The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-12-16
The DeacOn's Singing.SchOOl.

AN going out to see if l can start a
singing-school," said the good man, as he
stood ~buttoning up his overcoat and muf-
fling up his ears one bitter cold night last
winter.
"a singing-school!" said his wife,
show will you do that?"
"I nave heard of a widow around the
corner a block or two who is in suffering
circumstances. She has fiee little children,
and two of them down sick, and has
neither fire nor food. So Bonnie Hope,
the office-boy, tells me. | thought l
would just step around and look into the
case.
go by all means" said his wife, and
lose no time. If they are in such need
we can relieve them ONE But l can't see
what all this has to do with starting a
singing-school. But never mind, you
need not stop to tell me now; go quickly,
and do all you can for the poor woman"
So out into the piercing cold of the wintry
night went the husband, while the wife
turned to the Preside and her sleeping
babes, who, in their warm cribs, with the
glow of health upon their cheeks, showed
that they knew nothing of cold or pinch
ing want With a thankful spirit she
thought of her blessings as she sat down
to her little pile of mending. Very busily
and quietly she worked, puzzling all the
time over what her husband could have
meant by starting a singing-school. A
singing-school and the widow! How
queer! What possible connection could
they have?
At last she grew tired of the puzzling
thought and said to herself: ~ won't
bother myself thinking about it any more.
He will tell me all about it when he
comes home. l only hope we may be
able to help the widow and make her poor
heart sing for joy There!" she *
claimed, "can that be what he meant?
The widows heart singing for Joy!
Wouldn't that be a singing-school? 1t
must be; it is just like John. How funny
that l should find it outr'-and she
laughed merrily at her lucky guess. TAX
ing up her work again she stitched away
with a happy smile on her face as she
thought over again her husbands words
and followed him in Imagination in his
kind ministrations. By and by two shin
ing tears dropped down, tears Of pure joy,
drawn from the deep wells of her love for
her husband, of whom she thought she
never felt so fond before. At the first
sound Of footsteps she sprang to open the
door.
90 John! did you start the singing
SCHOOL,"
Il reckon | did," said the husband,
as soon as he could loose his wrap
pings; "but | want you to hunt up
some tlanaels and things to help keep it
up"
ooh, yes! | will; | know now what
you mean. ! have thought it all out.
Making the widows heart sing for joy is
your singing-school. What a precious
work, John! Pure religion and undctiled
is to visit the fathcrless and widow in
their atHiction.' My own heart has been
HEi va J'y III the oNIhllS De|"uec VI
your work, and | do not mean to let You
do it alone. l want to draw out some Of
this wonderful music"
There are many hearts which would be
the better if there could be singing-schools
started in them. Let's you and l do all
we can. Perhaps others may catch the
keynote and help to swell the song until
many a widows heart shall be comforted
and the fatherless be fed.-Adrocate md
Guardian.