Life in the Clearings versus the Bush

nging

nging-

xcellent great-

wearer for hi

t nor wrinkle

out the coats

.

iddle sadly

usky as a ra

ting to the

-frog in some m

and villages through which I passed. These are often taught by persons who are perfectly ignorant of the common rules of music--men

pon them the importance of making themselves heard, and calls him the smartest fellow who is able to make the most noise. The constant vibration they keep up through their noses gives you the idea that their teacher has been in the habit of raising sheep,

o not mean to say that all music masters are like the one I am about to describe, but he bears a very close resemblance to a great many of

rtunately made the acquaintance of several gentlemen amateurs, who happened to be boarding at the hotel to which I had been reco

master residing in a small village a few miles back of W---. After reading the epistle, and lau

ear R

man who is a-goin' to give a sing in your town to-night? If you be, jist say to him, from me, that if he will come over here, we will get him up a

most res

n Br

s a queer chap, and I promise you lots of fun. If you decide upo

essional gentleman to that effect. I will send him some of my programmes, and if he ca

y to give Mr. H--- his valuable assistance; but, if possible, he wished that I could come out on Friday, instead of Saturday, as his school met on that evening at six o'clock, and he would like

the note, we started off for the village of ---. On our arrival we were met

me think of your name. But no matter. Ain't you the ch

e affirmative, a

in proportion. But I s'pose you can sing. Small fellows allers make a great noise. A bantam roa

ng me to a bantam cock, and felt almo

Dan Tucker,' and all manner of tunes. I found it deuced hard to get the old woman's consent; but I knew she wouldn't refuse me, as she is looking out to cotch me for one of the daughters. She made many objections--said that she would rather the cheese-press and the cook-stove, and all the rest of the furniture went out of the hou

oor account of the instrument. It is im

here. I have stirred up all the leetle girls and boys in the place, and set them whistling an' playing on the Jew's harp. Then I goes to the old 'uns, and says to them, what genuses for music these young 'uns be! it is your duty to improve a talent that provide

ge, Mr. Browne?' s

nter. Jist half-a-dollar a quart

ap,' says

le, says

ll go,' says the old man

ion, the leetle boys all gets round my winder to listen to my singing. They are so fond of it I can't get them away. They make such a confounded noise, in trying to

most happy t

of it the first night, no how. I have been farming most of my life, but I quits that about five weeks ago, and have been studying hard for my profession ever since. I have got a lar

got out of the yard, and had gone down to Deacon S---; and, said he,

I never should get rid of him. To tell the truth, I was so tired of looking up at him, that I felt that I could not converse much lon

ll pleased with De

sheep. I must go, however. I hope you'll be able to keep yourself alive in my absence. I have got to string up the old fiddle for to-night

ends, as he had allowed me no opportunity to do so. The conceited fellow had kept me standing a foot deep in snow for the last hour, while listening to his intolerably dull conversation. My disgust and dis

rcely drawn, when my musical friend made his appearan

t I could give you would do justice to the old mare. A sorry beast she was--thick legged, rough coated, and of a dirty yellow-white. Her eyes, over one of which a film was spread, were dull as the eyes of a stale fish, and her temples so hollow, that she looked as

man's ma

ayont D

had set my e

g irresolutely, with my foot on th

a bird over the snow; so get into the sleigh, a

st. To be sure, she had no weight of flesh to encumber her motions, and we were getting on pretty well, when the music master drove too near a stump, which suddenly upset us both, and tumbled him head foremost into a bank of snow.

as if she never had been guilty of such a breach of manners before. After shaking the snow from o

is my fiddle? I can do no

ake the benefit of the old bull's hide, when, fortunately for the music master one of the strings of the lost instrument snapped with the cold. We followed the direction of the sou

ave no more catgut without sending to W--

urry to move on. "Do let us be going. You can examine your instrum

fiddle to take care of, and pointing with the right finger of his catskin gloves to a solitary house on the t

al place for the voice. There is no furniture or hangings to interrupt the sound

f very unmusical-looking girls and boys, who, certainly from their appearance, would never have led you

ies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to your notice Mr. H---, the celebrat

s, the girls nudged one another's elbows and g

le into the snow. You see,"--holding it up--"it's right full of it, and that busted the st

ghed, and the girl

; it's no laughing ma

the youngsters tried their be

Pest-a-lazy (Pestalozzi) system, now all the fashion. If you are all ready, produce your books. Hold them up. One--two--three! Three books for forty pupils? Th

ese diggings." To the boys: "What, nobody got a piece of chalk? Tha

boy with a very ragged coat.

