Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-01-26
THE OLD TUNE-BOOK.
It's "reminiscences of Hiram's
New England Boyhood.

It's "reminiscences of Hiram's
New England Boyhood.
One day Hiram Atkins stopped into
a secondhand book store at the corner,
and was fumbling over a lot of old
volumes that had been placarded "For
Sale Cheap Hiram had a passion
for quaint old books, and many time
for mere trifle he had bought litera-
ture that no money could have induced
him to part with. And now, as he
rummaged among the musty volumes,
he heard piping voice that startled
him strangely.
''Waal, meow, II it amt Hi Atkins!
But, sakes alive! how he has filled
eout!"
This was what the voice said, and
the shrill tones took Hiram Atkins
away back over the years, and over the
hills, and over the rivers, and it seemed
to him as if he were boy again-a
ruddy little boy in prim Vermont
village among the rugged hills.
Gee whillikins!' said Hiram. "lt's
Carminy Sacry! Yes, an its the
very same Carminy used to sing eout
of when b'longed to the choir!'
So it was; the same green backed,
oblong book of church music which
Hiram's grandmother had bought for
him when he was a boy and began 60
ing to singing school. That was many
years ago. and times were all different
now. Hiram Atkins was no longer a
boy; battling in this great noisy West
ern world had brought wrinkles to his
face, and the years had left traces of
their frosts and snow in his hair. The
Carmina Sacra, too, was changed; once
1t had been bright and fresh and new,
but now it was faded and ragged.
Fully one-half of its green Dashboard
covers were missing.
Didn't know me at fust, did YEP"
asked the Carmina. "Waal, times hev
gone powerful hard with me, and ]
guess amt of much more account,
nohow. Why, when your gran'ma
bought me l cost her dollar N half,
but meow I'm chucked inter this ere
basket with lot o vain, frivolous,
secular trash that's goin' at II nine
pence apiece"
The old tune-book sighed grievously.
To Hiram Atkins it did seem like
dissertation. This old tune-book was
ono of the first books he had ever held
in his hands-with the exception of his
New England primer, his catechisn
and his Bible-it was The first
IN buy ye; darncd if Idon'tr' cried
Hiram. "TH buy ye, if it takes the
last boss dads gotv'
And he did buy the old Carmin'
Sacra, although it cost him only two
York shillings, and not spirited Nor
gan, as you might suppose.
Hiram took the Carmina home will
him, and that evening they talket
over old times together; that is to say
rs Hiram turned over the leaves of til,
quaint old book and saw the familiar
hymns and psalms and anthems. tn,
tunes seemed to talk with him and hun
to him, and he could see faces and hea
voices he had not seen nor heard il
many years.
.'You wuz a little boy them" sal,
Brattle Street; 'your legs wuz chubb,
an your cheeks wuz rosy, an 20,
wore cunnin' blue jacket to whicl
your trousers wuz bNttoned with bras
buttons. Sometimes when it WI
cold you wore tippet and cap tina
had ear-lappets on it; your yarn init
tens wuz hitched together with lon
tape to keep you from losin' of 'em
Ough! but what alfred cold weathe
we used ter have on the west side O
the mountain, ehp"
"Waal, meow. he'd almost forgotte
it," said Hiram. musingly.
Eye hedP" exclaimed Denis; IAN y
don't remember the oil meetin' house
nuther do YEP"
1nuctu, L uO. Saiu Iii NH, all
remember the little blue jacket wit
brass buttons best of all, but had fol
gotten whether the winters wuz so yer
cold or not"
.sWaal, declare for'tr' cried Bra
tie Street THAT beats all natur
An we've forgot yer poor oil gran'm'
too, haint YEP"
'Oh, no." said Hiram. solemnly.
could never forget dear oil gran'm
though she's been dead many. man
years"
Jest as like as not We reekolle
how We use ter bring her foot-stove d
meetin' for her ev'ry Sunday in whit
timer"
Yes l reekollect it neow," sa
Hiram, smiling. lit was a crazy o
affair-a zinc box in q wooden fran
punched full o. holes, with small irC
pan inside. hated it then. cause q
Newton boys an the Others made I,
o me fur carryin' it fur gran'ma-gC
darn mel I'd carry it all over create
fur her seoscF
s'Ye used ter stop in the vestry a
Gil the pan with Goals out er the stove
said Dennis. AN then you'd carry