The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-12-17

through tno HTtdl ChuiChs iho p'OPie
listened in silence while he sang from old
Handel's Messiah -
"Rejoice, rejoice. rejoice greatly,
daughter OF Xion!"
How like "robin rscing down brook
of music" he ran through the sparkling
measures The music seemed to spring
in long roulades on the word rejoice,
as if it were too glad for words.
40 daughter of Zion.
Rejoice greatly, shout,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold thy King cometh unto thee.
Then it changed to smoother, sweeter
measures {:
"He is the righteous Saviour,
And he shall speak peace"
How softly Tommy's limpid voice gave
the words:
"Peace! And he shall speak - Peace"
What was tie matter Had the organ
stopped9 The church seemed to swim
round and round, and the angel in the
window was dancing madly! What
"Do you feel better, Tommy" asks a
pretty lady bending over him.
"Better Where is this -
"This is my home. Do you feel bet
ter nowl"
lOuCIl IL SOU hlu illt
was so beautiful. And the lady Who
was she0
"Guess I'm dead, It's heaven, sn't
it,"
The lady smiled. "No; it's only my
house. You tainted away in the church,
and l brought you here in my carriage. "
"Oh / remember. It's Christmas.
Well, you see, l didn't have any break
fast, and the cat is dead, and mothers
sick, and the church was so warm, and
there was so much music, and L was
tired, and -"
"We will not talk about that now.
You will not sing in that church again. "
Why not! / like to sing"
"You are to sing in our church after
this. I'm the organist' s wife, and we are
going to give you four hundred dollars a
year, and"
"Four hundred dollars What an
awful lot of money. Oh now you're
only joking fellow cause it's Christmas
day"
son! Tommy's better, I'm sure.
Come, my boy, sit up. There's your
breakfast"
1t was all piece of magic. A girl
brought in a tray with such noble
breakfast that Tommy didn't really know
where to begin. The lady took the tray
and the girl arranged the pillows, and
the royal feast began.
The lady talked, and even sang a
Christmas song called
"The boar is dead
Lo here is his head
Tommy laughed till he cried, for it
was most amusing song. But, in the
midst of the fcstivity, he stopped ab-
ruptly.
"By crickyj I forgot. There is
mother all this time, and she's had no
breakfast"
Such language, Tommy! 1 am sur
prised !"
81 forgot, ma'am. 1t slipped out fore
| knew it. l don't use such words much (;
but then mothers sick, you know"
Ono; 1 didn't know. Let us go home
and see her"
SO they did. They rode away in a
beautifully covered sleigh, and soon
reached Tommy's home. And they
made fire and thawed out the tea kettle,
and started the forlorn clock, and called
a nurse for Tommy's mother, and
brought Christmas day right into the
wretched house. Tommy couldn't be-
lieve it at all. If it had not been for the
poor old cat folded up in her rug,
Tommy could not have believed that he
passed through such doleful experience
that morning. All seemed so bright
now, that the past was like dream.
Then they made Mrs. Sterry comfort
able, and the lady took Tommy away
again in her sleigh. This time the or
ganist was at home, and then and there
explained to Tommy how selfish the
church people had been in refusing to
pay him anything for singing SO long,
and that now it was all changed, and he
was to be first soprano in the boys choir
at st. Mary's, and that they would pay
him fine salary, and that he was to
sing at morning service every day in the
year. He even paid Tommy part of
the salary in advance, that he might help
his mother.
Then they went to the piano and sang
Christmas carols-"The Manager
Throne" CT Saw Three Ships" "The
Holly and Ivy" and many others quite
as beautiful. Then they told Tommy
how in England on Christmas day the
children dressed in thick shoes and warm
clothing, go from house to house and
stand out in the snow singing carols
and how the good people open then
doors and invite them i'll to partake OF
good cheer. Last of all, Tommy started
to walk home alone. He had not gone
far before the bells in st. Mary's-h his
church now-began to chime, and, with
happy heart, he sang aloud with them
"God rest you, merry gentlemen"
Then he turned back softly till he came
to the good organist's house, and there,
all alone in the snowy street, he sang {
good old Christmas carol, for his hear
was full of peace and gratitude.
"God bless the master of this house.
! Likewise the mistress too.
And all the little children
That round the table go.
And all your kin and kinsfok
! That dwell both far and near.
wish you merry Christmas
And happy New Year"
And the people in the houses rounC
about heard the music in their dream
and said
Hank The angels are singing :"
But the Waterman in his big COZ
knew it was only Tommy, the soprano