Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-05-02

con, nothing" | replied.
"You get off, that, sir, and let me see
what you have beenat." .
Like guilty hound, I extracted myself
from the organ. The organist pulled out
a few of the swcl-stops, and ran lightly
over the keys. In two seconds my fatal
delinquency came to light. knew it was
all over. put down the key Of the organ
on the stool, and, without a word, silently
and mournlully left the chapel. The
OF ganist, on asking for the services OF an
organ builder had to give an account OF
the accident, and consequently got soundIy
wigged by the dean for dreaming of al
lowing a wild young undergraduate to
NEEDLE with and injurc so noble and val
liable an instrument"
From that hour | knew there was to
be no more help to be obtained by me
from "tLat noble and valuable" &c. |
YVES thrown on my own resources. My
organ progressed but slowly; my work,
from being initiative became tentative ;
and oltcntimes | fitted fifty different
pieces of wood in a given place before |
got it right. Week after week | toicd
away laboriously, with patience worthy
Of better cause. chailed good deal
at my constant obstacles, and twice did
| attempt to make it up with the organist.
But it was no use.
"No, sir" he said, peremptorily, "there
will be no mole damage done to the organ
by you again, if ] can helpit."
BY this time | had finished the key
action bellows, sound-board, and wind
chest. The pipe-work, 50 far as it was
metal, did not attempt. This portion
Of my organ was supplied by an organ
builder in London. The shop-work was
also finished, and | was now engaged in
putting on some composition-pedals. In
this there were one or two intriCacies
which could not solve, and at last de-
tcrmned that | would attempt turtively
to get into the chapel organ and examine
the omposition-p pedals there. But at this
| was staggered by the difficulty of the
project. To get the keys of the organ
was impossible. To force an entrance
was, of course, out of the question. My
only chance was to watch an opportunity
. when the organ should he left open, and
the organist absent. For this combin-
. alton Of circumstances watched and wait
ed in vain for nearly three weeks. At last
one Sunday morning, | was late for chapel
and passing up the ante-cbap2l found the
choir-gatcs closed, and the service well
= advanced. I had nothing particular to
, do. so ! thought would sit down in the
: ante-chapel to hear the anthem. So
made myself comfortable near the screen
looking up every now and then 70 the
= "noble and valuable old instrument" above
me.
Towards the end Of the Psalms fright
. full ciphering took place, or lin mtechnlca
: language) several notes struck down in
: side the organ, and sounded various anC
. discordant pipes whether the oTganis
| liked it or not. 1hi, "ciphering" ] al
l once perceived was on the swell. In ;
: second heard handful Of swell-stop'
pushed hastily in, and the Psalms were
: finished on the Great and Choir. Whel
= the Anthem began, the first few chord,
y told me, plainly enough, that the swell
t was now all richt-the ciphcring had beel
a cured. Now knew that, in all probabiIi
/ tv, the organist must have got AT the key
S action to effect this, and also knew that
s in that clrnnsilv-arranged instrument, h
i could not do this without going inside
/, Al once it struck me-had lie left the liz
!. tie side-door open? If he had, now wa
t my opportunity. slipped up the wind
Il ing staircase and crcpt cautiously along th
d top Of the screen till | hid myself bchin
y the organ. Unfortunately Tor me, the side
g door was near the bellows handle, and 5
Y long as the man who blew sat near coul
l. DO nothing. However, as this was ser
y mon Sunday, had plenty Of time; so
| kept still in my hiding place, and bide
d my time. The bcllows-blower might 60 t
N sleep, or he might leave the organ-lott 70
n n few minutes during the sermon. Til
n Dean gave ont his text, and commence
y one Of his dreary and lengthy compos
o tons. cannot say was very attentive
r was too fully occupied in watching m
l. man. Slowly and pcndcrously the learr
ed Dean got through his introduction an
t, the first Of his three heads. Just as h
N proceeded with Secondly" the bellows
:, blower, to my great joy, softly LETT the o.
j. can-lott, while the organiat was all rigt
n in front, listening hard, tits to be hoped,
lie the Deans sermon. In moment slippe
lie round, when | found the coast was clca
at and came upon the little sidedoor opor
Us | doubled myself up and got in. | wer
e. cautiously on hands and knees across II
re ton of the bellows, and after several hal
" breadth escapes reached the rods o! Il
ie grcat organ-stops, with the composition
Ii rollers working above and below. ! soft
t, cot of the bellows at the side tarthe
Is from the side-door, and here had toplat
70 myself in the most uncomfortable positiC
as it is possible to conceive. had just roc
Id for my two legs, but none for the upp,
ic part Of my body. A large beam proiectC
u Just into the very spot where my shoude
~ ought to have been; so | had to bend m
ic head forward over the top Of the reservoi
y bellows, with row Of sharp wire scIey
us ends above, lying across the nape of n
IL neck The composition pedal-work W
I'd now in front Of me nearly, and pulling OF
H. a small rule, I Immediately commence
It, my investigation and measurement. Mea
on while, | could hear the heavy theologic
d. Dean droning out his iDterminable sermo
e. For the first time IN my life | admired 1
It's prolixity, for every additional subdivisiC
ny of his subject gave me so much more tin
nc for my work. knew full well that, Wit
IS. the sermon came to an end, my little G
ne cursion must also terminate, for the orga
ms lists would then commence his concludil
ed voluntary. / heard faint sound at t
70. back of the organ, of which, however,
did not take much notice. suppose
los land rightly that it was the blower I
ny turning to his post, and | naturally calc
ny latcdthc small gratuity which would 81
W flee to buy his silence when made L
M exit through the dark little door opposi
no How far the Dean had advanced in his ST
FL mon [ cnnll NOT toll rHnctlv hnt | lin(