Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-06-05

chief, and tell your father to horsowhip you
for n stupid dolt."
said nothing, did nothing, but only looked
at her face, and went stumbling away,
much changed and altered being. There was
aworld where horse collars and horse shoes,
lemons and mortices, right hands or LEFT, en-
tered not. That world had seen; / had
breathed It's air and heard It's voices.
My father heard of my misfortune and
laid the strap across my shoulders without
hesitation, for in my young days boys were
boys till eighteen or nineteen years old.
bore it patiently uncomplainingly.
"What is he fit forP" every one would
ask, and no ono could answer, not even my
self.
wandered about tho rectory in the sum-
mer evenings and heard her sing; l tried
to get the old gardener to Let mo help him
carry tho watoring-pots, and when ! sue
ceeded, felt, MS l entered the roctor's garden,
that was entering paradise. OH happy
MONTH when after the horrible labors of the
weary day, ] used 10 follow the old gardener
and hear her sing. My old withered heart
beats fuller and freer when the memory
comes back to mo now.
Alas, alasl my awkwardness again ban
ished me. She met me one evening in the gar
den, rs / was coming along the path with
my cans full of water, and spoke to me and
said:
you?"
l did not, could not reply; my strength
forsook me. l dropped my cans on the
ground where they upset and flooded away
in moment some seeds on which the rector
set most especial store.
"How awkward, to BIO surc!" she exclaim-
ed. "And how angry uncle will be-"
turned and fled, and from that time the
rectory gate was closed against me.
led miserably unhappy life for the next
three years; had only one consolation dur
ing the whole of that weary time. / saw her
at church and heard her sing there. 1 could
hear nothing else when she sang clear and
distinct, above the confused nasal sounds
that came from the voices of others-hers
alone pure, sweet and good. II was bless
ed time. | would not miss Sundays ser
vice in church for all that might offer. Three
good miles every Sunday there and back did
l heavily plod TO hear her. and feel well re-
warded. l shared her joys and heaviness.
1 knew when she was happy, when oppress-
ed; as II mother knows the tones of her
chld's voice, to the minutest shade of differ
ence, so l could tell when her heart was
light and when sad.
One Sunday she sang rs | had never yet
heard her. not loudly. but so tendorly, 30
lovingly; knew tho change had come-she
loved; it thrilled in her voice. and ut the
evening service he was there. l saw him.
A soldier. l knew. by his bearing, with cru
el, hard. grey eyes; and she sang, knew it.
detected II trembe and gratitude in her
notes. felt she was to suffer, rs l had suf-
fered; not that sang. had no voice. A
harsh gutteral sound was all that l could
give utterance to. l could whistle like y
bird, and often and often have l lain for
hours in the shade of tree and joined the
concerts of the woods
One day was whistlng, rs was my wont,
rs went through the street, when | was
tapped on the shoulder by an old man, the
cobbler of the next parish. l knew him
from his coming to my father for leather oc-
casionally.
"Sam, where did you learn that?"
Learn whatp"
THAT tune"
"At church."
you've good ear, SAM"
1--WE nothing else good, but 1 can whistle
anything"
Can you whistle me the Morning Hymn"
did so.
"Good, very good. Know anything of mu-
sic, Sam?n
Nothing"
Like top
"'d give all have in the world to DO able
to play anything. My souls full of music.
can't sing note, but could play anything
if were taught"
80 you SHALL Sam, my boy. Come home
with me. Carry these skins, and you shall
begin ut once"
went home with him, and found that he
was one of the players in the choir OF his
parish, his instrument being the viOloncello.
/ took my first lesson, and from that time
commenced IA new life. Evening after even
ing. and sometimes during the day. | wan
dered over to his little shop, and while he
sat, stitch, stitch, ut tho boots and shoes,
played over and over again all the music
could get from the church.
, you've beautiful lingering, Sam, my
boy. beautiful, and though it does look lit
tic awkward to see you n bowling away with
your left. it makes no difference to you You
ought to be n line player, Sam"
l was enthusiastic, but | was poor.
wanted nm instrument of my own, but had
no money, and l earned none--I could earn
:, none. My parents thought, and perhaps
rightly, that If they found mo food and cloth
ing, was well provided for, and for some
twelve months used the old cobblers instru,
ment, improving daily. II was strange that
the limbs and fingers, so rigid and stiff for
: every other impulse, should. under the influ
: ence of sound, move with such precision,
ease and exactness.
"Sam, my boy" says the cobbler. one day
= "You shall have an instrument and your
: father shall buy it for you, or the whole par.
: ish shall cry shame upon him."
"Bnt he does not know word of this"
said.
: Never mind, Sam, my boy, he shall bC
glad to know of it," and he told me all hi,
f plans.
r AT certain times 1t was customary for the
choirs of noighbOring churches to help each
: other, and 1t was arranged that the choir o
our parish should play and sing on tho mex
t Sunday morning at his parish church, and
o that he and his choir should come over tC
our parish for the evening service.
1 "And you, SAM" said he, "shall take my
place in your own church; and, please God
q you do rs well there MS you've done hero, 4
will be the proudest day shall know, Sam
my boy, and your father and mother will SAY
SO, too