get a lump of snow. Its darnation

what is this clever

pressed laughter ran through the old church. Jenki

in, and that is Mi, this Do, and that Fa; and that, boys, is a part of what we call a scale." Then turning to a tall, thin, shabby-looking

, I guess it

ket, and giving it a sharp thump upon the stove, he cried ou

grand chord. What sort of a noise do you call that? (giving a luckless boy a thump over the head with his fiddle-stick). You bray through

, mi, do-fa. Now, when I count four commence. One--two--three--four. Sing! Hold on!--hold

e one forcing their way into the church, in

s song, that la

ver of con

, in their flight. One lad sprang right upon the unfortunate instrument, which broke to pieces with a terrible crash. We were now left in the dark. The girls screamed, and clung round me for protection, while the ghastly apparition continued to stare upon us throu

probation by at least half an hour, and of bringing the singing-school to a close. She had been the innocent cause of disabling both the musical instruments, and Mr. Browne could not raise a correct note without them. Turning to his pupils, with a very rueful countenance, and speaking in a very unmusical voice, but very expressive withal, he said--"Chore (meaning choir), you are dimissed. But, hold on!--don't be in such a darnation hurry to be off. I was a-going to tell you, this ere gentleman, Mr. H--- (my name, for a wonder, poppping into his head at that minute) is

aster, buttoning his great-coat u

tained me for another half-hour, in gathering together the fragments. "Now you, Mr. Smith, you take care of the crippled fiddles, while I take care of the bag of oats. The old mare has be

lad of the chance, fo

mare, and left her to her own pace, which, however, was a pretty round trot, until we reached the outskirts of the town, where, dismounting, I thanked my companions, ver

tuck to me closer than a brother, never allowing me out of his sight for a moment. This persevering attention, so little in unison with my feelings, caused me the most insufferable annoyance. A thousand times I was on the point of dismissing him very unceremoniously, by informing him that I thought

to see the pee-a-ne carrie

t I may judge how far your style and mine will agree;" for I began to have some horrible misgivings on the subject.

ish you by and by. I'm not one of your common amateurs, no

he door, and left me to finish

had every reason to expect a full house. I was giving some directions to my door-keeper, when I heard a double sleigh approaching at an uncommon rate; and looking up the road, I saw an old-fashi

head and weather-beaten face, which left his sharp black eyes, red nose, and wide mouth alone visible. He flourished in his h

con-sort." Then hitching the horses to the post, and flinging the buffalo robes over them, he left the three females he was driving

ded a

s the

a do

? You don't me

cent

my wife and two darters, and myself;

re four of you, you may com

go and have a talk with the old wo

owed me into the common reception room of the inn. The farmer placed a pail of butter on the table, and said with a s

lied, "Pretty good butter! What i

t say! It is the very best ar

Never mind; I will take you

mister; I don't know what it's wort

business-like manner proceeded to taste the ar

etween us, said, at the highest pitch of her cracked voice,--"Yes,

e habit of buying butter. To oblige you,

Where are you

things with me. I will take it at your own v

. "Go in, galls, and fix y

ce, accompanied by that incorrigible pest, the singing master, who, without the least embarrassment,

u the truth, I am a leetle su rprised

I could not alter the arr

Braham ever had, he run his hand over the keys, exclaiming "What shall I sing? I will give you one of Russell's songs; they suit my voice best. Ladie

ing it without repeating the whole of the words. He struck the instrument in playing wit

