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

GINS. bOOulu tuiuh tho heeio pCiiOWo-
room would be rather lonely place to
wait an hour"
al always come early" said the boy,
timidly.
"So have noticed. Why ?"
"Mother thinks it best"
"Come out here, and let me talk with
you. l have sung in the choir nearly
year, and have hardly had a glimpse of
you yet. Don't be bashful Why, all
the music would stop If it were not for
you, Dot. Our grandest Christmas an
them would break into confusion If you
we're to cease to blow. Come here. l
have Just arrived in the city, and have
come to the church to wait for the hour
of rehearsal. want company. Come,
Dot"
The little side door of the organ moved /;
q shadow crept along in the dim light
toward the genial.hearted tenor.
"Do you like music, Dot 2"
ayes, Sir"
ais that what makes you come 30 long
before the rest ?"
"No, SIR"
"What is it, then 2"
al have a reason-mother would not
like to have me speak of it."
"Do you sing 2"
Yes, at home"
"What do you sing
"The parts 1 hear you sing"
"Tenor, then ?"
Eyes"
"Will you sing for me 2"
"Now2"
EYES,"
al will sing Hank, what mean p"
Rossini--an adaptation from Cyus
Animam.'"
The boy did not understand.
"Well," said the tenor, " I'll beat time
now, Dot"
A flute.like voice foated out into the
empty edi6ce, silvery, pure, rising and
falling through all the m.lodious measures
of that almost seraphic melody. The ten
or leaped to his feet, and stood like one
entranced. The voice fell in wavy Ca
dences: Heavenly Hallelujahs rise"
Then it rose, clear as skylark, with the
soul of inspiration in it:
Hear them tell that sacred story,
The tenor, with nervous motion,
turned on the gas.light.
The boy seemed affrighted, and shrank
away toward the little door that led to the
bellows-room.
"Boy~
"Sir 2"
"There is fortune in your voice.
"Thank you, SIR"
"What makes you hide behind that
bench ?"
"You won't tell, sir ?"
"No: will befriend any boy with a
voice like that"
The boy approached the singer and
stood beside him.
He said not word, but only looked
toward his feet.
The tenor's eyes followed the boys.
He saw it all, but he only said tenderly
"Dtl"
A chancel door opened. An acolyte
came in, bearing long gas lighter; he
touched the chandeliers, and they burs
into fame. The cross glimmered upor
the wall under the Christmas wreaths
the alabaster font revealed its beautiful
decorations of Gala lilies and smilax the
organ glowed with its tall pipes, and carv
ings, and cherubs.
The first fash of light in the chance
found Dot hidden in his little room, with
the door fast closed behind him.
What strange place it was A din
light fell through the open carvings of the
organ case. Great wooden pipes lowered
aloft, with black mouths like dragons
Far, far above in the arch was a cherub
without body-a golden face with pur
pie wings. Dot had looked at it for hours
and wondered.
He sat looking at it tonight with o sor
rowful face. There were other footsteps
in the church; sounds of light, happy
voices.
Presently the bell tinkled. The organis
was on his bench. Dot grasped the grea
wooden handle; it moved up and down
up and down, and then the tall woodei
pipes with the dragon mouths began x
thunder around him. Then the choru
burst into q glorious strain, which Do
the year before had heard the organis
say was the Midnight Mass of the Mid
die Ages"
"Adestes ndeles
Laou umphantes
Yeniie,
Venite,
In BethlehemP'
The great pipes close at hand cease t
thunder. The music seemed to run ia
away into distance, low, sweet, anC
shadowy. There were sympathetic solo
and tremulous chords. Then the tempes
seemed to come back sgain, and the lumin
ous arch over the organ sent back int
the empty church the jubilant chorus
"yenite adoremus,
Venita adoreniuB,
Venite adoremus,
DUmnum"
After the anthem there were solo.
The tenor sang one of them, and Do
tried to listen to it as he moved tn
handle up aud down. How sweet i
sounded to Dots ears 1t came from
friendly heart-except his mothers it wa
the only voice that had ever spoken
word of sympathy or praise to the poo
bellows-boy.
The singers rested, laughed. and talked
Dot listened as usual in his narrow room