Evening star., 1899-03-04
THE POWER OF MUSIC.
1t Did II Good Turn for II Barn-StOrm-
Ing TrDuDe,

Concerning the power of music" re-
marked the retired. transformer who had
severa! home-stretch pedestrian records
with various comic opera companies, Il re-
member on one occasion to have seen it
peculiarly verified. We had some first
class talent in the company I was with at
the time-we had only been out month
and the endowment fund wasn't exhausted
yet-and among them was quartet of
male and female voices that couldn't be
beat anywhere. We were billed to appear
one Monday night in town of 1000 people
in Ohio. which had reputation of being
the frostiest place on the road, and the
manager put us in there only because there
wasn't any other place to go without cost
ing as much in railroad fares as we could
lose at a performance.
I'VE got to the town Sunday morning
and it was long and tiresome day. and
we were so bored when night came that
we made up a party to go to church, lust
kind of a church it was, except that it was
a big one and there was some kind of a
meeting on that filled it. We had come
early-there were six or eight in our
croWd-and We had seats about the middle
of the orchestra chairs. AS it happened,
our quartet sat together and they got
hymn books all right.
When the first service of song was Of
fered our combination was bit shaky
with stage fright, for they hadn't been to
church since they had sung in their home
church choirs long ago; but on the second
round they were all right all right and
the hymn was one they were familiar with.
Wen. they went at it like they ought to-
and when the first verse was finished I
could see there was some sensation among
the people nearest to us, and lots of eyes
ana ears were turned our way Our uuar-
tet was interested by now in their singing
though, and We didn't think about any-
thing else but the word to GO on with the
second verse, and when they got II they
went at II with all their skill and sweetness
BY the time the second verse was finished
there were not a dozen voices to be heard
besides their own, and the sensation had
spread all over the house. On the third
verse our quartet went in alone and don't
think ever heard such singing as they nut
up. 1t was one of those good oid-fashioned
hymns that has the spirit of truth and
glory In 1t, and the music matched the
feet. and 1t did 1t for that audience or
congregation, or whatever you call ii. for
when the last note died away there was a
stiffness that actually made the cold chills
run down my back and up my neck. ana if
some old brother in the amen corner had
not shouted glory and dozen more in
other parts of the house followed suit
believe l would have shouted myself.
However that might have been wbep
everybody had sat down the gentleman in
the pulpit stepped forward and thanked
our people for their singing and said jf
they would sing q few more selections the
congregation would be greatly pleased. OF
course, our quartet was pleased too and
they not only sang a few more selections
put they received the personal thanks of
everybody after the service was over, and
the next night we had an audience that
filled the theater. Now. that's what call
real powerf