The Northern Pacific farmer., 1885-09-10
Why | Couldn't Sing.
BY GEO. F. HALL.

1t was a beautiful Sunday morning
in May. The birds chirped gaily in
the treetops, now fully leaved; the
flowers in the garden and on the lawn
were rich with delicious perfume; and
everybody and everything seemed
blessed with a kind of heavenly sweet.
ness. had only recently come to the
city in which occurred the event l am
about to describe, the greatest event
of my LIE. I'll tell you briefly
Fresh from college l had plunged
into business with great zeal and was
succeeding finely. 1 lived with an
uncle John and his excellent fam: :lv,
in one of the most delightful suburbs
of the city. The home was most
pleasant one, and so all went smooth
ly enough till cousin Violet induced
me to go to church with her for the
first t;me-I mean the first tine since
| had been in the city! Before becom-
hal been constant church-goer, and
went too, as all college boys do, with
purpose (?). While in school l had
gained some cred t as singer and had
''bassed it, two years in our chapel
Choir. Knowing this, cousin Violet, a
Splend Il contralto by the way, deter
III ned that should sing in her choir.
We were Just entering the grand old
church that uncle's people had long
attended, when Violet first mentioned
the astounding fact that she had deter
mined to make my first appearance at
church as remarkable as POSSIBLE and
completely hew :ldered me by speaking
to the usher as follows:
Seat us with the choir, please and
she boldly stepped ahead, with a
glance telling me to follow.
What could I do? In vain d d i re.
monstrate by wild glances an hurried
whisper:ngs-thc Little hoax led me
strai ght down the long aisle, and right
up to the awful, majestic, sacred look.
ing choir. I thought l should faint
never before was so completely taken.
But could onl; make the best of it,
and so with a satisfied ar, but venge.
full look at my smiling cousin, 1calm]y
took my place.
was twenty-three, and in all my
years had not. met the g.rl whom
deemed worthy of any serious attent on
on my part. In fact l was called
skeptcal as regarded the worth of the
opposite seX,-regarded women as
handy creatures about the house, as a
mother, or sister; but the thought o1
''lov.ng' and ''wedding' never entered
my mind. But it is tile we know to
day what our m nds will be tomorrow
and it is not infrequent that these cool
headed people Il pride myself as one
of the coolest are the more Otter
changed. Yes, "wise men change
their minds most often.'
In a few moments the Organist be-
gan, and soon the ch, deep tones O.
the great organ caused me to forge
NV Embarrassment. The first hymn
was announced, and the choir arose
Although unf am liar with the muse,
sang With perfect ease, and saw that
was really attracting attention. In al
that vast audience not one disapprov
ing face did see as 1 poured forth tn,
best bass I could command.
The minister proceeded to read from
the Holy Scriptures, while I began :
survey Of his auditors: With calm in
difference 7 adm red the intelligen
faces before me and was proud that
could maintain my camposure befor'
such an assembly, and under such Cir
cumstances. The good people listened
intently, devoutly trying to catch every
word as it dropped from their pastor
lips. Everybody seemed most deeply
interested-no! There was q youni