The Penn's Grove record., 1886-07-24

"Would 1t not be better to get him
some new clothes than to dismiss him?'
she asked.
mo. Charity is charity, and busi-
ness is business. Everything must be
irst-class here. We cannot have raga-
mullins creeping into the church to dc
church work. OF course, 1 should be
glad to have the boy supplied witt
clothes. That is another thing. But
we must have a different boy in the
bellows box. The sections son II
bright, dresses we'll, and l have nc
doubt would be glad of the place-NoW
we will sing the anthem, Goodwill tt
men,"
The choir and chorus arose. The
organist tinkled the bell, and bent
down on the pedals and keys. There
was a ripple of music, a succession Of
short sounds, and-sllence.
The organist touched the knob at the
side of the keyboard. and again the
bell tinkled. His white hands ran over
the keys, but there issued no sound.
He moved nervously from the bench
and opened the little door.
"Dot?n
No answer.
The boy is sick or faint"
The tenor stepped into the room and
brought out a limp figure.
Are you sick, Dot?"
Eyes. sir; what Will become Of
mother?"
"He heard what you said about dis
missing him." said the alto to the pre-
ceptor.
Eyes, but the sexton was right.
Look at his shoes-why the toes are
sticking through Them"
"And this bitter weather." said the
alto, feelingly.
"Can you blow, DotP"
mo sir; 1t is all dark, sir. l cant
see, sir. l can but just stand up, sir.
You won't dismiss me. sir; mother is
lame and poor, slr-paralyzed, sir
that's what they call it-can't use but
one hand, SIR"
This ends the rehearsal" said the
preceptor, in an impatient way. dot,
you needn't come tomorrow, nor till
send for you. Here's a dollar, Dot
charity-Christmas present"
One by one the singers went out, the
preceptor bidding the sexton have g
care that Dot was sent home.
The alto and tenor fingered. Dot
was recovering.
II shall not hear the music to-mor'
row. do love it So"
"You poor child, you shall have your
Christmas music tomorrow, and the
best the city affords. Do you know
where Music Hall is, Dot?"
"Yes, lady,"
"There is to be an oratorio there to-
morrow evening-The Messiah. 1t Is
the grandest ever composed, and nc
singing in America is equal to 1t.
There is one chorus called the "Halle-
lujah Chorusn-it is wonderful; the
man who composed it thought he heard
the angels singing and saw the Lord OF
Heaven when he was at work upon it;
and he is to be the first tenor singer,
and l am to sing the altos-wouldn't
you like to go, Dot2"
Eyes, lady. Is the man who com
posed 1t to be the tenor singer-the one
who heard the angels singing, and
thought he saw the Lord?n
"No, Dot; he is to be the tenor sin
GER"
81, Dot" said the tenor.
II have a ticket for the upper gal
lery, which I will give him." said the
alto. "a friend OF mine bought it,
but / gave her a seat on the floor, and
kept this for-well, for Dot"
The tenor talked low with the lady.
Here is a Christmas present, Dot
He handed Dot a bill.
"And here is one for your mother, u
said the alto, giving Dot a little roll OF
money.
Dot was better now. He looked
bewildered at his new fortune.
"Thank you, lady. Thank you, sir.
Are you ablep" the alto laughed.
Eyes, Dot. l am to receive a hun
dred dollars for singing tomorrow
evening. l shall try to think of you,
Dot, when / am rendering one Of the
passages-perhaps 1t will give me In
spiration. | shall see you. Dot-under
the statue Of Apollo"
The sexton was turning of the lights
In the chancel. He called Dot. The
church grew DINNER and DINNER, and
the great organ faded away in the
darkness. In the vanishing lights the
alto and tenor went out of the church
leaving Dot with the sexton.
1t was Sabbath eYening-Christmas
Lights glimmered thickly among the
snowy trees on the common; beautiful
coaches were rolling through the
crowded streets.
Dot entered Music Hall timidly
through a long passage through which
bright, happy faces were passing, silks
rustling, aged people moving sedately
and slowly, and into which the crowds
seemed surging like a tike. Faces
we're too eager with expectation to no
tice him or his feet. At last he passed
a sharp angle In the long passage, and
the great organ under a thousand gas
jets burst upon his view. An usher at
one of the many lower doors looked at
his ticket doubtfully.
"Second gallery-back."
Dot followed the trailing silks UP the
broad fight OF stairs, reaching the top,
and asked another usher to show him
his seat. The young man whom Dot
addressed had that innate refinement OF
feeling that marks a true Boston gen.
tleman. lie gave Dot a smile, as much
as to say, f'I am glad you can enjoy all
this happiness with the rest, and said:
"Follow me-"
His manner was 50 kind that Dot
thought he would like to speak to him
again. He remembered what the alto
had said about the statue of Apollo,
aud as tile usher gave him back his
check and pointed to the number on
the check and the seat, Dot said:
"Whg you please tell me, sir, which
is the STATUE Of Apollof"
The Aa.her glanced at the busts and
statues ~ ag the walI. He spoke