The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-07-05

l
dogs; of the great club, the Algonquin
that he had gone through; Of the
: churches and their pipe organs, as big
as houses; and the theaters and the
actors he had seen. The greater part
of Bob's letters were full Of himself
He wrote glowinglt of Signor Tosti,
who was teaching him to sing, and told
how many hours each day he was
obliged to practice; but these, he ex-
planned, were the brightest hours OF
the twenty-four.
And, Helen" he used to add, "Sig-
nor Tosti says will be great singer
some day. Suppose it should beP'
Bob only wrote five or six letters
home that year he was in Boston. 1t
had been longer than usual since the
last one had been received, and Helen,
sitting in her little rocker, with her
sewing lying UNDECIDED in her lap, tried
to figure out what caused the delay.
But the reward of patience was
abundant, for one morning there came
a fine, long letter from Mr.. Finley him
self, in which he said he would be
| down that week and bring her up to
Boston, so she could hear Bob's trial at
Trinity church. 1t was to be the cru
cial test of her brothers hard work,
and she must be there to hear it.
All, what world of excitement in
the little brain-Bob was to sing in the
famous DIR. Brooks church, and before
great crowds of people, and she was to
hear it, too! Suppose he were to get
frightened and fail? She thought such
an ending would break her heart. And
the city ladies would dress grandly.
So, So then she would wear her black
alpaca, with the lilac collar and cuffs,
and MIR. Finley need not be ashamed.
The journey on the cars to the city
only intensified the sisters agitation.
The ride in Mr.. Finley's carriage was
the grandest thing she had ever known,
but her companions politest attention |
could not divert her mind from her
brothers trial. She felt the same rest
lessness, even at the great house on |
Beacon street, where an elderly lady |
with soft brown eyes had kissed her |
when she left the carriage. She re-
membered afterward how nicely Mr.. |
Finley had introduced her, just as if |
she were grown up, and had said:
Mother, this is Miss Helen Burke"
Mr. Finley had also explained that
Bob was prevented from meeting her
on account Of the last few touches that
had to be put to his solo. She would
see him in the church in an hour.
And when that slow hour had passed
chn To- - IT,, |
she thought how nice it was to be rich,
for other people had to stand about
quietly in the aisles, and could not go
beyond certain lines; but nice-look-
ng young man, who Mrs. Finley said
was an usher, nodded as soon as he saw
Mr.. Finley, and showed them up broad
aisle to pew lined with velvet cush-
ons, and with Finley" on the back.
Once actually safe in the church
Helen relaxed degree or two, and
,azed timidly around. She was awed
md almost frightened by the wonder
ul things she saw. The richly carved
'aults of the roof swept away so high
.bove her, it, made her feel dizzy to
ook up at them. The chandelier,
With it's silver and gold, appeared a
Monster halo of jewels The altar she
vas sure was made of precious stones.
he fairly gasped when the wonder
ul windows caught her eyes. She
licked out Mary and Peter and John,
ut it was hard work, they were SO
1uch grander and more beautiful than
he prints in the Bible at home.
A little laughing cherub away up in
mullioned window charmed her most.
[ah! she would like to try to lift him.
he marveled at his warm hands;
seemed as if he must be really and
ctually alive. Helen appropriated S
ne dimpled angel entirely to herself, a
nd found world of consolation in e
arrying on imaginary conversations b
18th it. t
A sensation as of soft music coming r
'om somewhere or other began to i'm G
ress her. She did not want to appear a
lrious, but her big blue eyes would a
0 rowing around to find out where the O
usic came from. She was sure it d
as from the big pipe organ that Bob b
ad written about, but Helen could f,
'e no organ at all. The music, SO d
sep and full and gentle, swelled up a
ON the sides of the building-she O
1T sure of that-but it charmed her a
ke a soft breath on her forehead 1t n
led the child's soul to overfowing, II
Id she smiled up at the cherub on the a
ained-glass window under the con- Ia
ction that she had never been SO n
lppy in all her life. Il
Then everyone grew stiller than a,
'er, and the mystic music became a
iumphant burst, and a hundred boy La
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