The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-10-13
WHEN EZRA SANG BASS.

The shutters of Jenkins grocery store
had been up an hour or more, and the lit
tie, red whiskered proprietor had been
limiting as openly as he dared to half
dozen of his customers, who were sitting
around the stove, that he would like to 60
home. But his ostentauous preparations
the slamming of covers on open barrels
and the extinguishing of the lights down
to a solitary lamp-made no visible i'm
preston on them. For the squat little
stove still radiated a hospitable glow, and
the air of the room was comfortingly blue
and fragrant with the smoke of many
pipes.
The conversation, which had anguish
ed while there had been an occasional Gus
toner to soothe the nervous proprietor
suddenly became brisk. From chickens,
it naturally dlifted to poultry diseases,
and thence TO the uncertainty of life,
That suggested religion to Tom Hicks.
and religion, REVEALS; and REVEALS, sin;
ners. So, by an easy transition the church
choir came up for discussion.
Then it was that old Uncle Ezra, who
had been silent through it all, unlimbered
ponderously, as properly betltted great
gun OF the village.
Reckon never told ye bout the time
! was bass singer" he threw ont.
A respectful chorus of Noes" and
TEL us about it, Uncle Ez,'' answered
him. Each member of the party settled
back into his chair with sigh of relief,
and the unhappy jenkins sat down on a
cracker box, for Uncle Ezra, as a man of
wealth and position, was not to be inter
rupted nor hurried.
Just twenty-five years ago when l
was in my prime, he began, after pre-
palatorv cough 1.-THE Methodist church
was built, and John Tate undertook to OF
ganize the choir. They called him the
'percenter, or something of that kind
'Tany rate, they We're stuck for bass
singer Everyone they invited to try for
the position failed. At last some one men
toned my name, and John come to me
and asked me to jne EN-. At rrst l stood
right out and said no, not tiatterin' my
self that l could fill the bill tall. | know
ed one tune from another, and | told him
SO, but my voice was weak and anything
but deep; besides, at that time | lad lit
tie tech of asthma once in while.
None of you young fellers never knowed
John Tate. He was killed by the Injuns
after he went west, but he was the most
convincin man | bout ever see, and he
got me to come to church that night and
try over some of the tunes. ] remember
/ had terrible cold that day; it was deep
sot, and my voice was below zero, SO to
speak.
'.Wefl, SEEM as | had promised, | went
down to the meetin' house, as we called
it in them days. Matilda Savory, now tue
widow Plunkett was there, and George
Delameter, who was to be the tenor and
Rachel Sitter, now deceased, and Susan
Black, who l had GALVANIZED round with
considerable, and had a slinkin' sweetness
for. There was few others | don't just
recollect this minute. We first attacked
that hymn runnin'-
There is a fountain filled with blood
Il put my whole soul into it, and all
the wind | could muster. They was all
surprised to find out l had such good
bass voice, and | laughed in my sleeve,
because no one seemed to notice that had
a cold. We tried several pieces, and, after
tinishin', some one was sure to say to me,
Why, FL, | had no idee that you Lad
such splendid bass voice, and another
would say to the one settin' next, we
couldn't get along without Ez; dom his
voice chord in nice?'
- on can believe | was honored, and
what made me feel the best was the
kinder suppressed look of pride ON Susan 5
face. For the time bein' ! really thought
! could sing like al blackbird. es,
that was the comparison ! made to my
self. on see, 1 was thin in Of Susan;
her rear name was Black. as | mentioned
before.
This was on a Monday night. John
Tate told us to meet again on saturday
evenin' to practice, SOS we'd be able to
make the new church ring with devout
song on the followin' Gay. On Tuesday,
my cold was disappearing and my normal
upgrade voice was comm back.
~ now had a chance to consider that
l had made a mistake in jCinin' the choir,
for when the time should come for me TO
make a public exhibition of myself my
voice would be pitched entirely too high.
Still felt that this opportunity to become
popular with the church folks was too
good to be lost. | was a young man,
anxious to be a success in business and
get some of the custom which went to
Andrew Yates. who also kept grocery.
And so | made this resolve: that, if nee
essary, | would catch ano her cold on sat.
urday rather than resign or run the risk
of sipgin' in 40 set voice on the comm
Sunday.
Saturday mornin arrived, and |
uauil even plONtt my uOlSt SlHCe w Gu
nesday, just afore | wens to bed. SO [
throwed off my coat and vest and scram-
bled down cellar, which was just the place
to get what | wanted. ! hired little
boy to tend store and | sot for nearly an
hour on a hogshead of molasses, sneezin'
away, but determined not give up until
I'd caught a first-rate cold. When | came
upstairs | called ont to the boy just see
how my vocal organs was fixed, and they
put me in mind of a big brass drum that
I'd heard once in a travelin circus.
That night | was on hand punctual,
and received many more compliments,
and vent home with Susan, clipper as a
butterfly. For fear | wouldn't be hoarse
the next morning, | sot in the open
window of my chamber with my coat and
vest off, gain at the stars and thinkin'
OF Susan, while l grew hoarser every
moment.
son Sunday mornin' my voice was in
good trim, and it was one of the most
triumphant m iments of my life as l stood
up and let it swell out, while all the peo-
pie down below looked up and watched
us with admiration and envy. My throat
was rather sore and my chest felt tight,
but paid no attention to them.
''The choir again met on Monday night,
and my voice held it's own. During the
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