New-York tribune., 1903-03-12
TIE Madness of HbedneS0.
By HARRY DAVIS.

What was Abednego's dismay anu chagriR when zen
pTaver was over " Vent DOWN the aisle chatting with
the singers He sat for moment like one sIqpsIT.
ment Then, rising from his seat in frantic DESPAIR an
With hir, II haifway down the aisle
This little thing ne said soJeetty; e snose n You
what on your tune, OF course: forgot all
about it. Here Israel Hobbs. Martha Watts Ellen
Acorn don't go yet You fa san al b Tsaa as H6ednego
Malpas has bin an composed Here, let 5 Sit oo"r
They all came back willingly. ana sat down to
gether in the seat which was within the rays OF ths
Now, then" said James. taking out his soundlng
pipe. Key of three flats, common time WoEdsts a.. IN
the dark and cloudy day Take your pitch from
James SET his pipe to the required key blew q
S2aHd as as 2 4fy all Ggpd en RcorR Gn in
James TibIs in tenor and Israel Hobbs with sub
voice Abednego sat back in BIND "nlriihS
The four Singers bravely attacked Abednego's
hierogyphics anxious in their simpe kIndness OF
ness evnced itself in emphatic nod o. the heao 7
at every not as mpeH "a 10 tba2gb their inten
lions Absdnego Grypc sSns & werf bep rgG fac
for them and Pgzze l46s 3 nd sT9e Of the rst line
The result of the hrst attempt was in &C Go1se ss
continually in two minds as TO her note: t anu, %S
she first and changed her mna q be rsb.
which curious in the extreme Ellen A.oi oisS -
Out the note first and sang afterward with the the
result that her alto T james
Tibbs his eyes fxed earnestly on the score sS9
first Martha Watts came triumphant second;
ELLEN Allcorn sang three pldnye m and down oc-
tslves for a whole bar in a dismal wandering Kilu
They looked at each other and at Abednego in the tne
utmost c"usternation; bur Abedneg9 paia no no 60
and aie ears ar " were blurred.
Come. come. said James Tibbs We We tSsi Ts5 al
You bain't stnsin' togeThe1 pipsd @ old PaGGy qTe
Bostock from the aisle DaaGy ,5 hsT si TeigiousIy
attended the practices. although he was almost 100
ome oilno even 5e Ss if he s could % nave i You haGt
sngin t3sethsr H% o san .f Keen tosether@ You
We Ne knows that, Daddy replied James Tibhs.
good humorsdly. But well get II right thtf time.
fear Now Fy again and {ob6< keep 6a Ggsshe Con-
sdersby by the thought that he had been the last
to. to SG{ 6i, rsf nt this ere note Abeineeo
AbeCinego brought down from his GoGdiana "'
.sThst.s a e. he said. doubtfuly
Thsrs said sTae t trigmRhanfi bnpng Il < E9"T e how "
be in with that ,15 GhTe he shsrd discor %
must mesn + os g4TT tb tine GgS SSneTn over
An right. IFS then" said Ahelneso rather 1laT
a6nBs 5iy duesoning the work of a compost
That's where l9st me ine 70 sl sxplain away his
disgrace. II was a-consi"rin' over II. an 'na'
"Never i.S mind said lanes Tthhs. gently, Let's
AIDED bv the thumps of lanes Tbhss hand upon
tho seat ledge Al the tiret beat in each bar they
sue snfcssdsd in II as kGe@ % rh other I'll in depressed
way they finished They had never ] hfode heT ThaT
looked down a. the paper in their hands in
vacuous and embarrassed manner. ana therF "dS
'Ha-hum,'' said Israel Hobbs
Vel n,,d tnnk Tff G heta9r al getting
they handed back the slips of paper to Abednsso
bic silence prevailed until they reached the door T.
It.,r,te al James
He never ikea 10 hurt the Feelings
Well It's just Ike this Abedneso" he ai, said
slowly. aft'r pause In rompo5n tneTe a air o'g IN
his head first of all. Its no good unless youEe y,e
got air to start on Then hGS sot nreacber 10
startin To write a sermon. What's The good h9 t3g
nina ii he's got subject no particular @ iinf
of thought he only goes e dd5nasin fs
The same First of all hit upon your air to SUIT
your words Then do your harmony II 'he o'''y
With gentle rehuks lanes lanes d said dow 9Gd fb
Israel Hobbs ,,- ,s,,,,,, >.
said Gs Israel se HOBBS TO james as they walked home
ward together in the twilight Gouian nvsr lost
Tnssnsr an1oazy as quit: Gs knoR moth
but What ought have told him straight as ms ms
op m s.edTdanca is an use With scrptur had
candid But IFS i. very sH is 10 ony 6s
Ef he had written it pIain ad n na sn ON bei
gettfn bshnd When hes 10 puzzle out the notes
Thus Israel continued TO explain the matter away
Et freouen Intervals until his path diVerged from
thar ~ James Tfbbs and he went into the subject
at length with his wife when he reached his mousse
and for days IL ranked in his mind that he hac
been the last to finish Abednegos music:
Ahednevo on the other hand, was receiving the
tribute dfa TO his genius from Lemuel and Hannah
ut was grand Abednego" said Hannah enthusi-
astically. ,, , , ai- HI. ann
nar with great satisfaction. '.Theym all talking
ehout vou Tonight, l reckon. Abedneso .
.sThey did sing II. too, the second time. said
Iannah "Iames TihbS did roll II out. An you
should ha seen everybody a-listenin' an a-lookin
AT YOU like you somebody.
Abednego leaned back in his chair with magnin-
"EJai You wait a Bit he said distantly. Il can
do better nor that, never fear"
It was from that time forward. for at least six
months that Abednego became a continuous pest
and embarrassment and weariness OF the nesh 70
lanes Ttbbs and rvbody in the choir and. even
tuaIly even to the church itself For having oEce
tasted the of fame, the hunger FOR u De-
came as 1t were. the very breath OF MS noStris
He grew greedy for II As miser does tor tne IN
glitter and ring OF gold. To SIT arnons n1ae
members Of the choir and hear them SINGING ovss w.
thing for which ne lived FROM week to week, week,., ne
turning out fresh productions every week WIN ne
noar fataI and alarming facility. ana orlnsns
10 the practcefour copies OF each-~lsn cne nos
exasperating regularity. The lGckiesS slnSeIS So.
10 dread the moment when AoeoneSo ~Sud IA Ia
With An ominous looking roll OF paper ~ os nanu