The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-15

HOuhG-Aenufz NJ Inc E,lt4uO-
Bob Ingersoll Drops In and
spoils Everything.
N. Y. Times.
An amiable Methodist minister, who
recently took tea on Sunday evening at
the White House, has published in a de-
nominstional newspaper a touching and
beautiful account Of the way in which
the Presidential family, together with a
few friends, subsequently sang hymns.
Worldly afairs were entirely laid aside,
and even General Sherman, who hap.
pened to,be present, threw his whole soul
into the singing. There was, the minis.
ter assures US, q total absence Of all cant,
and the simplicity and earnestness with
which the sweet songs Of Zion were sung
filed him with delight and admiration.
This happened not more than two
weeks since, and there Is no reason 10
doubt the strict accuracy Of the Metho-
dist minister's report. II is, therefore,
with panied surprise-in which, indeed,
the whole public will %share-.hat he will
learn that the singing Of hymns at the
White House on Sunday evening has met
With q serious interruption, and very
probably may never be resumed. At
least such Is the account which reaches us
from an anonymous and extremely re-
spectacle source. OF course, it may not
be true, and every right. minded man will
hope that 1t Is not true. This Ia one Of
those cases In which Il Is more consoling
TO believe that even an anonymous per-
son 10 capable Of deception than 10 be-
lieye that he has told the truth. Still,
the story cannot be suppressed, and in the
hope that It may prove to be false, 1t is
sadly but firmly laid before the public.
On last Sunday evening, so the 'anony.
nous story runs, the President assembled
himself and some prominent persons In
the magenta room OF the White House
with q view to singing hymns. There
were present Gen. Sherman, Secretary
Schurz, Secretary Thompson, the POST
master General, Stanley Matthews, and
Presidential small boy. Two or three OF
those present had never before been ad.
mitted TO the Sunday evening singing,
and we're obviously in some doubt as to
how they were expected to conduct them
selves. The President, after distributing
the hymn.books, began TO search for a
nice opening hymn, and the guests sat in
silence, with the exception Of Gen. Sher.
man, who, having accidentally dropped
his hymn.book with aloud crash, made 4
remark which at first startled Mr.. Hayes.
The General, however, hurriedly ex-
planned that he had merely expressed his
solemn conviction Of the truth Of the
dogma Of future punishment, and the
President, gladly accepting the explana-
tion, but at the same time taking the pre-.
caution 10 send his youngest child out OF
the room, announced that the three hun.
bred and nin%ety-seventh hymn would be
sung 10 the air OF Selma" and requested
Mr.. schurz to preside at the piano.
There ia no doubt that Mr.. Schurz
meant we'll, bot to select him as the sc
companist was . great mistake. His
news Of Sunday and Of the style OF music
suited 10 that day, unfortunately, differ
from those Of American Methodists.
Moreover he Is a musical enthusiast, and
when once seated at the piano has a ten
dency to forget himself and his surround.
ings. When, therefore, after q prelude
so long and so brilliant that Mr.. Hayes
showed much uneMiness, he launched
into 4 fantastic upon the theme OF the
"Heart bowed down." which he played
with wonderful execution, the President
felt compelled to interfere. He remarked,
in substance, that he was not a musician,
but that It seemed 10 him that Nj. Shurz
had mistaken the time, or that at all
events he was playing faster than was
strictly appropriate to the Sabbath, Thus
recalled 10 himself, the Secretary abrupt.
" cut short his fantastic, and asked Tor
the notes Of "China." The music wa
given to him, and Mr.. Hayes anxious TO
prevent any tnrlher mistakes, requested
the company to begin the song, assuring
them that Mr.. SchurS would soon catch
up with them.
Led by Nj. Matthews, the singing be-
gan, but before reaching the third line Of
the hymn Mr.. schurE clapped his hands
to his ears, and the singers, with the ex:
ception Of Secretary Thompson, who had
his eyes shut, feared that Mr.. Schnrz was
suffering from neuralgia, and accordingly
ceased singing. That conscientious mn:
stefan therefore explained that he could
not listen to that "abominable song" that
it was grossly ungrammatical, and that
Il contained two instances Of consecutive
iiths. Mr.. Thompson said it was u good
Protestant hymn, and that he for one
considered that II ii did mot follow the
rules laid down by the besotted composers
Of Papal Church music, or the infdel
writer's Of German symphonies so much
the better. Mr.. Key made \ few humor.
Gus remarks suggesting that il the tune
was not all Il should be, it might be re-
constructed on the epot, and MI. Mat.
theUs asserted that in America We need
not AK 70" the opinions OF European mu.
s~icians. Although the mSjority OF those
present were In favor OF continuing the
hymn, Mr.. Hayes plleidly remarked that
Mr.. Schur1 being obviously in the wrong,
ought to be %conciliated and that he would,
therefore, abandon "China,S and ping
something else. Each Of the guests was
in turn requested TO suggest the next
hymn, and all, with the exception Of Mr..
schutI. who proposed the watch nthe
Rhine,n and Gen. Sherman, who proposed
"Benpy Hayens," voted for cold Hun
dredn As aeompromise measure. Accord.
inRly sold Hundredn was sung With great
animation, and the meeting wss in a fair
way to be q brilliant success, when Z
servant announced the arrival Of Col
Insersoll, who almost at the same mo-
ment entered the room.
The Colonel, in his CHEEKY, genial way
said that be hoped he had not interrupted
the game, and that he would be glad q
take ahand Il the ante was not too large
and II there was reasonable limit 70
the beta. There was no answer TO this
remark, until General Sherman, with
laugh, explained that hymns, and moi
poker, were the object Of the meeting
Whereupon Colonel Ingersoll, going q
the piano, SAID that he was particularly
fond Of singing, and proceeded TO favor
the company with sLAnigans Ball,
which he sang with great expression and
an inimitAble brogue.
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