Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-03-30
Miscellaneous.
ONE NIGHT.

ONE NIGHT.
IT had happened twice. When went ta
my work after each service / found thai
the reed stops had been pulled out agains,
my express desire and all my labor AZ
chose To beiieve--had been wasted.
Perhaps organ builders, as a rule, arc
bad-tempcrcd men. am, and own to ii
at once. Yor may guess, then, that was
not much inclined TO rejoice when heard
that there was to be an eleven o'clock SER
vice on the night of New Years Eve.
"You will have the Kindness" l said,
sternly, TO the beardless little schOlmaster
who played during the absence Of the reg.
ular organist, INIT TO use the reed stops"
"All right, sir" be simpered. gfai J
All right, was its We should see.
It's hard enough" clustered, "to be
sent for TO such a job at this time Of year.
Idont care TO have TO do il half a dozen
times instead of once--ttrough your OBJ
stnacy" +..f4
"Afi right" he smiled, once more.
But shall You not be at church your
self"
"Ithink there are various spots where
would rather be in the middle Of winter
night" faid !, turning on my heel.
But, all the same, ny mind waSpade mp
TO go. 1t was great old gloomy church
of three aisles, with heavy tower. Very
beautiful it might have been made with
Mr. SCOTS assistap:e but very gaunt and
bare and unbeautifnl the five thousand
allow il To remain.
The best part Of it was the organ, fine
old instrument w Bernhard Schmidtz,
and fit for cathedral.
Perhaps IL WIS natural that the friends
Of ~. Mark should be proud OF his bells
(there not being much else in the neigh,
bofhood at alb but ! always shuddcrcd
when heard them. ard fastened 70 my
lodgings (which were out of hearing,
with my teeth on edge, and metaphorical
wool In my cars
Always, say, until this New. Years
Eve, when, as they tuned up for the cx.
traordinary midnight service. l FASTENED
i'm the other direction, into the very
shadow Of st. Marks tower, under the
very clash of the bells. ,y
cmpt up To the gallery, opened the
door Of the instrument, and offer looking
cautious around to be sure was aloneJ
bolted In with congratulatory chucklc
and shut II all up as before.
heard very little of the reading; what
did hear ! did not heed but the play
ingf Yes, did hear that very distinctly
indeed; with rather painful distinct
ness. 49,
What with the squeaking Of the treble
stops, and the creaking Of the bellows
and the buzzing and booming of the pedal
pipes, mine was an5thing but an enviablt
situation. '1s "" 'i'' go,
The canticles and the hymns were Owe
ut last; but then 70 my great dismay
found that during the collection there wa
tn be voluntary. CLEANED no comfor
even from the pleasant thought that they
w0nld not bring tho plate 10 me- y ..o
The little crganist was In his elcrncn
now--at least he seemed to think so. II
the very vibration alone could feel tn
evident elevation of his spirits. His fee
danced on the pedals; his fingers trippet
on the keys; could see, In imagination
tho rolling Of his conceited little head q
he added absurd little trills and shakes I,
Rossini's "Carita.
Presently, as expected, out came tn,
Cremona stop; but, as he did ut expect
In II went again at touch Of mine. Ye
actually, in the very face Of that, out pop
ped the Hautboy! Ia II went in TIL
twinklipg,, Of On eye, and ! could dis
tlnguish that, for an instant, the bus.
hands quavered uselessly as If In panic
Then the little musician seemed to renew
hisva9ries with movement OF desperation
~ if he had summoned all his efforts 10
another trial. Rather slowly and cautions
" the Clarion stop was drawn out. Rattle
quickly and incautiously 1t was pulled j
again. s#'@s' s.i.. 49,
The notes ceased suddenly. A very e.
trsOrdinary silence fell on the church, an
IGhuckled In my packing-case over u
novel and abrupt termination OF VI
Carita" In the middle of a bar.
The sermon was over, but no voluntar
was forthcoming Aha! he was afraid o
the haunted instrument
Presently | should hear him lock tn
organ; then I,would rrsh, out, upon hin
lik6 IN accusing spirit How he shoul'
cover and quake!
The singers staggered down from tn
gallery, but there was no sound or move
ment In the organ,lofh He must hav
: gone 70 spesk tgslms Ne q WHAT iadcn 3
heard now In all the church What ha
he to gossip about while he left his orga
open! grew impatient: / would com
out and meet him on his return.
Perhaps after all, he seas there in tn
siiAeA FarhE q shk E9usGS prfin
how. next time he played, he would In
prove Handel, or enliven Bach.
crept into The outer world, rather gla
70 A a1sYs w 81 e1 ssss s..css.., he.,,
damp, unearshly darkness.