The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-05
SidesCalk Pencilings

Senator's lmprevise Fine Singing Glass. Senator B. A. Forrester--down sn the Wiregrass everybody calls him Uncle Ben-is the champion singer of the Senate.
 The Senator is a Sacred Harp singer. Everybody raised in the country knows about these Sacred Harp "all day sings" Senator Forester knows abuot them. He has been to them, yes, sir; he has been to them many and many a time He has seen the singing mas ter get up with his Sacred Harp In one hand and tuning fork in the other and he has heard him announce:
 Number 33.' sNPlingg-. goes the tuning fork. "Sound your bars. All right. Number ss. All together, now" nounces that dinner is ready out under the trees. Been there? Of course he has been there. They "sho were great days." too.
 Somebody came in the Senate cham Der Saturday afternoon. and left a hymn book on Senator Forrester's desk. He picked 1t up and turned it over again ana again. He didn't in tend to sing. >He never had seen any body singing in the Senate chamber. even when the Senate wasn't in action. He thought he ought not to sing there. He had no intention of singing. He struggled with temptation long time. Finally. while he was fondling the hymn book, he came across There's Fountain Filled With Blood"
 It was all of then. The Senator had to try a bar or two of It, just to see if his voice had lost its cunning. There wouldn't be any harm in just bar or two, and thes Senator lifted his deep bass voice, for half a minute.
 A few desks away Senator McWhor- ter was writing letters. He prick.d scents the battle from arar. He was something of a singer himself. If there was going to be any singing done he would have hand in it. The Sen n- ator is Alabama born ana bred and he had joined in that old hymn many and many n time at some country church with all the good folks gathered there for miles and miles around with the mules and the horses hitched outunder the shade trees. that was his favorite. He showed his letters in his desk and Colbert Coun- ty joined Houston at the hymn book.
 Over on the other side. there was Senator Miller. the best dressed man in ter. He was raised in the country and what was more, he was country school teacher before he became big lawyer in Birmingham He could sing n few himself, in those salad days when he couldn't speak to eouAtfy lass without turning red clear down 10 his collar. and when he couldn't re- ceive an introduction without stepping on his own toes.
 The Senator strolled over sorter care less like and cleared his throat time or two. Then Jefferson County's Ifr~ or was mingled with Houston's bass in telling of the Fountain Filled With Blood"
 If there is one place in Alabama where the ''all day sing" Is preserved ity. that county Is Tallapoosa. For the honor of old Tallapoosa. senator Strother moved over. Jefferson might be all right on coal and steel, and Houston might be rich in farms towns. railroads and dispensarfes, but when had thing onl Tallapoosa.
 The singing school class was imme- diately augmented by two ot the best songesters of the House. Representa- tives Moore and Peete. Ther educa- ton had not been neglected and many's the day they had stood up and enrolled out of the Sacred Harp. and wondered how long it would be before dinner would be ready. If singing was to h." done. the House could do its share Of
 
 Q joint session.
 Senator Forester now had his spec tacles set firmly on his nose. In his left hand he held the hymn book, and with his right he beat time for th" Legislative singers.
 Throw Out the Life Line" Ah there was another good old fashioned hymn that everybody knew. "A little bit slower on that chorus. We got 1t too fast that time. Try 1t over again arto sv,1xy fine.
 Hymn after hymn was sung. The House emptied itself. The members hurried over to the Senate chamber The clerks dropped their work and gathered around Visitors stopped in pleased wonder and the singing class sang on.
 In an hour the singers stopped and returned to their tasks. They were TO- freshed and happy because of the inn '~ cent diversion.