The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-16
THE " HlME LITTER"
AND TIE GRoWTH or THE wHIMMY-
GINNY.
nHnshI WHAT'S that 2m

"Hush! What's that?"
1t WIS an ominous seismic roar that seemed
to come from the foundation OF the old capitol,
and with impetuous recoil and jarrng sound,
ratified the windows until the old building
seemed about to fall.
Then it died away with softer cadence, as if
some great subteranean organist had startled
the neighborhood into attention with his great
organ and diapason, and was now charming it
with the flute stops.
"Why, its Colonel Hardeman sineing!"
And il was. There he sat in the treasury
Office signing up tho last instalment of the
new bonds and keeping himself company with
his voice.
With every stroke of the pen in that strange,
bold, yet graceful chirography, there was
cadence of the song. -
"Me sing?" said Colonel Hardeman the
next day, "why,I can sing the shingles off the
roof of a church. The Hardemans were ell
singers; my father was called the himo liter
at the old Methodist church in Macon. -
II never will forget the time when first
heard an organ in a church at Macon. Old
Sammy Anthony was going to preach and my
father was devoted to him. My father had
been sick, but when he heard that Brother
Anthony was going to preach he said he would
go.
"'You are not able to go, Mr. Hardeman,
said my mother.
"'Well I'm going said he, and he got in
his carriage and went to the church.
professor Bonnell, afterwards president of
Wesleyan Female college. had orgasszed q
choir and he had a small parlor organ up in the
gallery over against the pulpit. When Brother
Anthony got up and began TO line out the
hymn the church took it up and sang right
along. The old man looked up at the choir
over his spectacles, but he had the good sense
not to say anything then.
"When the hymn was sung and he had
prayed and read the Second Morning lesson,
the old man selected hymn and said:
II have selected hymn which think Is
appropriate to the occasion, and don't want
that whimmyginny up there to open its mouth.
Brother Hardeman please raise the tune.
"Jesus let Thy plying eye
Call back wandering sheep,
False to Thee like Peter,
Would iain like Peter weep"
"My father raised tho tune, and ! never
heard such singing since was born"
"0d Sammy Anthony was the Eassest man
I ever saw" continued Colonel Hardeman.
.sIwo young fellows courtodasgisl at Moate-
yuma once md she gave one the go-hy and
promised to larry tia otber, Ilie day was
set aud old SalAlpy wa9, laafrg them, The
teiIGN " hU S&S lE litAl Neilf TO tftn Cd stign
ard saiE to him: ~ yout marry that couple I'll
ltesl ycliis sr-
Wei. III livT md lle Lords willing I'll
marry them, said the pseacher
"WLon the day came, sure enough the fell
low was there. The couple stood up and old
Sammy commenced the marriage ceremony.
The fellow came 10 the door as the ceremony
was going on and shot the old man down. He
raised up, leaning on his elbow, and finished
the ceremony but the wound came near kill
ing him"
Ii old Brother Sammy Anthony could return
to Macon some Of these fine mornings, how
sadly he would be shocked at the development
of the whimmygnnyl Before he could rise to
line out hymn 1t would oyerwhelm him with
an offertory the tones Of the great organ
would almost jar his speGtaces from his nose
the blare of the cornet would break his heart,
and the hute-lile voice of some high trllllng
soprano would bring him down to tears III
vain would he turn for his trnsty hlme-lfter TO
raise familiar tune; tho whimmyginHy has
come 10 stay, and the hine-liiter, peace TO his
ashes and melody guard lis memory, has
gone.