Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-12-25

.R5S. ~ WAS was ,a,%itna% quaint and %
like the village over which it presided.
Its shingles were gray with the beating
of many winters it's little square tower
was surmounted by four spindling
posts, like the legs of Il table turned
htavenward; its staring windows were ,
adorned with curtains of yellow cot /
ton; its uneven and desolate church
ward, strewn with graves and snow
drifts, occupied bleak hillside look
ing out across the bay to the lonely
height of Shepody Mountain.
Down the long slope below the
church struggled the village, half-Iost
in the snow, and whistied over by the |
winds of the Bay of Fundy.
Second Westcock was an outlying
corner of the rector's expansive par
ish, and Christmas eve service there
was an event almost unparalleled. To
give Second Westcock this service, the
rector had forsaken his prosperous
congregations at Westcock, Sackville
and Dorchester, driving some eight or
ten miles through the SHOWS and soil
tude of the deep Dorchester woods.
And because the choir Mt Second |
Westcock was not remarkable even for |
willingness, much less for strength or
skill, he had brought with him his |
fifteen year old niece, Lou Allison, to
swell the Christmas praises with the
notes of her clarionet
The little church was lighted with |
oil lamps ranged along the white wall
between the windows. The poor, bare
chancel-a red-cloth covered kitchen |
table in semi-circle of painless rail |
ing-was tlanked by two towering pull |
pits of white pine. On either side the
narrow, carpetless aisle were rows of
unpainted benches.
On the left were gathered solemnly
the men OF the congregation, each
looking straight ahead. On the right
were the women, whispering and
scanning each others bonnets. till the
appearance of the rector from the
little vestry-room by the door should
lring silence and rcverent attention.
In front of the women's row stood
the melodeon, and the two benches
behind it we're occupied by the choir,
the male members of which sat blush
ingly self-conscious, proud of their
Office, but deeply abashed at the ne
cessity of sitting among the women.
There was no attempt mt Christmas
decoration, for Second Westcock had
never beeu awakened to the delicious
excitements OF the church greening.
AT last the rector appeared III his
voluminous white surplice, He moved
slowly mp the aisle, and mounted the
winding steps of the right-hand pulpit,
and as he did SO his tive-yearo old son,
forsaking his place by LOUIS side,
marched forward and seated himself
resolutely on the pulpit steps. He did
not feel quite at home in Second West
cock Church
The sweet old carol, "While shep-
1 herds watched their fucks by night,
| rose rather doubtrully from the little
choir, who looked and listened askance
AT the 9ltterihg clnrionet, into which
Lou was nov blowing softly. Lou
was afraid to make herself distinctly
heard ut first, lest she should startle
the singers; hut in the second verse
the pure vibrant notes came out with
confidence, and then for two lines the
song was little more than It duet be
tween Lou and the rector% vigorous
baritone. In the third verse, how
ever, 1T all came right. The choir
felt and responded to the strong sup
port aud thrilling stimulus of the in
strument, and at length ceased to
dread their own voices. The naked