Milford chronicle., 1883-12-14

] HN@t"~@N-~
doubly stupid blockhead? There, go
out of the house, do, before you do any
further mischief, and tell your father to
horsewhip you for stupid dolt. "
My father heard of my misfortune, and
laid the strap across my shoulders with
out hesitation, for in my young days
boys were boys till eighteen or nineteen
years old. bore it patiently, uncom-
plainingly.
"What is he fit for p everyone would
ask, and no one could answer, not even
myself.
1 wandered about the rectory in the
summer evenings and heard her sing; I
tried hard to get the old gardener to let
me help him carry the watering-pots,
and when I succeeded, felt, as I entered
the rector's garden, that I was entering
a paradise.
Alas alas my awkwardness again
banished me. She met me one evening
in the garden, as was coming along the
path, with my cans full of water, and
spoke to me, and said:
you're the boy that broke the vase,
aren't you?"
81 did not, could not, reply; my
strength forsook me. I dropped my
cans on the ground, where they upset
and flooded away in a moment some
seeds on which the rector set most
especial store.
Chow awkward, to be sure I" she ex-
claimed. "And how angry uncle will
be-"
turned and fed, and from that time
the rectory gate was closed against me.
One Sunday she sang as had never
yet heard her, not loudly, but so ten
derby, so lovingly; I knew the change
had come-she loved; it thrilled in her
voice; and at the evening service he was
there. saw him. A soldier, ] knew
by his bearing, with cruel, hard, gray
eyes; and she sang, knew it. 1 de-
tected a tremble and gratitude in the
notes. I felt she was to suffer, as I had
suffered; not that sang. had no
voice. A harsh, cultural sound was all
could give utterance to. l could
whistle like bird, and often and often
have lain for hours in the shade of a
tree and joined the concerts in the
woods.
One day was whistling, when 1 was
tapped on the shoulder by an old man,
the cobbler of the next parish.
"sam, where did you learn that?"
"Learn what ?"
''That tune"
cat church.. "
''You've good ear, Sam"
GIVE nothing else good, but can
whistle anything"
"Can you whistle me the Morning
Hymn %
I did so
"GoOd; very good. Know anything
of music. Sam?'
Nothing"
"Like to?"
"I'd give all I have in the world to
be able to play anything. My souls
full of music. can't sing a note, but
could play anything if was taught. "
$50 you shall, Sam, my boy. Come
home with me. Garry these skins, and
you shall begin at once"
I went home with him, and found
that he was one of the players in the
choir of his parish, his instrument being
the violoncello. took my first lesson,
and from that time commenced a new
life. Evening after evening, and some
times during the day, 1 wandered over
to his little shop, and while he sat, stitch,
stitch at the boots and shoes, I played
over and over again all the music I
could get from the church.
''You've a beautiful lingering, Sam,
my boy, beautiful; ana though it does
look little awkward to see you bowling
away with your left, it makes no differ
ence to you. You ought to be fine
player, SAM"
1 was enthusiastic, but was poor. I
wanted an instrument of my own, but
had no money and earned none-I
could earn none.
"Sam, my boy" said the cobbler, one
day, ''you shall have an instrument, and
your father shall buy it for you, or the
whole parish shall cry shame upon
him."
'But he don't know word of this,
1 said.
"Never mind. Sam, my boy, he shall