Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-04-25
Recollections OF . GIee Club.
BY PARMENAS MIX.

Those old songs-even now they com
family to my ear, borne on the gentl
zephyrs of memory. l catch DE Col
yer's tremulous air (he never had mucl
confidence in his voice. Dunlap's melt
ing tenor and ''Blueskin's" heavy bass
which was so very deep and strong tina
the other singers were obliged to ge
right down to their work in order Il
secure vocal representation. My voic
comes to me also; lost it several year
ago-it wasn't much of loss.
Alone in my own room at midnigh
when the village is still and my wearie,
creditors are asleep, often recall tn,
old days. Again l stand beneath th'
pallid moon with my silver-tonguet
companions and sing. Neither of u
could read music-it was our business
to sing 1t. There were a few synica
critics who alluded to us as "Euter
pean homicides," and named among
our victims. "Nelly Gray" "Ahnie OI
the Vale" and an Irish lady named
"Belle Mahone." Strong in the assur.
aDce, however, that the severest criti
cism is often directed against superior
merit, We paid little attention to un-
complimentary opinion. We had each
of us been told that with the proper
cultivation and practice We might take
high rank in the musical world, conse-
quently we continued our midnight
serenades, scattering our melodious
favOrs promiscuously among our female
acquaintances. am quite certain that
If outdoor exercise was as conducive
to vocal improvement as it is to physical
we would now be drawing
heavy salaries as yocalists. am panied
to say that We are not. Indeed, the
and discouraged air that
each one Of us to-day is
not the resul. of drawing heavy salary
over the rocky routine Of our profess
sions. Pecuniarily We are unincum-
bered.
h. dly think that shall ever forget
my performances with the old glee club.
was in love at the time, and the fair
being who entrapped my affections was,
quite naturally, made the innocent tar
get Of great many Of our musical
broadsides. We sang ourselves hoarse
beneath her window. As a general
thing we would continue the entertain
last our list of songs was exhausted we
would steal noiselessly away, drawing
pictures of white robed being
sitting up in bed wiping away the tears
hat had been drawn out by our affec-
ing allusions to certain "Poor Old
Slave" and somewhat famous piece of
,utlery known as the 'Sword of Bun
ler HILL"
One night we went around rather
,arlier than usual and took up our ac-
position on the sidewalk be-
heath the window where we supposed
'ur victim lay, fondly hoping that we'd
,ome round and entrance her for
IN hour or two. We opened up with
Father, Come Home" DeGolyer,
With his tremulous air, had got as far
deerfarther. come home with mean
'-oWI'
vhen the door was softly opened and a
voice requested me to
tep that way. 1t was Madeline, bless
Ter dear heart, and felt confident that
We were to be invited to partake Of wine
md cake. She drew me quietly into
he hall and said:
"Parnenas, you know l think the
world of you and would never find fault
With anything you did, but father is SO
urious. Now your singing doesn't
nnoy me bit sleep very soundly,
nd am not disturbed in the least by
'oices in the street. But father works
N boiler shop, you know, and he
ays he hears racket enough during the
lay without being pestered at night.
lie just now woke me up-he had his
hot-gun in his hand, and he told me
hat if didn't 60 down and put stop
o your singing he'd cripple you all for
ife. I'm SO sorry, Parmenas-can't
ou go of TO the woods somewhere, and
ing?"
l family replied that 1 supposed we
ould, and sheepishly withdrew. When
reached the sidewalk the boys wanted
0 know what was up. As l couldn't
hink Of divulging the awful truth,
old them I'm hushed accents that Miriam
as grandfather was lying dangerous
y ill, and that when DeGOlyer struck
p ''Father, Come Home" he thought
was the angels calling him, and COM
nenced to sink very rapidly. The fam
ly return their heartfelt thanks, l adj
ed, but earnestly request that we shall
iscontinue the serenade. "Blue-skin,"
he heavy bass, wished to revive the pa
lent by singing "The Old Sexton," but
etter counsels prevailed, and We silent
y left the premises.
After that, somehow or other, lost
IL interest in musical affairs, and with
rev from the club. My companions,
owever, continued to serenade, with
arying success, until one night while
hey were endeavoring to charm a red
eaded girl with whom "Blue-skin"
licked up a Irritation, they received
heir quietus. They were singing:
-0n on, the boys came marching,
Like grand, majestic sea,
When the girls father emptied wash
ub of water on their heads from an
Ipper window. 1t came down like
grand, majestic sea, you understand.
{ may be that the old gentleman mere
Y wished to illustrate the song-at any
ate, the boys took it as an insult, and
hat was the end of the glee club.
Dr. Schlfemann's Discoveries.
If the indefatigable DR.. Schliemann
Ioes not succeed in reconstructing his