Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-01-12
THE OLD TUNE-BOOK.
rs "reminiscences of Hiram's
New England BOyhood.

One day Hiram Atkins stopped into
a second hand book store at the corner.
and was fumbling over a lot of old
volumes that had been placalded "For
Sale Cheap" Hiram had a passion
for quaint old books, and many Il 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, if 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 Il boy again-a
rudy little boy in prim Vermont
village among the rugged hills.
''Gee whillikins!' said Hiram. .'lt's
a Carminy Sacry! Yes. an its the
very same Carminy used to sing eout
of when b'longed to the choirr'
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 GO
ing TO singing school. That was many
years ago, and times were all different
now. Hiram Atkins was no longer Il
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
it 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 ut 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 cost her dollar n a half,
but meow I'm chucked inter this ere
basket with lot o vain, frivolous.
secular trash that's goin' at Il nine
pence apiece
The old tune-book sighed grievously.
To Hiram Atkins it did seem like
dissertation. This old :une-book was
one of the first books he had ever held
in his hands-with the exception of his
New England primer. his catechism
and his Bible-it was the first
IN buy We; darned if Idon't." cried
Hiram. "I'A buy We. if it takes the
last boss dads gotr'
And he did buy the old Carmina
Sacra, although it cost him only two
York shillings. and not spirited Nor
gan. as you might suppose.
Hiram took the Carmina home with
him. and that evening they talked
over old times together; that is to say,
rs Hiram turned over the leaves of the
quaint old book and saw the familiar
hymns and psalms and anthems. the
tunes seemed to talk with him and hum
to him. and he could see faces and hear
voices he had not seen nor heard in
many years.
''You wuz little boy rnen," said
Brattle Street; '.your legs wuz chubby
an Your cheeks wuz rosy, an you
wore a cunnin' blue jacket to which
your trousers wuz buttoned with brass
buttons. Sometimes when it wuz
cold You Wore a tippet and a cap that
had ear-lappets on it; your yarn nit
tens wuz hitched together with long
tape to keep you from losin' of 'em.
Ough! but what alfred cold weather
we used ter have on the west side of
the mountain. eh?"
''Waal, meow. he'd almost forgotten
ii. said Hiram. musingly
Eye hed?" exclaimed Denis: IAN We
don't remember the OF mee,in' house.
nuther. do yep
Indeed, l do" said Hiram, ..an' /
remember the little blue JACKIE: with
brass buttons best of all. but had for
gotten whether the winters wuz so very
cold or not"
''Waal. declare for'tr' cried Brat
tie Street THAT beats all natur'!
An we've forgot yer poor OF gran ma,
too. haint yep
'.Oh, no. said Hiram. solemnly. II
could never forget dear OF sran'ma,
though. she's been dead MANY, many
FEARS. -
jest as like as not ye ree1ollect