The Penn's Grove record., 1886-07-24
HOW DOT HEARD THE MESSIAH.


eyes, sir"
u.What makes you come so earlyp II
is nearly an hour before the rehearsal
begins. l should think the little bel
lows room would be a rather lonely
place to wait an hour"
ii always come early SAID the boy
timidly.
$50 / have noticed. Why?"
Smother thinks it best"
"Come out here and let me talk with
you, l have sung in the choir fol-
nearly a year, and have hardly had a
glimpse of you yet. Don't be bashful
Why, all the music would stop if II
were not for you, Dot. Our grandest
Christmas would break into confusion
if you were to cease to blow. Come
here. l have just arrived in the city,
and have come to the c,srch to wait
for the hour of rehearsal. l want
company. Come, Dot
The little side door of the organ
moved; a shadow crept along in the
dim light towards the genial-heartec
tenor.
"Do you like music, Dot9"
"Yes, SIR"
sis that what makes you come 81
long before the restP"
mo, sir"
"What is it thenp'
81 have a reason-mother would moi
like to have me speak of it,"
"Do you singI"
eyes, at home"
"What do you sing9"
"The parts / hear you sing.o
"Tenor, then?"
"Yes.n
"Will you sing for me?"
"Now?"
"Yes.n
81 will sing, 'Hark, what meanP''
"Rossini-an adaptation from Cuju'
Amman"
The boy did not understand.
SWELL" said the tenor, 81 beat time
now, Dot"
A hute-like voice f1oated out into the
empty edifce, silvery, pure. rising and
falling through all the melodious meas
ures OF that almost seraphic melody,
The tenor leaped to his feet. and stood
like one entranced. The voice fell IL
wavy cadences. Heavenly Hallelu'
Iah rise." Then it rose clear as 6
skylark, with the soft inspiration in it
SHEAR them tell that sacred story,
Hear them chant"
The tenor with a nervous motion
turned ON the gas light.
The boy seemed affrighted, ano
shrank away towards the little dool
that leads to the bellows room.
"Boyi'
"Slr?"
"There is a fortune In that voice o.
yours"
THANK you, SIR"
"What makes you hide behind tina,
bench?"
"You won't tell, sir?"
"No. / will befriend any boy with
voice like that"
The boy approached the singer and
stood beside him.
He said not a word but only looked
toward his feet.
The tenor's eyes followed the boys.
He Eaw it all, but he only said ten
derby:
tDotlr
A chancel door opened. An acolyte
came in, bearing a long gas-lighter
He touched the chandeliers and they
burst into flame. The cross glimmered
upon the wall under the Christmas
wreaths; the alabaster font revealed its
beautiful decorations of Gala lilies and
smilax; the organ glowed with itf
tall pipes and carvings and cherubs.
The first flash of light In the chance
found Dot hidden in his little room,
with the door fast closed behind him,
What a strange place it wasl A
dim light fell through the open carvings
of the organ case. Great wooden pipes
lowered aloft with black mouths-like
dragons. Far, far above, In the arch,
was a cherub, without a body-a golden
face with purple wings. Dot had
looked at it for hours and wondered.
He sat looking at it tonight, with a
sorrowful face. There were other foot
steps in the church, sounds of light,
happy voices.
Presently the bell tinkled, the organ
ist was on his bench. Dot grasped the
great wooden handle, it moved up and
down, and then the tall wooden pipes,
with the dragon mouths began to thun'
der around him. Then the choru:
burst into a glorious strain, which Dot
the year before had heard the organisl
say was the midnight Mass Of the
Middle Ages"
"Adeste, 6deles
Laeti trlumphantes,
Venite,
VenIte,
In Bethleheml'
The great pipes close at hand seemed
TO thunder. The music seemed to run
far away into the distance, low, sweet
and shadowy. There were sympathetic
solos and tremulous chords. Then the
tempest seemed to come back again,
and the luminous arch over the organ
sent back into the empty church the
jubilant chorus.
"Venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus,
Venlte adoIemus,
Dominum.n
After the anthem were three solos.
The tenor sang n of them, and Dot
tried to listen to 1t as he moved the
handle up and down. How sweet 1t
sounded to Dots earsl 1t came from
a friendly heart-except his mothers 1t
the only voice that had ever spo-
ken a word Of sympathy or praise to
the poor bellows boy.
The singers rested, laughed and