The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-19

is business. Everything must be first
class here. We cannot have ragamuffios
creeping into the church to do church
work. OF course, should be glad to
have the boy supplied with clothes.
That is another thing. But we must
have a different person in the bellows
box. The sections son is bright, dresses
well, and, have no doubt, would be
glad of the place. Now we will sing the
anthem, Good will to men,"
The choir and chorus arose. The or
ganist tinkled the bell and bent down on
pie of music, succession Of short sounds,
and silence.
The organist touched the knob at the
side of the keyboard, and again the bell
tipkled. His white hands ran over the
keys, but there issued no sound.
He moved nervously from the bench,
and opened the little door.
"Dotp
No answer.
"The boy is sick or faint"
The tenor stepped into the room and
brought out limp figure.
care you sick, Dot p
"Yes, sir what will become of mother7"
"He heard what you said about dis
missing him." said the alto to the pre-
centor.
"Yes, but the sexton was right. Look
at his shoes-why, his toes are sticking
through them"
| "And this bitter weather." said the
alto, feelingly.
"Can you blow, Dot ?"
"No, sir; it is all dark, sir. can't
but just stand up, sir. You won't dismiss
me, sir? Mother is lame and poor, sir
parsly zsd, sir; that's what they call it
can't use but one hand, SIR"
"This ends the rehearsal" said the pre-
centor, in an impatient way. "Dot, you
needn't come tomorrow, nor till 1 send
for you. Here's dollar, Dot-charity-
Christmas present"
One by one the singers went out, the
precentor bidding the sexton have a care
that Dot was sent home.
The alto and the tenor fingered. Dot
was recovering.
az shall not hear the music tomorrow.
do love it So"
"You poor child, you shall have your
Christmas music tomorrow, and the best
the city affords. Do you know where
| Music Hall lS, dot Z"
ayes, lady"
"There is to be an oratorio there to-
morrow evening" The Messiah 1t is
the grandest ever composed, and no sing.
ing in America is equal to it. There is
one chorus called the Hallelujah Chorus
it is wonderful the man who composed
it thought he heard the angels singing
and saw the Lord of heaven when he was
at work upon it; and he is to be the first
tenor singer-and am to sing the altos
wouldn't you like to go, Dot p
Eyes, lady. Is the man who composed
it to be the tenor singer-the one who
heard the angels singing, and thought he
saw the Lord ?"
"No, Dot; he is TO be the tenor singer y
81 Dot" said the tenor.
al have ticket for the upper gallery
which 1 will give him." said the alto
"a friend of mine bought it, but gave
her a seat on the floor, and kept this for
well, for Dot"
The terror talked low with the lady.
"Here is Christmas present, Dot
He handed Dot bill.
Sand here is one for your mother
said the alto, giving Dot little roll Of
money.
Dot was better now. He looked be-
wildered at his new fortune.
"Thank you, lady. Thank you, sir
Are you able ?" The alto laughed.
eyes, Dot. l am to receive hundred
dollars for singing tomorrow evening.
shall try to think of you, Dot, when an
rendering one of the passages-perhaps il
will give me inspiration. l shall see you
Dot-under the statue of Apollo"
The sexton was turning off the lights
in the chancel. He called Dot. The
church grew DINNER and DINNER, anc
the great organ faded away in the dark
ness. In the vanishing lights the altt
and tenor went out of the church, leav
ing Dot with the sexton.
1t was Sabbath evening-Christmas.
Lights glimmered thickly among thu
snowy trees on the common beautiful
coaches were rolling through the crowded
streets.
Dot entered Music hall timidly by
long passage, through which bright
happy faces were passing, silks rustling
aged people moving sedately and slowly
and into which the crowds on the streets
seemed surging like tide. Faces wer,
too eager with expectation to notice hin
or his feet. At last he passed a sharl
angle in the long passage, and the grea
, organ, under thousand gas Jets, burs
, upon his view. An usher at one of the
many lower doors looked at his ticke
doubtfully:
"Second gallery-back."
Dot followed the trailing silks up tn
broad flights of stairs, reached the TOP
and asked another usher to show him L
his seat. The young man whom Dot ad
dressed had that innate refinement o
, feeling that marks true Boston gentle
r man. He gave Dot smile as much as +
say, am glad you can enjoy all thi
> happiness with the rest" and said:
"Follow me-"
HIS manner was 30 kind that Do
, thought he would like to speak to hir
again. He remembered what the alto ha
said about the statue of Apollo, and Q
the usher gave him back his check an
the seat, Dot said:
!. "Will you please tell me, sir, which
t the statue of Apollo 2"
Q The usher glanced at the busts an
t statues along the wall. He spoke kindly
+" That is the Apollo Belvidere."