The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-25

The celebration Of the kindly festival be
gan with q musical service on Christmas eye
The new quartet was IA place and HeZekiah
sat with the audience. III Difference 70 old
time custom some Of the hymns were sung by
the entire congregation. The old chorister
tried 70 sing with tho others, but after few
bars tic tears somehow got entanged in his
voice, and, as he could not sing and weep
too, he stopped singing. When it was all
over several Of his neighbors approached him
70 say that they didn't think thered been
any Improvement, and Hezekiah shook each
one by the hand and answered nothing.
The last gossiplng couple lad Isit TIE
church the sexton had blown out the lights
snd locked tho heavy doors behind him.
Sleigh bells ingled family away out Of hear
ing, and the slow footsteps of the sexton
cTunchlng 90 the bali trodden snow mingled
with the tones OF tho clock in the high tower
striking ten 1hen a door inside the vestry
opened, and out Of closet where brooms
aud dust pans wero kept an old man came
hesitatlngly Tie made his way very slowly
up the broad stairs 10 the main meeting
room. At the door leading to the choir loft
be paused moment. His hand was on tie
knob. but be turned it not. More slowly than
before lie went dovg the aisle and dropped
into pew lie sat there in the darkness a
long time, bis head sunk forward on his
breast. 4 bait hour, may be. passed, before be
rose and marched with determined step 10 the
choir door, ald Up the stains TO the
familiar loft lie found match IN his
pocket aud llt the lsmD that hung
40 So mn
than fifty years bad sung Gods praises and
carried the voices and spirits Of the congrega-
ton with him The dim yellow ray threw
gloomy shadows q rhe pew backs into relief,
Just disclosed the pulpit at the Iuithei end OF
the church. gave faint hints Of evergreen tes-
toous on TIE walls, and here and there the
laurel worked words "EmanueS GLORY to
God in the highest and 80 on. that had been
placed there with great toll by the young
men and women OF the parish in honor OF toe
day so near % hand, but had you been there
you would have seen only the patriarchal
form Of the chcris.er with a sadly bitter look
on bis face gazing at the gloom ABOUT the
pulpit Was lie thinking how often he had
stood solenuly thus while the minister was
prayingi Perhaps SO, for after moment
bis lfs parted. and tremulous Amen
uttered softly on q high note, sung to the
evergreers and the shadows.
Thea Hezokiah looked about the bench in
front Of him. lie picked up one Of the new
entnom books brought in by the quartet. He
glanced az the cover and let 1t fall Taking
the lamp FROM is socket be held il 50 that be
could zee, aad presently drew forth the an
cient collection Of anthems, every tune in
which lie knew by heart, SO sacred 10 him.
and YET 30 speedily hidden away where II
should serve nobody. lie replaced the lamp
and turned the pages 10 Coronation" the
frst piece sung by a choir under his direc
ton more than LIFETIME ago. Fondly he
locked al the familiar notes and then, his
chest thrown out aud his bead held up, be
sung the grand old tune and its magnificent
words with al the fervor and all the power
that bis voice ever bad commanded From
beginning 10 ond the hymn rang through the
deserted gloomy church. aud DR.. Williams,
driving b. N haste TO attend the ills Of far
on patient, wondered that the rehearsal
should have been continued so late. When
tho last note had ceased Hezekias stood with
toe book Still open aud his head still up, but
the tears were coufsing down his face Ia
steady streams
NJ last he sank into chair, and with a
great pang az the hoart he saw upon the
bench beside the volume Of newfanglsd tunes
a hitchcock Of manuscripts music. Whom be
WIS young man Of not moro than 80 Hszs.
kiah had taken 1t into his bead that he would
nrlts music, and tho several anthems thst b
hsd composed in pure harmony, buf With
c-nde urouemIona bad hnen )ohoetenaS1v