The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-05-07
RACHEL MOORE'S MUSIC.
nY MARGARET LEF.

EY NAR0ARFT IEF.
Itwas very cOmicsl room in which
Rachel Moore sat crying. A cottage
pianO filed one recess, q sewing ma
chine stood i'm another; the windows
were furnished with Holland shades
and hahging-baskets Ofdomestic man
ufacture, cooking stove, and the pipe
that disappeared through a round
aperture above the smoky wall de
stroyed any chance of producing ef
fects on the mantel shelf; and the
combined odors of food cooking, kero.
sene oil, and coal gas, rather detracted
from room generally very cozy and
tidy.
II wanted one week of Christmas
bay, and Aunt Martha had gone out
on a shopping tour closely connected
with mince-pie.
"What's the matter now, Kachie" "'
asked stout, easy-going, shabby
looking man coming in from the street
and Remembering himself OF lit
tie bag and q heavy coat. lie drew
Il chair to the stove, lii a pipe that
repOsed I'm his pocket when not In
his mouth, and surveyed Rachel
through a cloud of smoke. II took
her some time to say:
"Oh, nothing"
"YOu amt crying for nothing"
Rachel stood upand lifted the cover
oh'a saucepan, felt the vegetables, and
put the tea to draw. Her compressed
lips and brimming eyes showed the
.Ns..l 81. snVfr rfllr NIL
Uncle Jacob silently admired her for
it. She had q stout little figure, short,
decided features, bright black eyes,
and some broad braids Of dark hair
twisted high over her low forehead.
II style that gave character tC her
face and head.
''Thc society meets 10 night and
aunt says can't CO."
"What'S the matter:o
.'Shc won't be home tall near ten;
she's going to sec GRANDMOTHER
Uncle James will bring her home"
"Ohv
This word quite exhausted Uncle
Jacob until hc had disposed of his
SOUP, his bread and cheese, several
pints of ten, and an indefinite amount
0f tobacco. RachePs face frightened
at his evident enjoyment of tlic sup
per she had prepared; and as she
washed the dishes and put them into
the closet, her returning peace of
mind was signaled by humming
which because n cresccndO, and end
ed in n clear, sweet anthem, the
rich contraltO tones filling the room
with melody.
"Wait a minuteo cried Uncle
Jacob, and springing across the floor
like another creature, he threw open
the piano and began the accOmpani-
ment.
Her work done, Rachel came and
leaned on his shoulder, singing one
after another the difficult solo an
thems which Uncle Jacobs love of
OratOriO music had made as familiar
to her as street ballads are to the ma
jority.
s'GO and get your shawl, Rache |;
I'll keep house this evening""
When she came in from her little
room in her old plaid shawl and
shabby hat, Uncle Jacob was blind
and deaf to all present concerns, and
the Hallelujah Chorus from the Mount
of Olives was satisfying tho mans
higher cravings. Rachel stopped a
moment rs she closed the outer door,
and wiped away some tears.
Poor Uncle Jacob! Would she ever
he able to give him one Of tho lux
uries he silently coveted? a melo-
deOn, or new piano: Her mind
never comprehended an organ; that
was simply impossible.
AS she went along in the cold, pull
ing her shawl still closer about her
sturdy little body, she began to won
der, as she had done hundreds of
times, how Unclc Jacob had ever
married such practical, everyday,
matter-Of-fact woman a. Aunt Mar
tha. fIe loved music il made Aunt
Martha nervous he tuned pianos for
a part living was always contem-
plating getting an organist's position,
energy to take the first step in that
direction. She made dresses-the G
machine flew under her determined
feet and had as much perception OF
beauties of harmony as the machine
needle had of the materials that IL
passed through. by this cOmical coup.
IL, whose points Of agreement were
frugality and gOod-heartedness, Il.
had been adopted when only four
years old. Her parents were blanks
to her. Aunt Martha was her moth
er's sister, but the sisters had been
very different in character !. Rachel
had Inherited from her mother q
voice and q passion for music, to-
gether with the energetic, indepen-
dent temperament Of her American
prOgenitOrs.
Aunt Martha rather made light Ol
all this singing and playing, and was
auite shocked at the idea OF Rachel
Joining musical society. However
Uncle Jacob took mp the refrain that
Rachel ought to have chance, and
moaned IL until Aunt Martha with.
drew her veto.
The one white day OF the week for
Rachel was Thursday. At eight
O'Clock on Thursday evenings the
"HarmOnie" met in q hall over q
neiRhboring store. The leading
members were professionals, church
singers, worn out and fresh, operate
chorus people, and sprinkling OF
teachers. The leader and organizer
of thismotly crowd was wellknown
and most tslented musician, and his
name had drawn toward him several
fine artists. These had undertaken
solo parts in the oratorio IN. prepara-
tion, and the public performances was
already announced.