Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-07-07
AN EASTER ANTHEM.

"We praise thee, D Lord" sang the
choir in the little church at Oak Hill
A lovely little country church nesting
amidst forest trees, with vines trained
over the rustic portico, and two large
orange trees peeping in the south win
dow
The church was very lovely and
peaceful in its isolation, but on this
Easter morning it was radiant with
flowers festooned in garlands around
the pillars and reading desk, and
worked into notices everywhere
The altar was a pyramid of fragrant
white roses and gardenias, and
through the open windows the petals
of the orange blossoms outside foated
into the pews and chancel, and lay
there like snowfakes.
Everybody within two miles of Oak
Hill was at church that Easter Sun
day, looking happy and smiling.
The people were very proud of their
church, and perhaps of themselves,
too, for the taste and labor bestowed
upon it.
But their special pride was in their
choir and their organist, Herr Seldorf.
He was German musician, who, a
year before in his wanderings, had
CHANGED upon this little country vii
lage, and somehow had grown SC
fond of the people and the place, that
he fingered there still.
"It was 80 peacefulw he said And
every stranger who happened in the
church on such a perfect day as this
Easter Sunday would be apt to agree
with him.
A girl about fifteen, in a faded
calico and sunbonnet, had stood tim
idly in the doorway from the begin
ming of the services. She was evi-
IDENTIFY a stranger, and did not belong
to the rows of nicely-dresse ed girls
who, in their fresh Spring costumes
looked like flowers themselves
She was shabby and dusty, with q
dark, gipsy face and flashing black
eyes, which roved admiringly every
where.
She seemed to shrink from notice
until the magnificent "Te Deum" rose
upon the air, and then she stepped
forward with clasped hands and a
face so full of rapturous delight that
people turned and looked at her.
She did not see them, but slipped
into the nearest empty pew, and stood
there with eyes full of fire fixed on
the choir gallery.
In few minutes new voice joined
in the chant, clear, pure soprano, OF
such wonderful flexibility, such sweet
ness and strength, that Herr Seldorf
at the organ, gasped with surprise
and rolled his eyes wildly about il
search of the strange singer.
She stood in view of every one, the
old sunbonnet pushed back, the darl
cheeks flushed, the lumin GUS eyes
which seemed themselves to be sing
ing the inspired notes, raised upwards
She seemed floating away on the tide
of melody utterly forgetful Of hel
surroundings.
But when the chant was over sht
relapsed into the shabby girl, ashamed
of her shabbiness, and pulled the ole
sunbonnet over her face. She seemed
to pray very fervently, but her rea
prayers went up in the anthems, fol
she did not seem to know the hymns
The service was over and the peo
pie commenced leaving the church
Each one looked curiously ut th'
singer as they passed the pew wher'
she sat. Some paused, and woult
have spoken, but she 80 evidentl,
shrunk from notice that they passet
on.
AS for Herr Seldorf, at the yer,
moment he had stopped to accost her
he had been seized by q friend ant
carried off in hot haste to explain
difficult passage in the afternoon
anthem to some of his pupils. Willis
wrestling with his own bad Englisl
and the stupidity Of the learner, th
girl had slipped out of the church.
BY this time the church was empty
and the people riding or walking
homewards. The girl stopped at tn
stile. and sat down on the step wit
weary sigh.
"Are you tired, little onep aske'
the sexton. "old Father John," a
every one called him, who had com
up unnoticed.
"Not as tired as was before / wen
to church" she answered, timidly.
81 saw you there. A stranger i
these parts, I reckon"
eyes, sir. I used to live in Virgin
ia" with another sigh. Were mo,
ing to Texas, and the wagons hav
stopped over that hill yonder."
'Your pa and ma there too"
It was minute before the gil
seemed able to answer that question
and her beautiful eyes filed wit
tears.
"Mamma died when ! was a baby,
she said, in low voice; "but papt
oh, my dear papa! he died after "
left home. Oh! wish he had bee
buried here in this sweet place, II
/ I'll 4,rvI 4