Hutchinson gazette., 1900-08-23
TIE CHOIR BOY

DICK Harvey was the glory OF ~
Stephens choir People came from all
parts Of the oiy no hear mm sing and
listened with rupture to the notes OF
liquid music that wclled from his IT.
tie throat IN ubou the same manner
aud with the same EFFORT that they
VIII from the thronl Of robin or o
thrush
To say that Dicl, WINS inscnsblo TO
the homuge paid him would be to as'
sumo that he was not hum0nj but TO
say tba, Dicks lunalo delcacy and
gentle breeding kept him from brog,
cling ab1ut his voice and muslcnl
achievements, would be to speak quite
truthfully
Yes, Dick was well satisfied with
himself and deep In his heart, enter
tnincd most h0fpilnbly, the belief that
", Stephens choir could NOT possibly
get along without hum-nny, thnt the
church Itself might have 10 be closed
were he for any reason 10 Withdraw
his gracious presence
II was just at the time when Dick
was achieving his greatest triumphs'-
enrning his greencst lNurels--thnt two
things happened. which, from n pima
Gle ns II were, OF self.sntsfnction,
plunged him into the abyss Of humlll-
ntion and unhnppiness, The first was
his being stricken down with diphther'
Ia and recovering from the disease,
minus his voice,
All this was black trial to DlckI
The doctor thought " might return in
time 10 him, but II was doubtful
chance, The Sunday on which he
steeled himself TO go to ST. Stephens
and hear another boy sing his solos,
and found out for certain that the
whole machinery Of worship could go
forward very crcdtably without his
assistance was very miserable indeed,
for him, He could never summon res
olutlon to 60 there again.
Following swiftly upon this stun
ming blow, come one yet more stunning,
His inthcr, very unlortunatcly-v
grieyously-committed an act far from
moral, or even legal, In Its character;
and when the Gacls became known, Mr..
Haverly found the great city in which
he had lived nil his life, far too small
30 shelter him. And In all it's streets,
by-ways and avenues, and amid It's
crowds-in daylight and in darkness
he could discover no place in which
he felt secure from the prying, angry
eyes Of his fellow citizens
And this was the reason why Dick
soon found himself in strange city,
living with his father and mother in u
secondrate lodging house, adrift from
all his old associates and feeling
ashamed and humbled and yet, sorry
withal, for his father who had brought
so much sorrow u,on them
From second'rate lodging house
and poor food, the llnverlys came to
live in third.rnte lodging house, with
very little food OF any description
With no letters. no influence, no name
II would be next to impossible for q
man TO get employment in a strange
city and Mr. Haverly did not.
Dick down at the heels and shabby
of coat and hat roamed the streets
looking for q place as an Office boy
or for some one who wanted an orrand
done The Inter, he sometimes found;
but ms for Being an Office boy-whC
wanted the dreamy, quic, little fellow
who came without n reference and had
never been an Office boy before in his
life?
All, what fall was here. What II
the organist of ST. Stephen even
The rcctor-or any of the ves,rymen-
could see him nowl That would have
capped the climax Of his woe
1t was nearing June. An, what q
different June from the last! Dick hnt
sung at many weddings, lie groanet
in spirit as he thought of It, What joy
what pride, what qualification hadbaer
his, when he looked down from the
choir loft Of st, Stephens into the body
of the great church with its wealth OF
flowers and its multitude Of gucsts,ant
the beautiful bride lie fancicd hC
could see the thrill OF wonder on thcl
upturned faces as the first notes OF
his glorious solo fell upon their ears
How they noticed his voice even at q
wedding.
And how it wouldn't bear thinking
about.
One pleasant day in June, Dick, who
had been wandering about the city
turned the corner of a quiet street and
came up a square, fenctI in Ly hgi,
iron ra.hLSs 4 great church faced
II on one side, ltGndng in the midst Of
1t on one side, standing in the midst Of
block Of splendid houses, A resonant
bell was pealng forth for vcsper service
and the people streamed into the
church. Dick stood and watched them
What was to hinder his going, toof
Nothing on earth but his shabby cloth
ing, and certain shyncss he felt OF
the well dressed, prosperous looking
congregation.
1t was nearly year since he had
been inside a church and he longed to
hear the service-and besides, he was
tired and it would rest him to sit down
So he went in and crcpt timidly up one
of the side aisles to n vacant pew. Peo-
pie were busy with their prayers and
did not heed him,
Ah! the beautiful service, how he
loved It! and the familiar hymns in
which he could not join. Alas he had
lost his voicel And doubtless the
clergyman snid fine things in his ad.
dress, but Dick did not hear them all
His thoughts were far away and he
was listening to the voices of the choir
| M hnmn His fired hnnd sank lnNnr