The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-04-22

turned 70 his stand and baton no vise
than beiors. but more profoundly inssr
ested than ever.
The anticipated hus concert come o'
The night Of December ~.
The blazing hghs-shs grand orchsstr
tho brilliant audience. hushsd sxpscsA
ton gave the child strange ssnse Of OK
ultatiou, not altogether unfamiliar either
Il Vas y u she had suddenly re-enssre'
somo previous but hitherto forgotten peri
cd ii her existence. She brcathed deepl.
ss II she had at last found breathing space
The conductor saw tho kindled. spiritu
allied face and knew the gray eyes wer'
glowing beneath the black lashes but be
ing not altogether spiritual himself ani
caring something for the personal appear
anoe Of his chorus. he saw, 700. and disap
provingly, the Same plain, black dress and
ungloved hands.
Thsrs could b. no doubl Aboat u now
she ~ miserably poor or she would mol
appear thus st public concert. Not ever
. flower -only the brightest face and tht
dark hair brushed back and left loose on
the shoulders.
Well, thought be with . Sigh, she 4
small and will not be noticed 10 tht
throng about her.
After the overture and the grand bass
solos came the opening chorus. And the
Glory Of the Lord. the child lifted quite
above oil earthly considerations. sang with
oil her soul.
The numbers went on in dignined suc
cession till the soprano soloist gave The
recitation, "There were shepherds abiding
in the fields, ending with "And there
were with The angel multitude Of the
heavenly host praising God and singing. =
GLORY to God. Glory to God In the
highest, /" broke in the full chorus. and the
child no longer knew II she were in the
body or not.
Then came the soprano solo, "Reioice
Greatly, 0 Daughter OF Zion. and a. the
soloist rose in her place she grew sudden
y i'll and would have fallen il she had not
been assisted from the platform.
The conductor went out and returned
with troubled face.
1t was only temporary illness. but she
would not be able TO sing Immediately.
Would not some one among the chorus
soprano take her place for this solo9
There was Q sensation among the first
sopranos and nervous turning Of scores,
but no one moved or seemed likely TO
move.
After . breathless expectant moment,
! small figure stepped into the soprano
soloist's place; small figure iu plain
black dress and with ungloved hands,
u rowing Is il not Of it's own volition.
The conductor was startled but not
wholly surprised. and without waiting an
instant raised his baton. The violins
swept 10 with the introductory movement
md then out poured that clear voice
With its strangely resonant, sympathetic
quality. singing. "Reioice, rejoice greatly
D Daughter OF Zion"
The stirred audience held it's breath,
persons rising in their seats to zee this
mall figure in black with fosting hair;
but she saw only her mothers face IN .
Instant corner Of the hall and the conduct
'r's baton swinging steadily like the hand
II fate.
She stood with the closed score 10 her
,lasped hands perfectly still, with upliited
lace and swelling throat singing with .
conception Of the spirit Of the
'heme on TO the closing, "Behold thy
King cometh unto thee"
And 10 the vast audience He seemed
verily at hand.
There broke out an uncomfortable storm
u applause and the child, frightened now,
lrew back into her place in tho chorus
rsnks.
When the concert was ended, some en-
;husiastic persons in the audience gathered
'bout the conductor to inquire concerning
he impromptu solo singer He gladly
old them the little he knew and the more
10 suspected. and from that night the
,bilds fortune was assured. There was
40 lack Of interest or means TO procure her
he best possible training.
And truly happier days had come. The
poor mother laid aside her needle and
lived to zee the child the most celebrated
'inger in the land. --Jossphene Bm-bce.
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