New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-11

Tompkins and the poor thing had rather duh time
She would have enjoyed 1t much more II shcd I'M
deIstood a little Of It,"
And she drifts away at peace with all mankind
The air OF the suburbs In Lent Is heavy with the
breath Of war, noisy with tho crash Of combat Inc
church milf aut rises from stupor and becomes tho
arena for the conflicting parties OF course all tho
Year through there have been two factions, but In
Lent declared, tho lists arc clcaroi, the trum-
pets Bray and with ances In ret, tho knights como
pricking each other. 1t began e.er 50 long ago,
when the congregation split into lllgh and 10"
Church party. War brewing when the new
church was consecrated, to break out into an open
interchange Of hostltes over the interior DECORATIONS
and to rage with fury when tho chimes were hung,
hall the congregation Insisting that tho great bell
was cracked and disturbed the crystal sabbath sun
with It's dismal discOrl tho otlr half commencing
fts tone the music Of the spheres. The Interior
decoration fcud though " the first, was paiticu
lariy savage. Two angels docoracd the ceiling Tho
artist, slavhy wishing TO pander TO al tastes, had
depicted the one plump and merry looking brunette.
IN floating pink draperes, coniued about her waist by
pink ribbon, and the other q thin ethereal blonde.
with long golden hair and the most abnormal and I'M
angelic length OF limb imaginable. The Low Church
party Mortified by these pretty Creatures, the fair
being especially offensive TO their stern sense:
there faint but not the less unpleasant sugsrs-
ton Of BOtticell In her extreme tenuty and blonde
scheme OF color. But the Ugh Church party loved
her and wont to sit with their heads thrown back,
gazing at her. This wac closely followed by a diner
ence OF option on a new stained glass win low, which
IN It's eliminated In the sacred and secular music
lnbrogno. The High Church party liked sweet and
cheering tunes tho cnbellshed with trs and
the better The Low Church party hated these mongre
italian melodies, and would have none Of them. The
Scarlet oman stakcd abroad when the soprano sang
solo to the tune Of Non yer" about little flower
having heavenly aspirations The soprano herself
though local lumlnary. cherished operate aspirations
and experimental the congregation with her vocal
acrObatcs, much to the Joy OF the II gh Church party
wbo when she rose over tho red satin choir curtain
sheet Of music In her hand, and let her clear, sweet
voice trill and shake and break Into shower OF
silver notes their heads nodded apprOvngly and
smiled upon each other, with their hands comfortably
caspcd over their prayer books. But the other party
reused to action This Was more than their
proud spirits could brook After service they congfe
gated In little murmcrng groups like the cOnspiratOrs
In an opera They even got spOhcsw"inan, tho
chosen mOuj hplece Of their matchcss wrongs, TO
whom the niny and steel couch Of ar Was a thrice
driven bed OF down, who accostcd tho pastor his
front door steps and drew hts attention to the pccu
liar gravity Of the Of the ashiing flower to the
OF Non vcr.n
The pastor, good, ovcrworhc1 man, promised 10
moderate the musical cxubcrancc Of the soprano to
Of unopcrac plannes, to shear her Of all her
ornamental trs. and nurid Gothic runs and shakes,
TO bring back the sc1atc days Of Ola Hundred. and
to reIegate Non veID the concert stage. whore
those harassng doubts properly belonged The
pastor was a man whose temper and tastes had long
retired into the limbo Of the unused The necessity
for their existence had passed away He couldn't
afford TO do either Just as he couldn't afford 10
keep horse or a valet Moreover, the lively Interest
taken In all his affairs by his congregation was sup
posed To atone for this private There were times
when tho livelincss Of this Interest became rather
overwhelming, when the desoaio freedom of the Wild
AIS would have presented charms 10 the pastor Why,
only week before of his richest parshoners--
prompted by ircndship-had told the pastor that his
nrc,tv daughter went sleighing too often with her
youuo how friends Tho rapldity with which tho
pastor's temper returned from the limbo Of the
used showed that IL Is bard to Kill temper a It
is TO chlorof0rm cat But then The pastor, rcnem-
bering his cloth. and the rich DaflsihohcTs huIner
Gus beicfactions, clnchcd his lists IN TIE pockets
OF MS oycIcC at ard said ho'd see To IT," lie pretty
daughter got a scoldng, and the sopranos runs and
trills all clipped away.
This triumph OF the Low Church faction saturated
them with an unctuous content. They rested on
their laurcs. But the High Church party bestrodo
the wreck OF the storm-cloud and went forth to war
They decided that tho Church should rise to IT. feet
when the contributions wero handed to tho pastor
No one knows how they did 1t. but one red-leter
Sabbath they rose IN all their sorred ranks and
stood tmmov able a. the soldiers the doomed
Blrkenhead 1t was triumph never to DO forgotten
for tho enemy takon By SURPRISE half supp0sng
hymn was coming Io.e too. Then they suddenly
realized the innovation In all fits scarlet horror. and
ono by one dropped back into their seats.
This 10 the situation when Lent comes. And
then the decks cleared. and tho leaders drill