back home-第8部分

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'll　be　something　for　children　to　do。〃

I　suppose　he　thought　that　would　be　an　inducement！

One　of　these　days　America　is　going　to　be　the　musical　center　of　the　world。　　When　that　day　is　fully　come；　and　men　sit　down　to　write　about　it；　I　hope　they　won't　forget　to　give　due　credit　to　the　reed　organ；　Stephen　Foster；　and　the　Sabbath…school。　　The　reed　organ　had　a　lot　to　do　with　musical　culture。　　It　is　much　decried　now　by　people　that　prefer　a　piano　that　hasn't　been　tuned　for　four　years；　but　the　reed　organ　will　come　into　its　own　some　day；　don't　forget。　　Without　it　the　Sabbath…school　could　not　have　been。　　Anybody　that　would　have　a　piano　in　a　Sabbath…school　ought　to　be　prosecuted。

When　music；　heavenly　maid；　was　just　coming　to　after　that　awful　lick　the　Puritans　hit　her；　the　first　sign　of　returning　life　was　that　people　began　to　tire　of　the　ten　or　a　dozen　tunes　to　which　our　great…grandfathers　droned　and　snuffled　all　their　hymns。　　In　those　days　there　was　raised　up　a　man　named　Stephen　Foster；　who　〃heard　in　his　soul　the　music　of　wonderful　melodies；〃　and　we　have　been　singing　them　ever　since　…　〃'Way　Down　upon　the　Swanee　Ribber；〃　and　〃Old　Kentucky　Home；〃　and　〃Nellie　Gray；〃　and　the　rest。　　Then　Bradbury　and　Philip　Phillips　and　many　more　of　them　began　to　write　exactly　the　same　kind　of　tunes　for　sacred　words。　　They　were　just　the　thing　for　the　Sabbath…school；　but　they　were　more；　much　more。

You　know　that　when　a　fellow　gets　so　he　can　shave　himself　without　cutting　half　his　lip　off；　when　it　takes　him　half　an　hour　to　get　the　part　in　his　hair　to　suit　him；　when　he　gets　in　the　way　of　shining　his　shoes　and　has　a　pretty　taste　in　neckties；　he　doesn't　want　to　bawl　the　air　of　a　piece　like　the　old　stick…in…the…muds　up　in　the　Amen　corner　or　in　Mr。　Parker's　class。　　He　wants　to　sing　bass。　　Air　is　too　high　for　him　anyhow　unless　he　sings　it　with　a　hog　noise。　　Oh；　you　get　out！　　You　do；　too；　know　what　a　〃hog　noise〃　is。　　You　want　to　let　on　you've　always　lived　in　town。　　Likely　story　if　you　never　heard　anybody　in　the　hog…pasture　with　a　basket　of　nubbins　calling；　〃Peeg！　Peeg！　　Boo…eel　Booee！〃　　A　man's　voice　breaks　into　falsetto　on　the　〃Boo…ee！〃　　Well；　anyhow；　such　a　young　man　as　I　am　telling　you　of　would　be　ashamed　to　sing　with　a　hog　noise。　　He　wants　to　sing　bass。　Now　the　regular　hymn…tunes　change　the　bass　as　often　as　they　change　the　soprano；　and　if　you　go　fumbling　about　for　the　note；　by　the　time　you　get　it　right　it　is　wrong；　because　the　tune　has　gone　on　and　left　you。　　The　Sabbath…school　songs　had　the　young　man　Absalom　distinctly　in　view。　　They　made　the　bass　the　same　all　through　the　measure；　and　all　the　changes　were　strictly　on　the　do；　sol　and　fa　basis。　　As　far　as　the　other　notes　in　the　scale　were　concerned；　the　young　man　Absalom　need　not　bother　his　head　with　them。　　With　do；　sol　and　fa　he　could　sing　through　the　whole　book　from　cover　to　cover　as　good　as　anybody。

When　people　find　out　what　fun　it　is　to　sing　by　note；　it　is　only　a　step　to　the　〃Messiah；〃　two　blocks　up　and　turn　to　the　right；　as　you　might　say。　　After　that；　it　is　only　going　ahead　till　you　get　to　〃Vogner。〃　　Yes；　and　many's　the　day　you　called　the　hogs。　　Don't　tell　me。

