I have just been looking in our charming little holiday gift-book, illustra ting Mr. Bliss' poem, Hold the Fort," written upon an incident familiar to all, which occurred in our civil war. I consider this work an extraordinary combination of effects, a striking cluster of pure gems of sentiment. The first element in it is an appeal to love of country; our patriotism stirs mightily within us as we read of the gallant struggles of our soldiers at Altoona Pass -of their heroic endurance and final deliverance by General Sherman. Then we see the thrilling story idealized and glorified by being put to a spiritual use by the evangelist, Major Whittle. Next comes Mr. Bliss' strong, epigrammatic poem, crystallizing the parallel drawn by his fellow-laborer, and pointing it with Gospel truth that it may strike home to every hearer. The pictures, however they be considered from a technical standpoint, stimulate the imagination to a more vivid apprehension of the allegory, and then comes the music touching the whole with Promethean fire and giving it wings that it may fly to the uttermost parts of the earth and to the innermost recesses of the soul. A man must be without patriotic enthusiasm, without religious sentiment, and without æsthetic sensibility who can look upon this work unmoved; and especially will he be affected if he mourns with us the untimely death of the poet-musician, who contributed such important elements to it. If ever a man seemed fashioned by the Divine hand for special and exalted work, that man was P. P. Bliss. He had a splendid physique, a handsome face, and a dignified, striking presence. It sometimes seemed incongruous, delightfully so, that in one of such great size and masculine appearance there should also appear such gentleness of manner, such perfect amiability, such conspicuous lack of selfassertion, such considerateness and deference to all, and such almost feminine sensitiveness. He had not had opportunities for large intellectual culture, but his natural mental gifts were wonderful. His faculty for seizing upon the salient features of whatever came under his notice amounted to an unerring instinct. The one kernel of wheat in a bushel of chaff was the first thing he saw. And his ability to control words and phrases so that they should realize a thousand odd conceits of his imagination seemed unlimited. I know that he sometimes met adverse criticism upon the rhymes which he threw off upon local subjects; but by far the greater number of these little effusions sparkled with wit and appropriateness, and his shortcomings were remarkably few for one who was obliged to make an airy, fantastic muse conform to the circumscribed requirements of a monthly magazine. Examine the work which really enlisted his whole soul, and you will see nothing but keen discernment, rare taste, and great verbal facility. His Gospel hymns contain no pointless verses, awkward rhythms or forced rhymes, but, on the contrary, they glow with all that gives life to such composition.

Mr. Bliss possessed wide human sympathies, and had a strong social instinct : his acquaintances immediately became his friends, as a natural consequence of his many-sided attractiveness. The last time I saw him for more than a passing moment was at his home, a beautiful little town among the hills of the Upper Susquehanna valley, far enough away from railroads, telegraphs, and the other great auxiliaries of driving care and tumultuous traffic to allow the im.

F. W. ROOT'S CONTRIBUTION.

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agination to escape from the world. He, with his wife and little boys, together with a number of relatives, spent a clear sunshiny Saturday of last summer, surrounded by congenial friends from the neighborhood and from a distance, all feeling conscious of living a delightful little pastoral, around which was thrown a peculiarly graceful halo of friendly intercourse. At the close of this golden day, just before taking our departure, four of us, including our host, stood out under the twining branches of the grove in which we were assem bled, and sang from memory the little quartette, "The Two Roses "—two roses that were there in radiant bloom have been gathered!-after which Mr. Bliss, full of the glowing happiness which had been evident with him throughout the day, exclaimed: "O, dear friends; why can't you all stay over till to-morrow? We would then have as good a Sunday time as we've had a Saturday time to-day!" Mr. Bliss' voice was always a marvel to me. He used occasionally to come to my room, requesting that I would look into his vocalization with a view to suggestions. At first a few suggestions were made, but latterly I could do nothing but admire. Beginning with E flat, or even D flat below, he would, without apparent effort, produce a series of clarion tones, in an ascending series, until having reached the D (fourth line tenor clef) I would look to see him weaken and give up, as would most bass singers; but no, on he would go, taking D sharp, E, F, F sharp and G, without weakness, without throatyness, without a sound of straining, and without the usual apoplectic look of effort. I feel quite safe in saying that his chest range was from D flat below to A flat above, the quality being strong and agreeable throughout and one vowel as good as another. He would have made name and fortune on the dramatic stage had he chosen that profession and studied a more scientific class of music than that in which he chose to work. The lavishness of natural endowment may be also seen in his musical compositions, though in not so high a degree. He never composed upon large designs, and so never expanded his natural gifts into any very comprehensive creative ability. But I find enough in his melodies to justify myself in saying that he had the instincts of a musical composer. "When Jesus Comes" deserves to live by the side of the best songs of the church; its intellectual side is well enough, and its emotional element is to me irresistible. And I venture to say that it will live, unless I am also mistaken in the belief that the religious progress of to-day (of which this song is an outgrowth) is giving deeper consideration to the things of the heart than has been given in any epoch known to history hitherto, or, indeed unless certain Gospel singers kill the piece by a very mistaken way of rendering it. Mrs. Bliss was so thoroughly devoted to her husband, that her life merged in his. There is a melancholy satisfaction in the thought that this dire calamity did not part this most devoted couple.

