Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-04-26

to hum. and think of those who taught
them TO me, and where the poor fel-
lows may be now"
"And | should think you would
You ought to practice them in these
times. Come up and see US, and let
Mildie hear them, she's so fond OF mu-
sic. By-the-by, did you know the
choir are going to give a grand con-
cert to raise money for the buying of
an organ 2"
"No."
Eyes; think of our old church with
an organ in it But so we go. We
old fellows have to give it 10 to the
youngsters, and most seem to favor
it,"
By this time they had arrived at the
Grahams' gate, and thanking the dea-
con for the ride, the wagon rolled up
the hill, and joan assisted his mother
indoors.
The concert that was so casually
mentioned in the above talk was re-
ally one OF the most momentous things
that had ever loomed up to disturb
the quiet of O.. Once in a great
while some numbering train of circus
wagons. with great placards Of ele-
plants and rearing horses and monk
eys, had set all the good town agog,
and troubled the sleep of all the ur
chins for week or so. Occasionally
some handsome literary wonder from
the city would lecture in the church,
always upsetting the household duties
of the village maidens for some ten
days and nights; and once in a long
time travelling music company would
give a coacert, the effects of which
would be visible for months in the
community; but here was a grand
concert to be given by @ herself.
for an avowed object! Well might
Mrs. Thompson grow anxious for her
daughters health, aud watch every
symptom previous to the eventfu! eve
ming; for jamie was to singl Well
might Mrs. Sharp tell her daughter
Emma to take boiled hoarhound and
balsam every night before going to
bed for she too was to sing! Well
might Mrs. Keyes be excused for near
ly putting her baby into the boiling
/ fish kettle instead of its cradle for
wasn't her Jennie going to sing =
And you should have seen Tim Jack
son and TX Bryson and Ned Brice
when they were told they too were to
stand up before the whole of @
and sing for the organ. Tim said
he didn't care darn; do you, TX T.
but for all that turned purple and blue
by turns; and TX said he didn't know
but what he'd go and have a good
plough in the black swamp and think
of it." Ned Brice simply whiStled.
But Peggoty Plimpton. Ofall the
busy, bustling bodies she was the bu.
siest. The weight and responsibility
certainly would have crushed any one
else into the dust. There was the
programme to be arranged, and print
ed way off in Woodstock, and the mu-
sic adapted for the voices, and the re.
hearsals, and the platform to be built
and the lights to be borrowed. And
jamie Thompson and Emma Sharp
both wanted to sing Down in the
Hazel DELL" and everybody knew il
by heart already. And, wonder of
wonders both Mr.. Henry Foster and
Miss Mildie Faunce had volunteered
to sing a song apiece, to give eciai
! whatever that was) to the occasion
| Oh! and oh +! again, but the sedate old
town of @ was in pretty state
of excitement
But as time, which cures all things
rolled along, the choir got down tC
their work. The rehearsals progres
sed finely, and there was only the usu
al amount Of sparring, and the usua
jealousy displayed about the assign
ment of songs; and the programme
| had been printed and distributed fan
and wide. The evening chosen was
that of the first of June, and all now
that was requisite for full enjoyment
was a fine evening; for all H
were coming, and even some few from
| W. Had | the space | woulC
write down in full the programme
1t was headed Programme of Music
performed by the choir of the Firs,
- Church, in aid of an Instrument,
and showed a goodly list of names
The first piece was entitled An Ode
to Juno-a grand chorus performed
! by the whole Choir, illustrating the
thankfulness of the heart for full har
vests" 1t was to be mighty effort
Then there was to be the usual varie
ty of SOLOS by the various members
Tim jackson was to sing d" The Battle
of Trafalgar" in a sailors dress, Dor
rowed from his brother, who was frs
mate of the whaler Sally Maria; ah(
Ann Sturtevelt had consented to sin!
an exquisite fragment from " MidSum
mer Nights Dream and was TO ap
pear as genuine fay with fair.
wand and wings. Mr.. Foster volun
teered his favorite, We met b.
chance!'; Miss Faunce's song was LEI
blank. as she hadn't yet decided Is
she told Peggoty) what to sing. AM
all was to end with a grand chora
/ burst from "The May Queen"
Well, the first of June arrived
: balmy, soft and beautiful, making tn
l green on @ meadow even NOR
E brilliant than usual, and almost eau;
ing the briar bushes in the churchyar
c to blossom out and make the plac
/, less dreary. The sun went down in
red sky, and the white moon shove
!. above the eastern tree tops clear o
cloud. OF course the church was fu
! long before the concert commenced
D some even standing up. Squire Fo.
ter was there with the Misses Foster
|. Deacon Faunce, his wife, the minis
D ter's family and all; and off one sid
' of the platform, which had been raise
. in front of the pulpit, sat old Dam
n Graham and John.
John Graham seemed wrapped u
!. in thought, hardly needing anythin
8 that was passing before the wonde
o ing eyes of all, sitting still, with gaz
r cast on the floor, saying nothing, an
g seemingly revolving something in h