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


Ialways thought it a very hard case, but
could never bring my irate father and my
weeping mother to view the matter in that
light. | appeal to an impartial public
This is how it happened:
Ey name was put on the boards of st.
Blaisus in October, lS5-, and, after a
most tender parting from my household
gods in Warwckshire, commenced resi-
dence in all the glory Of promising fresh
man. do not know that | ever had very
sanguine hopes OF academic distinction, 50
| received the full blessing of expecting
nothing, inasmuch as, in this respect, |
met no disappointment. | had hard
battle with my reyered father, and after
wards with the tutor Of the college to be
allowed to rent an extra room in which |
might carry on my fayorite relaxation.
This was the unusual pursuit Of amateur
organ-building. My father said that the
idea was preposterous and expensive,
The tutor affirmed that such things ruined
voung mans prospects, and made him
idle. But, nevertheless, | carried the day
through the interccssion Of my mother;
and my carpenters bench, with the ap-
pnrtenances thereof, were duly acconmO-
dated in a small room opening out Of my
room, on staircase letter c. | was not
long in maturing my plans for erecting a
small chamber-organ Of manuals, with all
kinds of ingenious mechanical appliances
in the way Of stops and couplcrs. ! was
naturally both of mechanical and musical
turn of mind; so, by my fayorite pursuit,
I gratified both sides Of my disposition.
| often tried to convince my father that it
was a most economical step thus to kill
two birds with one stone, but he could
not see it. explained how might de-
ye!ope my mechanical talent by building
an expensive steam-e engine, aud indulge my
musical propcnsitics by insisting OH run
ning mp to London every week to enjoy
the opera or Philharmonic concats.
proved on paper that this method.would
consume more time and more money than
n little quiet building could ever
absorb. But it was all no use. My father
had not a logical mind, and he drove away
conviction in a manner most irritating to
sound reasoncr like myself However,
] had my own way at Cambridge, but I'M,
der protest.
Now the organ in the Chapel of st
BlaisUs was an old organ, which had beer
renovated and added to by several builders
till the inside Of the instrument was crowd,
ed beyond all reason. For the most ordin.
ary processes OF tuning and regulating, the
unfortunate operator had TO perform The
ieAts of an acrobat before he could get at
either pipes or key-action. The bellows
had to be empticd and the swell closed be-
fore he could get in at ALL And after he
was IN, it was only by getting over sundry
massive beams, under cross beams not moe
than two feet from the ground, and through
peltures scarcely big enough for rabbit
that any of the important working part
Of the instrument could be reached. TC
tie oneself intoa knot, as tumblers do, was
nothing to this. Unless man coulC
double himself up into the space Of a cubic
loot or so, unless he could wriggle along
yards upon his back, and stand for many
miserable minutes in the most apopleti(
poStures, he could not hope to do any
thing to the interior of the st. Blasiu
organ. 1t was from this mtoward instru
ment that obtained al my patterns an,
measurements for my own chamber-Organ
| formed the acquaintance of the organst
and, after vast amount Of strategy, wol
lis consent to my venturing into the hid
den depths of bis hdeous old machine
Week after week did attempt new feat
with the view of getting hints for N,
own amateur work. lived in chroni
state of broken head and confused shns
Every low and then | appeared with on
or more black eyes; and on two occasion
! was most suSpiciously cross examine
by the Dean as to presumed pugilistic pre-
pensities.
But N the midst o! all these dificultic
progressed most satisfactorily with m
work, and was proud to think that all m
evolutions in the ST. Blasus organ, how
ever detrimental to my own bodily con
fort and personal appearance, brought n
damage to the venerable and sacred instr
ment itself. lie did not object to an
amount Of punishment wherewith pun
ished my own craniun or limbs, but |
swore deep oath that the moment | il
jured hair in his precious organ, thi
moment should he to him as hcathc
man and publican.
Four years passed by without any a
cldent. My studies were in most bacl
ward state, but, oh joy! my chambe
organ was on the high road to competio
The tutor complained Of my idlencss. N
father upbradcd me for negecting m
reading, but | Rugged myself with Il
thought that once the organ was finshe
would buckle.to and mako my runnil
with the college subjects. In the mid
of my good resolutions, most lamentab
accident took place, was, one da
standing inside the chapel organ, restil
on my left knee, with one foot wedged
between two pipes, the other suspend'
deicately in the air, my head tucked o
Of the way under my right arm, while
held long screw-driver in my lothian
Tn this pleasant position | had stood
nearly ten minutes, examining portion
The wind-clest work, when by an Owe
towering impulse was compelled
sneeze, and in the act I dropped the sore