Of strangers. And | suppose
no one had thought but on Christ
mas day old Mr.. Hess would sit at the
organ, and We fill each place behind
the red curtain Of the choir. That af-
terpoon l stopped for Abby Adair, and
we walked over together She had the
soprano voice, | sang contralto There
were maple leaves thick about the
church, aud quite a red carpet of them
r1stled under our feet. Some had
blown in the church itself, and the
hunch-backed clerk was hobbling
about, picking them up
You are the first, this time, said
he.
The first then Mr. Hess has not
come yet?'
"Ah he's come, Miss Sophy; war.
rant him for that The first ladies, /
meant. But hes not playing
We ran up the steps Of the organ
gallery, Abby first At the head OF
them She paused, and Neither Of us
knew why stood still also The loft,
just coming from such bright Octo-
beg sunlight, was dark, and we could
not quite make out what Nh. Hess
was doing. He Was on his knees, his
head bent down.
rs he praying?" whispered Abby.
We crept forward step. l said
"Mr. Hess" There was no answer l
said it louder. No answer still. Then
Abby and |, instead of going orSard.
ran back aud screamed together, ard
brought old Timothy from the aisles
below
Onr poor organist knelt there dead
We fancied he must have felt death
stealing over hmm, and knelt down to
pray. There was a sweet smile ON his
face. and one hand was on his bosom
clutching locket, in which lay coiled
tress of faxen hair. We buried il
with him, for we ali felt it must be
some relic of the past life of which we
knew nothing After that the organ
stood dumb, and we missed the dear
old German face and the kindly voice
with its foreign accent, which we knew
so well, and without him we had not
heart to sing. Net even at Christmas
time.
In the spring, when violets were on
his grave, we heard that new organ
list had been engaged, and that the
Thursday and Saturday afternoon in
struction was TO recommends, and the
choir came together once more in the
church. The old minister was there,
and with him a gentleman who looked
about thirty years old. He had fine,
tall figure, an olive complexion, and
ewes never seen save when the com
Eplexion is pure olive; Spanish eyes,
shaded by jet-black lashes. When he
stepped forward to speak to us, saw
that he was very slightly lame. Kind
old Mr. Danbury introduced us in an
impromptu sermon. Under the head
of firstly" he informed our organist
that we were the most amiable OF
choirs, to whom hitherto all those dis
sensions peculiar to such institutions
had been utterly unknown. Secondly,
he let us know that Mr.. Andrew Hud-
son did us favor by coming among
us. and that he was q wondrous organ