News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-01-03

that he was one of the players in Il
choir of his parish, his instrument bein
the violoncello. took my first lessor
and from that time commenced a ne
life. Evening after evening, and some
times during the day, I wandered owe
to his little shop, and while he sat, stitcl
stitch at the boots and shoes, I .pIave
over and over again all the music
could get from the church.
you've a beautiful lingering, Sam
my boy, beautiful; and though it. doe
look little awkward to see you bowint
away with your left, it makes no differ
ence to you. You ought to be fin,
player, SAM
was enthusiastic, but I was poor.
wanted an instrument of my own, bu
had no money and l earned none
could earn none.
'Sam, my boy" said the cobbler, one
day, ''you shall have an instrument, ani
your father shall buy it for you, or the
whole parish shall cry shame upor
him."
"But he don't know a word of this,
1 said.
"Never mind. Sam, my boy, he shall
be glad to know of it," and he told me
his plans.
On Christmas Day it was customary
for the choirs of neighboring churches
70 ba1,, aool oAbor opJ - ,-oa o,-,o,,-xo
that the choir of our parish should play
and sing on the next Christmas morn.
ng at his parish church, and that he
and his choir should come over to our
parish for the evening service.
"And you, Sam, said he, "shall take
my place in your own church; and,
please God, you do as well there as
you've done here, it will be the proud
est day I shall know, Sam, my boy, and
your mother and father will say so,
too"
The evening came; and there, in the
dimly-lit gallery, / sat waiting, with my
master beside me.
"Sam, my boy" said my master, 'ft's
a great risk; it's getting very full
There's the squire and nv lady just
come in. Keep your eyes on your book
and feel what you're playing, and think
you're in the little shop; I've. brought
Dit OF leather to help you" and he put
a piece of that black leather that has a
peculiar acid scent in front of me. The
scent of it revived me; the memory of
the many hours l had spent there came
back to me at once, and felt as calm as
if were indeed there.
She came at last, and service began.
Oh, that night Shall ever forget its
pleasures ?-the wondering looks of the
friends and neighbors who came and
found in me, the despised, awkward,
saddler's apprentice, the
prodigy of which they had dreard rumors.
Oh, it was glorious? The first few
strokes of my bow gave me confidence,
and did well, and knew it, through the
hymn, through the chants and on to the
anthem before the sermon. This was
TO be the gem of the evening; it was
Handel's then new anthem 81 know
that my Redeemer liveth." !"
1t began-harsh, inharmonious, cut of
tune-I know not why or how; but as it
spell seemed upon all but
ner and myself; one by one the instru-
nents ceased and were silent; one by
,ne the voices died sway and were lost,
md she and 1 alone, bound together and
lriven on by an irresistible impulse,
vent through the anthem; one soul, one
spirit seemed to animate both. The
whole congregation listened breathless
Is to an angel; and she, self-absorbed
md like one in a trance, sang, filling
ne with a delicious sense of peace and
sxultation, the like of which l have
never known since.
1t came to an end at last, and with
5he last triumphant note fell forward
0n the desk in a swoon.
When 1 recovered, found myself at
home in my own room, with the rector,
the doctor and my parents there, and
heard the doctor say:
81 told you he would, dear madam; I
knew he would"
'Thank God - murmured my mother.
My dear boy, how we have feared for
you p
What difference L was courted and
made much of. "Genius p' and Every
clever !" and Delightful talent !" such
we're the expressions 1 now heard, in
stead of ''stupid "awkward l'' and "un-
it for anything /"
My father bought fine instrument,
and was the hero of the village for
1t was some days after that Christmas
that ventured to ask about the rector's
niece.
my dear boy" said my mother;
i'the like was never heard. We saw you
here and wondered what you were do
ng; but as soon as we saw you with the
bow, we knew you must be the person
,here'd been so much talk about; and
shen, when the anthem came, and we
Ill left off singing and they all left off
playing, and only you and Miss Cecilia
kept on, we were all in tears. I saw
even the rector crying; and, poor girl,
the seemed as if in a dream, and so did
you; it was dreadful for me to see you
with your eyes fixed on her, watching
ner so eagerly. And then to look at
ler, staring up at the stained-glass win
low as if she could see through it, miles
and miles away into the sky. o, I'm
sure the like never was; and then, when
you fell down, screamed, and your
ather ran up and carried you down and
brought you home In Farmer SHADES
our wheeler"
After this I had an invitation to 90
Up to the rectory, and there in the long
winter evenings we used to sit; and
while l played, she sang. Oh, those
happy times when she loved me, but