Justin Hitchcock's Remarks and Observations

19

the latter -- yet I think my reading them has
never don me harm but that if I know any
thing of what is proper in the stile of writing I am
partly indebted to this kind of reading as the language
of these books is generally good

I soon became acquainted with the
young people and went into company enough for
a lad of my age. I had a chance to gratafy my wish
by learning to sing notwithstanding I had supposed
I could go on very well provided I learnt the rules
but when this was so far compleated as to pass to
tuneing the voise and attemping to sing I found
I knew nothing and I made awkward work of it
especially beating time the Master I went to was
Mr J Stickney he was at that time coarse in his
manners and sovereign in the school. their was about
a dozen boys plased on the counter ? we were put to
the task of beating time and singing the tune at
first and must get the piece given out the evening
before so well as to sing it and beat the time singly
before the whole school

I with J Ingersol and A Bliss being the largest boys
on the counter were soon crowded to the bottom of the
seat being the most awkward of the singers at length
the Master told us we could not learn and it was
not best to try but in this he was too hasty for
Ingersol became a good singer and taught a school and
Bliss for many years was a singer of the bass.