Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-18

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thoroughly comfortable. Nevertheless
one OF the younger sisters chimed timidll
IN the second line, and sang the stanZs
through with them, while Miss Cynthia
uncertainty hummed the air from hel
lonely seat. Then, as Constance begaI
again:
"Lerevery nation, every tribe
all the addresses joined her, self-forget
tingly. Before the second stanZa Wal
( done, the bass and tenor voices reinforced
them from the other side OF the room
and there was a real thrill in the repeti
ton:
And crown Him Lord Of all"
Brother Berg asked for "Brattle street,
and the seif-cOnsciOusness of the LITTLE
company forgot to intrude on their Joy il
the sweet notes Of the ancient hymn
/ Constance sat feeling smusingly for the
/ accompaniment. and looking up at q
/ portrait OF her mother. by Gilbert, thai
lit up the dusky mahogany panel above
the harpsichOrd, While she lifted her voice
in that absent conservation, without
which singing is as meaningless as drum
i beating. Her full soprano rose cOntident
/ ~ 70 the oid-fa5hi0ned quaYerings of the
/ last line:
with bee te--e-r-r hopes be ii'ed.'
/ and rang and echoed above the others. II
! was indeed an uncommon voice; and in
! her aTdOr for her father, and the genuine
/ pleasure Of use which one gifted with
such an organ must feel, she poured II
I forth in kind Of glory ol melody. The
! others ceased from her one by one, and
/ she presently found herself singing alone
'My lifted eye, without tear.
/ The gathering storm shall see;
Ny steadfaat heart shall know no fear
/ That he S~a-rt Wl-l-ll rest on thee"
,srnorcofo,,sgv- hon v-ofno
+ rising and falling teBderlv to the solemn
: cadence. As she reached the last line she
liftea i in its ultimate power, and dwell
iny on The Quaint quayers, finished il a
fuil-throated bust.
"Why, why aren't W slh8lAgf sue
cried, turning about on her len.
We were listening to YOU" saia =. =
Keator.
That's so, !" asserted the stoutest and
merriest o. the elders. You have u
beautiful voice, Miss Van Cleef." Why
not Sister Van Cleef? March wondered.
We hear It at the church, but there's so
many others. | don't know as | ever
did hear you before, so close, as you might
say, and ] don suppose the res. Of them
have" Constance listened smilins,y to
these well-intentioued gallantries, Gcm-
pairing them with sad aEusement to
certain others IN her memory. you
kho" what rupture says about keeping
your llgaL under bushel," the elder went
or y" IN a kindly twinkle il his eye. If
you've got a silver piece let the hgnt
shine on il. l ay-aud-and call in your
friends and neighbours" he ended, with
humorous irrelevance.
This is not TIE way it is in the Bible,
is it, Elder Reideli' deprecated one OF the
sisters, meekly.
well. L wasn't quoting exactly"
asserted the elder. ~ mixed up Mat
thew and Luke q little for illustration
for illustration. you know"
Constance had turned back to the key
board during this discussion, and was
ANONYMOUSLY connecting herself with her
memories. An air seemed finally TO grow
out of this tuneful confusion, and the
company finiin- Unfamiliar, sang through
the HYMN which was associated with ~.
A NUravian ''Iymn and Tune Book
was produced, aud the sisters and hreth-
rem. Gathering about the harpsica0rd,
asked for their favoCites lo turn. M1icn,
VINO. after his friendly motion n support
OF Constance's effort to induce an easier
atmosphere. had left the instrument and
Joined Mr.. keat0r III remote corner OF
the room. remained listening with the
Or est to the now harmonious aud joyous
sounds. OCCASIONALLY. while one OF the
sisters ran over the volume from which
they were singing, IN search Ct partlcu-
lar air. the two exchanged some words ID
undertone; but for the most part they
listened earnestly, the minister always
with kind Of reverence. Occasionally
the singers used the old Ger
man words, oftener the English;
and if the dictiOn Of neither was
frreprOachabIe, the idea which they eX-
pressed was at least perfectly clear; and
they were sung with feryor which was
in itself a species OF devotion, and left
nothing to be desired.
The singing Of sacred hymns has not
been considered means Of entertaining
an evening party; hut ibis was not the
usual evening party, and Constance eN-
hiDited her G!scerEment IN choosing Il as
the most efiic6GjOus salt for the thawing
OF the Obdurate ice. Music was not re-
served for extraordinary events by the
Morayians: il was the companion and
brightener of each day; i was summons
and farewell. the message Of grief and
happiness. the Church's coincidence and
Generalization. II was the language OF
nrajse. Thanksgiving and worship; OF
. hone. and promise, and prayer. IL BID 10
churcb. il Illuminated the ritual, 1t end
ed the service. and went home with eacn
brother and sister to dwell with them, as
sunnort, counsellor apd friend. Men were
born TO the glad note {! Irumpets, they
were married in hearing OF their JuDllant
sympathy. and bodies were carried to the
grave TO the harmony OF them, and over
the open sepulchre the horns blew the
last farewell to the poor clOd beneath.
Among the company IN which we are IN
terested, the singing begOt an agreeable
sympathy. and when they turned, at
/ length. from the haTpsichOrd and disposed
I themselves a0Out the apartment, they Tell
naturally into capitally assorted groups,
/ and began to talk among themselves
/ without self-constraint. DR.. Van Cleet
was engaging Mr.. keator in earnest con-
yersatiOn. and Constance went over and
/ let stout Elder RledeI make her what
| compliments he would. March crossed
/ TIE room and braYply seated himself on
! the hair-cloth sofa between the two ell
| dresses. whose shyness he had measurably
| conquered at tea. He seemed to succeed
! admirably with them, for they were pre- s.
/ emily laughing with him in decent JOY.
! The elders. who were all married, but
were not Invariably accompanied by
/ their wives, wandered about in their
! long brown coats, holding discussions
with one another upon church matters,
! deliberating questions touching the man
! agement of the chOirs with the sisters, or
/ inguiring the news from the Indian mis-
sion settlements. DR.. Van Cleet, who,
4 from time to time cast anxious glabces to-
J WHT0 March, 10 assure uAAAAoCaA bAeaN II "
not being bored, at last excused himself TO
I Mr.. keator, and went over toward the
I halr-clOtn sofa.
'E1bere are a great many blacks IN the
[ West ladies', you say:' one Of the prlm,
/ pretty sisters was iuquirlng.
eyes, that is what the missionaries
/ write US. They tell us they are a great
/ trial." she sighed. "They do not seem TO
I take TO learning somehow; and even when
/ they are converted they steal and speak
| falsely, and the ministers do not seem TO
be able to make them see the wrong in
/ it. 1t is a great trial." repeated she, but
l suppose the narrow way is moi easy any
| where"
mo" returned the young man, as DR.,
! Van Cleef approached, Il believe that
| those who try to pass through il on horse
back generally make failure Of it."
The sisters looked at each other. The
comparison may have seemed questlona-
Bile.
* ep your seat, sir, keep your seat"
/ exclaimed DR.. Van Cleef. Then, per
| ceiYing the embarrassment Of the ell
dresses, mir. March only means, fancy,
that there is no royal road TO virtue; We
shall agree to that, think. Yes, yes; we
/ shall all agree To tnat.' and be pulled ner-
YOusly at bic STOCK, while he smiled cheer
ily down at them.
Mpanw hlle, MIR. Keator had encounter
ed Constance moving away from her e.
Ger. tie took her nand Wltbf at speaking