ve to ro

dark sea

ill winds whi

ba-a-and in a mo

the woo-o-ds

n uproar of laughter, which broug

of his voice. "When a fellow does his best, he expects his audience to appreciate h

he unruly company,--"can't yee's; he do sing butiful; and his voice in the winds do so

ming with his stentorian voice the torrent of mistimed mirth, he sang his song triumphantly to th

d he. "I thought you would com

mic song," said

singing trash that any jackass could bray? No, sirra, my style is pur

sed to his eccentricities, we contrived to keep our gravity until he came to the chorus, "Creeping, creeping, creeping," for which he subs

behave, I will leave the instrument to

he piano. Says he, "There's that pail; it is worth ten cents and a half. You must either pay the money,

here are twelve a

," said he, with

etter; keep th

mister," and he sank

ney?" I heard the wife

was worth by a long chalk. I'd l

H---? I am glad, sir, to make your acquaintance. This is my friend, Mr. Derby," drawing another tall man conspicuously forward before all the spectators. "He, tew, is very happy to make your acquaintance. We both want to know if that dog you have been singing about belongs to you. If so, we should be glad to buy a pup." He

partake of the oyster supper I had provided for my friends f

st. I have not tasted an i'ster since I sang at Niblo's in New York. But did we not come on famously at the con-sort? Confess, now, that I beat you holler

r. Browne. I never expect to merit

built in a day, and you are a young man--a very young man--and very small for your age. Your voice will

isfying his enormous appetite, he washed down the oysters with long draughts of porter, until his brain becoming affected, he swung his huge body back in his chair, and, placing his fe

laughed until our side ached at his absurdities. Exhausted by his constant vociferations, the musician at length dropped from his chair in a drunken sleep upon the floor, and we carried him into the

rubbed my eyes, and sat up in the bed and listened, when I recognized the well-known voice of the singing master, exclaiming in tones of agony and fe

ear if any one was coming. The sound of approaching footsteps along the passage greatly aided the desperate effort I made to leave my

ise about?" he crie

himself of the cause of the disturbance.

ere's a man under the b

ng him down stairs, and torturing him in every way we could devise. We found the singing master sitting bolt upright in his bed, his small-clothes gathered up under his arm ready for a start; his face as pale as

oberts; "there is som

are!" cried the landlord; "can't you

landlord, and, kneeling cautiously down, slowly raised the drapery that surrounded the bed. "Hold the light here, landlord." He did so, but at arm's

we all cried

m quick! Somebody cum! There's a dog under the bed! He will bite me! Oh, dear!

said the

" cried

a blac

able for him any how." And seizing a corn broom that stood in a corner of the room,

er Mr. Browne's bed. When that worthy commenced snoring, the dog, to signify his approbation at finding himself in the company of some one, amused himself by hoisting his tail up and down; now striking the sacking of the bed, and no

of his retreat, and having become all of a sudden very brave,

m; give me the poker, and

irs. "The dog belongs to a quiet decent fellow, and a good customer, and he shall

hed by the reproof. "If the brute had cut up such a dido und

id I, "you took it for th

, "he has given us a great deal of trouble

the indignant vocalist; "and I look upon

ho

und his way under my bed. When I pay for my night's lodging,

ling, back to his bed, and we

ny my friends to W---. At the door of

dding me good-bye? Besides, you have not

his unexpected demand. "Do you expect

you are a young beginner, and not likely to make your fortune in that line any how. There's that pail

" (I could have added, to get rid of you at any pr

would end. Good-bye to you, Mr. H---. If ever you come th

s busy in his vocation, and flattering himself that he is one of the first vocalists in t

elaid

l Young Ca

t young, and

at bids all

ee of the r

to me, swe

e snow from

ewitching e

g lips thei

cheeks the

check the spo

n conquering

ound youth's

er hearts lik

imself in

ght locks, and

reads his wing

vows, and p

of mind ar

ty never o

t form by

r power mus

mmortal wi

es as its ye

loom fresh in

ield to chang

love's ca

an undimin

d storm can

oms of et

se charms, sw

t gems in be

ine own,--all

youth and gra

lonel Coleman, of Bell