Once　a　month　on　Sunday　evenings　there　were　Sabbath…school　concerts。　The　young　ones　sat　in　the　front　seats；　ten　or　twelve　in　a　pew。　〃Now；　children；〃　said　the　superintendent；　〃I　want　you　all　to　sing　loud　and　show　the　folks　how　nice　you　can　sing。　　Page　65。　　Sixty…fi'th　page；　'Scatter　Seeds　of　Kindness。'　　Now；　all　sing　out　now。〃　　We　licked　our　thumbs　and　scuffled　through　the　book　till　we　found　the　place。　　We　scowled　at　it；　and　stuck　out　our　mouths　at　it；　and　shrieked　at　it；　and　bawled　at　it；　and　did　the　very　best　we　knew　to　give　an　imitation　of　two　hundred　little　pigs　all　grabbed　by　the　hind　leg　at　once。　　That　was　what　made　folks　call　it　a　concert。

There　were　addresses　to　the　dear　children　by　persons　that　teetered　on　their　toes　and　dimpled　their　cheeks　in　dried…apple　smiles　as　us。　Some　complain　that　they　do　not　know　how　to　talk　to　children　and　keep　them　interested。　　Oh；　pshaw！　　Simple　as　A　B　C。　　Once　you　learn　the　trick　you　can　talk　to　the　little　folks　for　an　hour　and　a　half　on　〃Banking　as　Related　to　National　Finance；〃　and　keep　them　on　the　quiver　of　excitement。　　Ask　questions。　　And　to　be　sure　that　they　give　the　right　answers　（a　very　important　thing）　remember　this：　When　you　wish　them　to　say　〃Yes；　sir；〃　end　your　question　with　〃Don't　they？〃　or　〃isn't　it？〃　　When　you　wish　them　to　say　〃No；　sir；〃　end　your　question　with　〃Do　they？〃　or　〃Is　it？〃　　When　you　wish　them　to　choose　between　two　answers；　mention　first　the　one　they　mustn't　take；　then　pause；　look　archly　at　them；　and　mention　the　one　they　must　take。　　Thus：

Q。　　…　Now；　dear　children；　I　wonder　if　you　can　tell　me　where　the　sun　rises。　　In　the　north；　doesn't　it　？

A。　　…　Yes；　sir。

Q。　　…　Yes；　you　are　right。　　In　the　north。　　And　because　it　rises　in　the　north　every　afternoon　at　three；　how　do　we　walk　about？　　On　our　feet；　do　we？

A。　　…　No；　sir。

Q。　　…　No。　　Of　course　not。　　Then　how　is　it　we　do　walk　about？　　　On　our　ears　or　…　（now　the　look）　on　our　noses？

A。　　…　On　our　noses。

This　method；　if　carefully　and　systematically　employed；　was　never　known　to　fail。　　It　is　called　the　Socratic　method。

The　most　interesting　feature　of　the　monthly　Sabbath…school　concert　is　universally　conceded　to　be　the　treasurer's　report。　　So　much　on　hand　at　the　last　meeting；　so　much　contributed　by　each　class　during　the　month　last　past；　so　much　expended；　so　much　left　on　hand　at　present。　　We　used　to　sit　and　listen　to　it　with　slack　jaws　and　staring　eyes。　　Money；　money；　oceans　of　money！　Thirty…eight　cents　and　seventy…six　cents　and　a　dollar　four　cents！　　My！

The　librarian's　report　was　nowhere。　　It　was　a　bully　library；　too；　and　contained　the　〃Through　by　Daylight〃　Series；　and　the　〃Ragged　Dick〃　Series；　and　the　〃Tattered　Tom〃　Series；　and　the　〃Frank　on　the　Gunboat〃　Series；　and　the　〃Frank　the　Young　Naturalist〃　Series；　and　the　〃Elm　Island〃　Series　…　Did　you　ever　read　〃The　Ark　of　Elm　Island〃；　and　〃Giant　Ben　of　Elm　Island〃？　　　You　didn't？　　Ah；　you　missed　it　…　and　the　〃B。　O。　W。　C。〃　Series　…　and　say！　there　was　a　book　in　that　library　…　oo…oo！　　〃Cast　up　by　the　Sea；〃　all　about　wreckers；　and　false　lights　on　the　shore；　and　adventures　in　Central　Africa；　and　there's　a　nigger　queen　that　wants　to　marry　him；　and　he　don't　want　to　because　he　loves　a　girl　in　England　…　I　think　that's　kind　of　soft　　…　and　he　kills　about　a　million　of　them　trying　to　get　away。　　You　want　to　get　that　book。　　Don't　let　them　give　you　〃Patient　Henry〃　or　〃Charlie　Watson；　the　Drunkard's　Little　Son。〃　　They're　about　boys　that　take　sick　and　die　…　no　good。

