The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-01-17

Church Ohoirs,

Charlie, very young contributor seems 70 be
quite an Observing youth. lie sends US the follow
ing in relation % c6oirs, which we have no doubt
many of our readers will notice contains truth ex
pressed Ia hoyish terms, The conduct in some
chOtrs especially those which are paid certainly u
not becoming, aud we hope to sec change In That
line for the better.
Choirs are generally composed Of men
and women, who are usually ladies' aud
gentlemen. Choirs are most always in the
rear portion Of the second story Of church
es, which accounts for many bad little
boys calling them peanut galleries. -
Most people 60 to church to hear the
choir sing, though great many 90 to see
the choir sing; and they look round when
the music begins, and sit with their backs
or sides to the preacher, aud ma tells me
she knows Of little girl made cross eyed
from watching the preacher and the choir
at the same time. She also knows of an
other who had crooked neck from look
ing round, and one, she says, swallowed
big nasty bug that flew into her mouth, for
she seemed te use her mouth as an "audi-
phone" | think that's what ma called il;
and Ma says it shows bad manners a1d ILL.,
breeding to look round in church, and /
amt ever going to do it either, cause
ma knows what's right.
was inside the pen for the choir 10 the
gallery once. TWAS funny to see the sights
there-that is, funny for church II it
had been theatre il would have been all
well and good; but it was in church.
know of another choir. They are a good
deal alike. The boys talked and firted
with the girls, which was wrong; but other
things in the gallery were bad. Some of
the young men went to sleep, which
don't think is very nice thing to do in
church, and others chewed tobacco and
spit on the floor; aud some went out dur
ing the sermon, and when they came back
their breath smelled of drink. | didn't
like the organist either; | thought he put
on airs. He had on big glass ring-it
might be diamond-which moved with his
hand in the gaslight. His head shook in
many ways and directions, and in playing,
too, his body would be wonderfully worked
around on the stool. He smiled at the
girls, which | wont say anything against,
for he told me he was connected with the
Sunday School, and that he sometimes
taught the girls. The sermon had no in.
terest for him. He nervously moved
around from chair to chair, as If his con-
science troubled him. The darkie boy,
(who blew the bellows in his honest way,
lifted eyes in prayer to God, or cast an
honest breath in praise to his maker. The
intelligent organist drew boyish pictures
in the backs of books of prayer or song.
The black shiny face showed happiness
and love beaming there The idle prattle
and scribbling of the man showed a musi.
cian-an empty head and heartless body
aud as he played many pedals with his
feet, am inclined to think his brains
were there. His feet were small After
church he talked with mama and me. She
asked him how he liked the sermon. sit
was grand SO beautiful Oh, my
think he's too wise for anything" [See
what story he told He had not heard
a word Of it, How'd you like our sing
ing? Wasn't the music nice 2 and the
organ, too, was handled so nicely Twas
superb Iplayed Oh pardon; but here
comes Miss Mary-sOrry have to leave
Goodbye |"
He walked away with Miss Mary, and,
child that | am, | felt relieved asked
mama if all men who played the organ
were like that fellow. She said she hoped
not.
Since thea have seen other organ men.
Sometimes they are tall and slim, like one
of the big reed pipes; sometimes they are
stubby, below the stools on which they sit.
Sometimes ladies play the organ in
church, and | saw one once. 1t was
beautiful to see her little fingers run over
the keys and hear the music roll Itwas
more pleasant than TO see and hear a man
play, for am always afraid he is going
to mash through the keys that pleasure
in listening is destroyed. This lady tod
me "tenors' were plenty, and didn't
amount to much. | didn't know what she
meant by "tenOrs," but expect she knew
what she was talking about. "Bass," she
said, were few-and thought that funny
kind of man and laughed, and ma took me
away; and | have written this to tell you
all about il, and she don't know it; and
my big sister has helped me to write some
things, but you must put my name to it,
aud not hers. She also punctuated it for
me, because | didn't think points would
make much difference, but she says they
make all the difference in the world, and
she says people are paid to sing in church,
and that's why they don't behave them
selves CHARLIE.