New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-04
THE VILLAGE CHOIR.
IN THE SEATS WITH MISS RIPLEY.
aThe Pollard Nelghborhood,' July 90


Mrs Bennett told Mrs. Wade, and Mrs. Wade told
Miss Lyddy Ripley that was a natural born singer
and it was pity II the orthodox didn't git me " SET
in the seats while 1 stayin' round here
1t was owing to this remark that one day Maria
rushed into the cell which was called " the DOaruers
ROOM at the farmhouse Of the Bennets. Maria was
one of those children who always rushed, and generally
one or more inanlmate objects fell crashing at her
approach. She never knocked. l would hear sound
as Of an approaching avalanche, then crash, and the
door would open. The crash was occasoned by the
little girls falling the door considered tle Gull"
to be we'll meaning, but disastrous
have spoken of the size, or rather the lack of
size of my ROOM The door must be opened with eN-
IRENE geneness and crcumspecton or 1t hits the wash
bowl or the pitcher, which stand behind H. On tniS
occasion II hit the pitcher which had just repenshed
| at the we'll
The next instant had thrown all the towels onto
tho nool on the floor and Maria making a return
rush into the kitchen for mops. When calmheS' was
again restored she told that Miss Ripley was III inc
eet,n room and wanted to see me. / thought Mara
must have misunderstood, but she persisted III sahs
that tie caller distinctly stated it was the Doauer she
| wanted.
When was directly in the presence of the Bennett
family they addressed me by my name but from various
sources I learned that whenever 1t became necessary
| IN sneak of me- l was always mentioned as inc
hoarler as II | were the first and only specimen Oh
| ,bo kind that was ever known in these parts IL
was the only occasion when had ever enjoyed 'io'
If was with some uepdation that walked throus"
the parlor across the bit of front entfy' anu Lo
the set'nroom where Miss Ripley awaited me. LUIS
,orsor WAS the leader of the choir in the OrhodoA
| church in the village. You know what the worn or
tbodox means in these retired New England 10" ,iS
| :, means q " CONGREGATIONAL and is never applied
to Baptist any other sect.
Re Won orthodox is equivalent to asking II you
! attend the Congregational Westinghouse
Miss Ripley rose formally at my entrance, advanced
two steps and held out her hand which had SILK ni1
upon H. from which very large fingers protiudeu'
ventiIred to CALI she said, and ala not lOr INC
moment add anything more
! She was so much larger and hece-ooking thah
that | could not think to call had required muon
courage ON her part. She had resumed her seat ana
was looking at me ntently from my head To my lee''
and then up from my feet to my head. Under inns
infection | began TO feel Gravity put uiu ""'
| know how to break the spell.
Miss Ripley had a mustache: her black hair grew
low down on her forehead In a peak; she had heavy
souare law and artificial teeth of an absolutely daz-
zlipg whlteness Three sharply marked perpen-
dicular lines in the middle OF her forehead II
one were told TO guess what kind of a singing voice
TIL, woman had, would have said unhesitatlsN'
the deepest bass. But had heard this voice khe"
il was an awful soprano; soprano 50 rasping and so
loud that IL was like something one might hear III Tie
dreams Of fever No other voice could stand before
IT, il sweled louder and louder aud overcame all else
! The orthodox people Of the village were very proud
/ Of this voice When any stranger came to meeting
the first question was, not q" how do you Hike the min
! ster - but what do you think of Lyddy Ripley :"
Different ministers and were settled aud amer
a time left for other vineyards, but Lyddy remained
She had once said that long the Lord spared her
/ health she should lead the orthodox choir She
looked rs If orl would spare her health for long
fine 10 come sometimes opposition 10 her
voice and methods would spring mio life Thai OPP
position was trampled down with the hoofs or a
war horse II any Of the villagers went 10 some large
| ,oyn and To a concert they always said when they
came back that there wasn't nOthln there TO be com
par,d 10 our INddy. Very likely there was not let
rs hope 80 at least, When she stood up in the seats
and began 10 sing It. If big brass kettle were
suddenly beaten with metal clubs, there was Snch
clang and clash and cracking nproar
And be,, was Lyhly herself calling on the
harder DO Won wonder ] felt small and nsg nlf-
cant and helpless
II WAS in vain I asked myself what l cared for this
woman and why should / be afraid of her did
not care for her. bnt was afraid of her l had not
been with her one moment before / knew exactly
why she would always lead the choir or anything
else
Yes repeated Miss Ripley, when she had looked
at me enough. " | ventired 10 call
I told her She was very kind. ! hal a frantic kind
Of feeling that growing smaller and she larger
every moment
Mrs Wade told me- went on my visitor. " thai
Won could sing She said that since you have ben resdln
here YOU have been heard to sing. Mrs. Hennet her.
self was the informant; trust am right ?" with
rising infection OF voice.
feeby bowed nv head
Miss Ripley folded her mts. She looked me right
I'm the eye. now that her general Inspection of my
person was It is very confusing to me when
u.son insists upon gazing in that way all the time
There was a short silence during which endeayored
TO think of some general remark to make | fixed my
glance steadily upon the black mItts lying upon the
broad black silk lap.
The silence continued long. and Miss Ripley :
eyes boring into my dropped eyelids, became much
Ike glmlets that made still greater struggle, and
aid thar the country was very pleasant In the
No doubt you find It so.' responded my companion.
- DO YOU usually reside in the city y
| "Yesp / answered. l reside often in Boston. but