It　was　a　bully　library；　but　the　report　wasn't　interesting。　　Major　Humphreys's　always　was。　　He　was　the　treasurer　because　he　worked　in　the　bank。　　He　came　from　the　Western　Reserve；　and　said　〃cut〃　when　he　meant　coat；　and　〃hahnt〃　when　he　meant　heart。　　I　can　shut　my　eyes　and　hear　him　read　his　report　now：　〃Infant…class；　Mrs。　Sarah　M。　Boggs；　one　dolla　thutty…eight　cents；　Miss　Dan'ells's　class；　fawty…six　cents；　Miss　Goldrick's　class；　twenty…faw　cents；　Mr。　Pahnker's　class；　ninety…three　cents；　Miss　Rut's　class；　naw　repawt。〃

Poor　old　Miss　Root！　　There　was　hardly　ever　any　report　from　her　class。　Often　she　hadn't　a　penny　to　give；　and　perhaps　the　other　old　ladies；　who　found　the　keenest　possible　delight　in　doing　what　they　called　〃running　up　the　references；〃　had　no　more；　for　they　were　relics　of　an　age　when　women　weren't　supposed　to　have　money　to　fling　right　and　left　in　the　foolish　way　that　women　will　if　they're　not　looked　after　　…　shoes　for　the　baby；　and　a　new　calico　dress　every　two　or　three　years　or　so。

Yes；　it　is　rather　interesting　for　a　change　now　and　then　to　hear　these　folks　go　on　about　what　a　terrible　thing　the　Sabbath…school　is；　and　how　it　does　more　harm　than　good。　　They　get　really　excited　about　it；　and　storm　around　as　if　they　expected　folks　to　take　them　seriously。　They　know；　just　as　well　as　we　do；　that　this　wouldn't　be　any　kind　of　a　country　at　all　if　we　couldn't　look　back　and　remember　the　Sabbath…school；　or　if　we　couldn't　fix　up　the　children　Sunday　afternoons；　and　find　their　lesson　leaves　for　them；　and　hunt　up　a　penny　to　give　to　the　poor　heathen；　and　hear　them　say　the　Golden　Text　before　they　go；　and　tell　them　to　be　nice。　　Papa　and　mamma　watch　them　from　the　window　till　they　turn　the　corner；　and　then　go　back　to　the　Sunday　paper　with　a　secure　sort　of　feeling。　　They　won't　learn　anything　they　oughtn't　to　at　the　Sabbath…school。




THE　REVOLVING　YEAR


　　　〃'It　snows！'　cries　the　schoolboy；　'Hurrah！'　　　　　　And　his　shout　is　heard　through　parlor　and　hall。〃


MCGUFFEY's　THIRD　READER。


（Well；　maybe　it　was　the　Second　Reader。　　And　if　it　was　the　Fourth；　what　difference　does　it　make？　And；　furthermore；　who　's　doing　this　thing；　you　or　me？）


Had　it　not　been　that　never　in　my　life　have　I　ever　heard　anybody　say　either　〃It　snows！〃　or　〃Hurrah！〃　it　is　improbable　that　I　should　have　remembered　the　first　line　of　a　poem　describing　the　effect　produced　upon　different　kinds　of　people　by　the　sight　of　the　first　snowstorm　of　winter。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　plucky　（not　to　say　heroic）　effort　to　rhyme　〃hall〃　with　〃hurrah〃　I　should　not　have　remembered　the　second；　and　still　another　line　of　it；　depicting　the　emotions　of　a　poor　widow　with　a　large　family　and　a　small　woodpile；　is　burned　into　my　memory　only　by　reason　of　the　shocking　language　it　contains；　the　more　shocking　in　that　it　was　deliberately　put　forth　to　be　read　by　innocent…minded　children。　　Poor　Carrie　Rinehart！　　When　she　stood　up　to　read　that；　she　got　as　red　as　a　beet；　and　I　believed　her　when　she　told　me　afterward　that　she　thought　she　would　sink　right　through　that　floor。　　Of　course；　some　had　to　snicker；　but　the　most　of　us；　I　am　thankful　to　say；　were　a　credit　to　our　bringing　up；　and　never　let　on　we　heard　it。　　All　the　same　it　was　a　terrible　thing　to　have　to　speak　right　out　loud　before　everybody。　　If　any　of　the　boys　（let　alone　the　girls）；　had　said　that　because　he　felt　like　saying　it；　he　would　have　been　sent　in　to　the　principal；　and　that　night　his　daddy　would　have　given　him　another　licking。

Even　now　I　cannot　bring　myself　to　write　the　line　without　toning　it　down。

〃'It　snows！'　cries　the　widow。　　'Oh　G　…　d！'〃

At　the　beginning　of　winter；　I　will　not　deny；　that　the　schoolboy　might　have　shouted：　〃It's　snowin'！　　Hooee！〃　when　he