of their attention to popular songs. The
villagers were delighted thus to come by their own again in a new dress
and without the omission of the text consequent upon mere oral
transmission. One by one, some new songs were cautiously introduced,
great attention being paid to the time and emphasis.

As the opposition of the College Chap had been the chief obstacle of
success of the reading-room, so the arrogance of George threatened to
stifle the glee-club in the bud. Considering himself a singer of
renown, he took the lead, but disdained any reference to time and
measure. The steps taken to conciliate him failed: he left the club,
and his secession threatened to dismember it. Its good effects had
already been perceived: many vulgar and improper songs had been
displaced by better ones; and, though the preference might be owing to
their novelty rather than to their superiority, yet the better words
and tones, once introduced, could not but exercise their legitimate
influence.

George now noised abroad that the teacher meant to make the grown-up
folks sing children's songs, and that it was a shame for grown-up
people to sing them. He soon drew a party around him, and the number of
those who remained faithful dwindled away. Thaddie offered to give
George a good whacking; but Buchmaier found a more gentle method of
preserving the club. He invited the parson and all the members of the
club, except George, to sup with him on New Year's Eve. This infused
new life into the dry bones.

The parson had left the teacher entirely undisturbed; for he was not
one of those who decry every thing good which they have not originated
themselves.

On New Year's Eve there was great rejoicing in Buchmaier's house.

"Mr. Teacher," said Buchmaier, "when you're married you must get up a
glee-club for the girls."

"And the young married women may come too," cried Agnes.

"Yes; but you must keep them singing all the time, or they'll talk the
devil's ears off."

Many a toast was given. Boys otherwise noted for their bashfulness here
made speeches in presence of the parson, the teacher, and the squire.
At last Thaddie seized a glass and drank to "the teacher and his
lassie," which was drunk with never-ending cheers.

With Hedwig he was on the happiest footing. She willingly followed all
his suggestions the moment she was convinced that he no longer desired
to remodel her whole being but only to further her native development.
At first his