The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-03-22

,ion gave the child strange sense OF ei
ultaiion, not altogether unfamiliar either
II vas as II she had suddenly 70 entered
some previous but hitherto forgotten pc.
riod Of her existence, She hresthed deep.
~ as il she had At last found breathing
space
The conductor saw the kindled. spirit
ualizad face and knew the gray eyes were
glowing beneath the black lashes but
being not altogether spiritual himself and
caring something for the personal appear
aase Of bis chorus. be saw. too. and dis
approyingly, the same plain. black dress,
aud ungloved hands,
There could bc no doubt about Il now =
she was miserably poor or she would not
appear thus at public concert Not ey
en- flower -only The brightest face aud
the dark hair brushed back aud left loose
on the shoulders.
Well, thought he ~ith sigh. she is
small aud will not be noticed 10 the throng
about her.
After the overture and the grand bass
solos came the opening chorus, "And the
Glory Of the Lord And the child lifted
quite above all earthly considerations,
sang with all her soul.
The numbers went on 10 dignified sue
cession till the soprano soloist gave the
recitation, There we're shepherds abiding
in the fields, ending with And there
were With the angel multitude Of the
heavenly host preising God aud ssngrSg, "
GLORY TO God Glory to God in the
highest, broke 10 the full chorus, aud
the chilli no longer know il she we're in
the body or not
Then came the soprano solo, Rejoice
Greatly, o Daughter Of Zion" and as the
solost rose in her place she grew suddenly
i'll aud would have fallen had she not been
assisted from the platform,
The conductor went ont and returned
with troubled face.
1t was only temporary illness but she
would not be able to sing Immediately.
Woul not some one one among the cho-
rus soprano take her place for this solo
After braathless expectant moment. a
smill figure stepped into the soprano 80
lolSt's place; asmall figure in plain,
black dress aud ungloved hands, moving
of It's own volition,
wholly surprised, and without waiting an
instant raised his baton. The violins
swept in with the introductory movement,
and then out poured that clear voice with
its strangely resonant, sympathetic quail
ty, singing, "Reioice, rejoice greatly, 0
Daughter Of Zion"
The stirred audience held its breath,
persons rising in their seats to see this
small figure in black with floating hair
but she saw only her mothers face in .
distant corner OF the hall, and the con.
ductor's baton swinging steadily like the
hand OF fate.
She stood with the closed score in her
clasped hands perfectly still, with uplifted
face and swelling throat singing with a
marvellous conception OF the spirit OF the
theme on to the closing, "Behold thy
King cometh unto thee"
Aud to the vait audience he seemed |
verify at hand.
There broke out an uncomfortable
storm OF applause, and the child, fright
ened now, drew back into her place 10 the
chorus ranks.
When the concert WAS ended. some en-
thusiastic persons in the audience gather
ed about the conductor to inquire con-
cerning the impromptu solo singer. He
gladly told him the little he knew, and
the more he suspected, aud from that
night the childs fortune was assured.
There WAS no lack Of interest or means to
procure her the best possible training.
And truly happier days had come. The
poor mother laid aside her needle and
lived to see the child the most celebrated
singer in the land