The Press., 1893-07-20

De very angry dld ne know or CnlS.
 "Your father is like others. He would like me better had five hundred acres instead of five. But have that within me that tells me I will not always be. as now. Simply say l may go on and try to make myself worthy of you"
 "No, can not. am little afraid of you. As Harry says, you are sometimes very gravestone.'
 John Graham's face darkened.
 Are you engaged to Henry Foster, Mildred ?" he asked again.
 "No, I'm not-there!" and she darted up the road, leaving him standing gazing after her. He stood so for atlong. time, and then slowly retraced his steps to the cottage. His mother noticed his troubled look, and quickly divined the reason.
 "John, ah John !" she said, Eye dinna ken the hoyden ye run after. She's a bonnie good lass, but she's na for the likes of ye. Don't fret yourself, but be man!"
 "Ah, mother, perhaps you say true, but who is she for do you guess?" ..
 "Why, man, and have; ye twa cen! Young Squire Foster is the man."
 "And, mother deal think Henry Foster is not, nor will he be, the man. And now I'll take my afternoon stroll"
 The next Sabbath Mildie Faunce was again found seated in Peggoty Plimp- tons CQOlr, anu UIlS Jltlc JIo hldlO Pplp of the orchestra found no less an addition to it than MT. Harry Foster. Peggoty Plimpton this day had a new trial. Hard ly one of the lesser lights of her luminous world Jamie Thompson, or Jennie Reyes, or Nellie Page, could find any voice at all, or, if it came, it came quavering and weak and uncertain, on account of MT. Posters presence. But Mildie's voice rang out clear as a bell, and Tim Jackson, and Ned Brice, and Farmer Squires roared like their own two-year olds, to try and drown the new tenor; without any effect what ever, for Harry held on like good one, and seemed to enjoy the whole thing nightly. Down in a corner pew, during the service, sat John Graham, still and silent Once or twice he tried to catch Mildie Faunce,s eye, and once or twice changed his position nervously. On com ing out of the church his mother came down the aisle with Deacon Faunce, who | invited them to ride with him. .~.s
 "Mildie walks to-day 'tis so warm, and can drop you at your door just. as well as not" "-:,
 They thanked him, and John helped his mother in as the large wagon drove up, and then got up alongside the driver.
 And how did you like the music to-day, Graham ?" asked the Deacon, as they rat tied down the road.
 "Some of it I liked" replied John, "some did not. The last hymn, Let the last trumpet blow,' reminded me of some of our glorious old campfire chor- uses, and stirred me grandly. You ought to hear some of the soldiers songs, Dea- con, resounding up through the still woods to the sky looking down on us, and echo ing along the swamp shores. Some of them come in like artillery" ...i.
 (" wish to my heart could" answered the worthy Deacon. "Mildie's airs are often mere twaddle, and so are Peggoty Plimpton's. As for young Foster to-day he sang more like girl than a man; and yet Middle thinks every thing of his voice.
 In fact, think she is such fool that she thinks more of his voice than of him." Il John didn't answer but sat silent, as through revolving in his mind that last sentence of the Deacon's. Do you never sing?" abruptly asked MT. Faunce.
 "No-that is, very seldom"
 "Indeed but ye shauld hist to him in
 the garden afttimes," broke in Dame Gra-
 ham.
 "Only one or two old army airs, Dea-
 con-" said John, quietly. "I love to hum them, and think of those who taught them to me, and where the poor fellows may
 be now"
 "And I should think you wonld You
 ought to practice them in these times. Come up and see us, and let Mildie hear
 them, she's so fond of music. By-the-by, , did you know the choir are going to give f a grand concert to raise money for the
 buying of an organl" r. "No."
 Q "Yes; think of our old church with ar r organ in itl But so we go. We old fel n lows have to give it to the youngsters, and most seem to favor it"
 By this time they had arrived at Gra-
 hams gate, and thanking the Deacon for the ride the wagon rolled up the hill, and
 John assisted his mother indoors. i, The concert that was so casually men.
 toned in the above talk was really one of :, the most momentous things that had ever Y loomed up to disturb the quiet of O..
 Once in a great while some numbering f train of circus wagons, with great placards v of elephants and rearing horses and mon-
 keys, had set all the good town agog, and
 and troubled the sleep of all the urchins . for week oI so. Occasionally some n handsome literary wonder from the city ' would lecture in the church, always up
 setting the household duties of the village
 maidens for some ten days and nights
 and once in long time a travelling music  :, of which would be visible for months in e the community; but here was a grand :, 1 concert to be given by Q-herSe!f, for ar s. avowed object! Well might Mrs. Thomp. d son grow anxious for her daughters r health, and watch every symptom previous E to the eventful evening; for Jamie was tc ' sing! We'll might Mrs. Sharp tell hel o daughter Emma to take boiled hoarhounC V and balsam every night before going tc
 bed; for she, too, was to sing! Vel might Mrs. Keys be excused for nearly ,' putting her baby into the boiling fish ket y tie instead of the cradle; for wasn't hel n Jennie going to sing And you should = have seen Tim Jackson and Ik Brysor s ss and Ned Brice when they were told tha 7 that they too were to stand up before tho whole of O. and sing for the organ
 Tim said ''he didn't care a darn; do you y k!" but for all that turned pun pie anC s blue by turns; and Ik said Che didn' '' know but what he'd go and have a goot v blow i'll the back swamp and think of it. II Ned Brice simply whistled.
 ,r But Peggoty Plimpton! Ofall the busy '' bustling bodies she was the busiest. I'm weight and responsibility certainly woulc I have crushed any one else into the dust ;, There was the programme to be arrange'
 and printed way off in Woodstock, an' 5. the music adapted for the voices, and tn 'p rehearsals, and the platform to be built s and the lights to be borrowed. And Jani + Thompson and Emma Sharp both wante, 'o ,, to sing "Down in the Hazel Dell, ," and ev erybody knew it by heart already. And E wonder of wonders! both MT. Henry Eos 'o ter and Miss Mildie Faunce had volur T teered to sing @ song apiece, to give ectO Whatever that was) to the occasion. Oh ~ and ohl again, but the sedate old town ( iS e was in pretty state of excitement
 But as time, which cures all things Id rolled along the choir got down to thei is work The rehearsals progressed finely to and there was only the usual amount ( H. sparring, and the usual jealousy displaye t. about the assignment of songs; and th