Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-25

dnSWeF 70 DIS lslSU expression. Il know Jus
how you feel You want TO please the smar
folks on the hill, and l haven't got a word t
say against them. cept it does seems if the
needn't come to Tilbury and e1pect to ru
things in city style. They want quartet
now, don't theyi and they want to interduc
new music, don't they and not let the congre
CATION join IN, 'cept on one hymn, don't they
and they're goin' to try to make Rezekia
step down on account Of his age, and be BEEF
chorister for fifty years, don't theys ain
they, should sayp
''Git up, there, Jim, g'long with yep ex
claimed Mr.. Davis. You're putty sharp
MarJhy; eff you was to look through the hol
in one OF my nnillstones and see the other
grindin' you'd think you saw clean through
both, wouldn't yea hayf but l don't thinl
you'd make much of hand to run church
Marthy. HayF'
And so, with good-natured obstinacy the
discussion Yves continued until Mr. Davi.
| helped his wife out and led the horse into the
barn 20 unhitch.
Now that the chorister knew that there
was feeling that bis services were not re
! quired the parish committee hoped that he
would relieve them of discomfort by resign.
ing voluntarily; but weeks passed and Heze-
kiah retained his place without a word So
! at last it was determined that he must be
| approached in a Christian, neighborly spirit,
and induced to consider the matter in the
right light. As the Oldest member of the
| committee, Philander Davis was deputed to
.. do the talking, but though he had accepted
| the appointment with a cheerful sense Of its
| importance, his confidence failed him when
he faced the old chorister one October even
ing in Hezekiah's little parlor. The other
members Of the committee sat looking at
their hats while Mr.. Davis coughed awk-
wardly and began:
"Feelin' tolerable well these days, 'Kiah,
Hays"
1--we been enjoyin' good health all sum
mer, Mr.. Davis" responded Hezekiah with
dignitied asperity.
WALL" said DIR Davis, after a wretched
pause and another cough, Twelve come up to
talk about the music"
Nj Davis waited for the chorister to lead
the way to what must follow, but Hezekiah
kept silent So the spokesman continued:
''You see, 'Kiah, the parish thinks they'd
ought TO be something of a change"
Hezekiah could hold out no longer
"Neighbors," he said with a trembling
voice. 81 can't make no change. I've stood
up in the loft there more'n fifty years and
haven't missed but two Sundays. I've sung
the good old music that you and I, Philander,
was brought up on, and | can't sing much
else I've kept the choir together for you,
and if the money stood in the way {IIezekiah
received $50 Year, I'd keep it up for moth
ing. No, don't say faint money; l know
that; know you want high toned quartet
hot 70 p,,t V,x-a
done nay best, neighbors."
The old chorister bowed his head upon his
hands, and the parish committeeman wished
they had not come. Mr.. Davis rubbed the
back of his head and his colleagues looked
Sternly at him.
Eve hate worse'n thunder to hurt your
feelin's, 'Kiah, hay" he began again, when
the chorister stood up and interrupted him.
IL know" lie said; you don't wont to tell
me I'm too cid. But, praise the Lord! I'll
not stand in the way OF the parishs good.
resign right here"
But the committee was not wholly lacking
in human sympathy, and it was agreed that
Hezekiah should sing until the end of the
year, and the chorister consented, though
with less appreciation OF the favor extended
TO him than most OF the committee had ex-
pected.
blessed if didn't feel sorry for the old
man." said young Deacon Goodspeed, speak
ing of the matter several days later. So did
a good many others, but as the end of the
year approached the sympathy lost its keen
ness, and in the same degree the ambition of
the younger members increased, 50 that
eventually the desire to have big display of
music on Christmas led to another call on
Hezehiah, the result Of which was that the
old chorister yielded his place at once with
out word of protest.
The celebration of the kindly festival be-
gan with a musical service on Christmas eve.
The new quartet was in place and Hezekiah
sat with the audience. In Difference to old
time custom some OF the hymns were sung by |
the entire congregation. The old chorister !
tried 10 sing with the others, but after few |
bars the tears somehow got entapgled 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 |
to say that they didn't think there'd been |
any improvement, and Hezekiah shook each |
one by tie hand and answered nothing.
The last gossiping couple had left the |
,hurch, the sexton had blown out the lights |
md locked the heavy doors behind him.
sleigh BELLS jingled family away out of hear
ng, and the slow footsteps of the sexton |
runching on the half trodden snow mingled |
With the tones OF the clock in the high tower
triking ten. Then door inside the vestry |
'pened, and out of s closet where brooms /
nd dust pans were kept an old man came
He made his way very slowly
Ip the broad stairs 70 the main meeting |
Dom. At the door leading to the choir loft
lie paused moment. His hand was on the
mob, but he turned it not More slowly than
,efore he went down the aisle and dropped
nto pew. BE sat there in the darkness
oug time, his head sunk forward en- his
reast- A half hour, may be. passed, before be
ose and marched with determined step to the
hoir door, and up the stairs to the
,ocket ard lit the lamp that hung
ear the bench, where Hezekiah for more
han fifty years had sung Gods praises and
arried the voices and spirits OF the congrega-
ion with him. Tho dim yellow ray threw
.loony shadows of the pew backs into relief,
ust disclosed the pulpit at the further end OF
he church, gave faint hints Of evergreen fes-
oons on the walls, and here and there the
aurel worked words Emanuel, GLORY to
rod in the highest" and % Oh, that had been
'laoed there with great toll by the young
nen and women Of the parish in honor OF the
ay so near at hand; but bad you been there
ou would have seen only the patriarchsl
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