In 1865, Mr. Bliss writes: "Summer, concerted with J. G. Towner. A pleasant singer, honest partner and lively companion. Made a hundred dollars in two weeks. Drafted in the United States Army two weeks." Mr. Bliss reported for duty at Carlisle barracks

after being drafted, and after two weeks' service was discharged, it being evident that the war was at an end, and that no more men would be needed.

He again writes: "About November 1st, George F. Root wrote to ask us if the 'Yankee Boys' would come West and engage with Root & Cady. The Yankee Boys' very readily consented in consideration of a guaranteed salary and expenses paid. Came to Chicago, November 21st, 1865. December, 1865, Yankee Boys,' not succeeding in the concert line, tender their resignation to Root & Cady, who gracefully accept, but propose to retain Mr. Bliss' in their employ if he will stay.' Answer, he will stay. Thus Root & Cady very kindly disengage me from a life which is becoming irksome. They offer me a hundred and fifty dollars a month and expenses of self and wife. On settlement, our receipts were so small that I told Mr. Cady I would ask only a hundred dollars a month, which he allowed." At the close of 1868, the firm advanced his salary both for the preceding and succeeding year.

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From this time on for eight years, Mr. Bliss' occupation was the holding of musical conventions and the giving of concerts, and private instruction in music in towns through the Northwest. For four years his conventions were held under his arrangement with Root & Cady; after that, by independent appointment. He was very popular as a musical conductor and teacher, and was much sought after for convention work. During the first of his engagement with Root & Cady, Mrs. Bliss was employed as clerk in Root & Cady's store, then in the Crosby Opera House Building, on Washington street, Chicago. This position she filled for about six months, and then accompanied her husband in all of his travels, to assist in his concerts and convention work. Every summer they would return to Rome to visit the old homestead. During these visits to his home, in the rest and peace he enjoyed there among the hills, many of Mr. Bliss' sweetest pieces were written. Their home, during these years, they considered as being in Chicago. About one-fifth of their Sundays were probably passed here. They boarded, for some years, with musical companions, Mr. and Mrs. O. Blackman, and were always deeply attached to these. dear friends. In February, 1868, he remained in Chicago some weeks, writing music for a book published by Root & Cady called "The Triumph."

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On December 28th of the same year, he writes: "Bought my gold watch a hundred and sixty dollars." At the close of this year, he writes in his diary: "Thus the overruling Providence has led me by unmistakable evidences to see and recognize His dealing with me all through life's journey. Truly we have much to be thankful for. My dear wife, my greatest earthly treasure, joins in the opinion that we are and ever have been highly favored of Heaven; that we find our greatest enjoyment in each other's society, when striving to make each other happy, and our highest aim is to be useful to ourselves and others, and to 'glorify God that we may enjoy Him forever.'"

The sentiment of gratitude that ever actuated Mr. Bliss is shown in these lines. His first impulse, in every good thing that came to him, and in all his joy and happiness, sometimes, to others, arising from comparatively trifling causes, was to fall on his knees and thank God. The sentiment of deep attachment to his wife that pervaded his life is also shown. They were indeed inseparable and fond of each other and helpful to each other, in all the relations of life here and hereafter, beyond the conception of many who bear the relation of husband and wife, even though they profess that the relationship is sanctified in Christ. May the example of these dear friends in this respect be owned of God to make more happy many a Christian home where they were known and loved, and where what is here feebly represented is known to be true of them.

During 1869, Mr. Bliss wrote songs and tunes for "The Prize," a Sunday School book published by Root & Cady, and also wrote some pieces, which were published as sheet music. He held conventions at Bushnell, Carthage, Randolph, Hamilton, Mason City, Lamoille, Delavan, Secor, Washington, Momence, Peoria and Havana, in Illinois, and in Brockton, New York-thirteen conventions in all, running in time from one to four weeks. While at his home in the summer (Rome, Pennsylvania,) he writes: "June 1, celebrated our tin wedding." "June 5.-To Boston for the Jubilee. Stopped in New York and heard Parepa at Steinway Hall; also Levy, the great cornetist, Campbell, the base, and at Boston, Ole Bull, Arbuckle, Gilmore and Co." "June 20.-To Brooklyn to hear H. W. Beccher preach." He closes his memorandums for the year with an acknowledgment of blessings received. Notes

his settlement with Root & Cady, and mentions that he has "plenty of convention engagements at one hundred dollars for four days." He adds: "In daily contact with G. F. Root, J. R. Murray, Balatka, O. Blackman, W. S. B. Mathews, D. C. C. Miller, H. R. Palmer and other good musicians."

This brief mention of his life for one year will show that he was a busy man. He had very little idle time. He had established a reputation and was regarded as successful in his profession, and with a bright future before him as a musician.

During this year, 1869, an event occurred in his history, that he regarded of the same pivotal nature in its results to him as was the loan of Grandma Allen, that enabled him to go to Geneseo, and the meeting with Mr. Root, that led to his coming west. This event was the meeting with and forming the acquaintance of Mr. D. L. Moody as narrated in the following chapter.