The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-10-08
MISCELLANY.
A Crack in the Church Floor.

Ours was quaint old church, built OF
rough stone, with peaked root, and an
odd little Stccpie, where "A set of sweet
bells hung 1t had the queercst little
organ gal cry. with banstrades about
which cherubms seemed to hniter and a
BIRDS nest OF pulpit hung in mid air.
Once the French lluguenots who settled
New Rochelle had "orshipped there, but
1t was an Episcopal chur new, and
most OF the residents belonged 10 it. Not
that ihty always attended regularly; for
once 1t Was said, driven 10 ma,ines by the
brsgarly array OF empty pcws, the Rev.
Elias Danbnry had begun his sermon
thus "Dearly beloved Mr.. and Mrs.
Norroway and Mr.. Parmeyea"
dressing the only members present who
were wide awake. But that was "A ralnv
day, and before tho organ came-lhe new
organ, bright and lrud.of voice, which
wicked people not to be tempted out by
sermons, came to hear. Mr. Hess, our
German organist, had formed choir.
there was, on pleasant mornings, quite II
display OF best bonnets within and VI wag-
ons, gig and saddle horses without Then
would hunch backed Timothy Brown,
parish clerk and cordwaincr lip~toe during
ser vice time, and save him ,elf trouble by
putting boots and shoes, made or mcnded
through the week, under the seats of his
customers wagons, that they might take
them home themselves and sreturniny.
drop rs eep until cha itaby awakened by
the head Of the house Of Adair, who
poked across the seats with an umbrella
or walking stick, and caused him to start
TO consciousness with a sonorous "Amen."
generally absurdly Out of place, but some
as ridlculously in the nick of time.
l sang in the church choir, and when
II was formed may have been seven.
teen.
One October day, the last of the month
which CHANGED to fall on Thursday. we
went according to custom, to practice
some new music, at the church. Early
as 1t was it was Christmas music for we
intended to make grand display of our
requirements on that day, when the
church was full Of strangers. And
suppose no one had a thought but on
Chrsmas day old Mr. Hess would sit AT
the organ, and we fill each place behind
the red curtain of the choir That after
noon stopped for Abby Affair and we
walked over together, She I'd soprano
voice. sang contralto. There were
maple leaves thick about the church, and
quite red carpet of them rustled under
our feet. Some had blown in the church
itself, and the hunch backed clerk was.
hobbling about, picking them up.
"fou are first, this time" he said.
"Ihe frst-then Mr.. Hess has not
come yet !"
"Ah! he's come, Miss Sophy; war
rant him for that. The first ladies /
meant But he's not playing"
We ran up the steps Of the organ gal>
lery, Abby first. AT the head of them she
paused, and I-ne,lh T of us knew WHY
stood also. The loft just coming from
such bright October sunlight, was dark
and we could not quite make out what
Mr. Hess was doing lie was ON his
knees, his head bent down.
us he praying = whispered Abby.
We crept forward step. said "NIr,
lies. There was no answer said il
louder. No answer still. Then Abby
md !, instead of going forward ran back
md screamed together and brought old
Timothy from the aisles below.
Our poor organis In IL there dead!
We fancied he must have felt death
telling over him and knl down to pray
There was sweet smile On his face, aud