The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-05-04

the side door was near the bellows |
handie, and SO long as the man who |
blew sat near l could do nothing. How
ever, as this was sermon Sunday, l had
plenty OF time; so l kept still in my hiding |
place, and bded my time The bellows-blow-
er might go to sleep, or he might leave the
organ-loft for a-few minutes during the SER
mon. The Dean gave oat his text, and
commenced one of his dreary and lengthy
COMPOSITIONS l cannot say l was very at
tentiye. l was too fully occupied watching
nv man. Slowly and ponderously the learn
ed Dean got through his introduction aud
the first of his three heads. just as he pro-
ceeded with Secondly" the belows-blower,
to my great joy, softly left the organ-loft,
while the organist was all right in front, list
ening hard, it is to be hoped, to the Deans
sermon. In a moment slipped round, when
found the coast was clear, and came upon
the little side-door open! L doubled myself
up and got in. l went cautiously ON hands
and knees across the top of the bellows, and
after several hairbreadth escapes, reached
the rods of the great organ stops, with the
composition rollers working above and be-
low. softly got off the bellows at the side
fartherest from the side-door, and here had
to place myself into the most uncomfortable
position it is possible to conceive. had just
room for my two legs, but noue for the upper
part ofmy body. Alarge beam projected Just
into the very spot where my shoulders ought
to have been; so had to bend my head for
ward over the top of the ressrvoir-bellows,
with row of sharp wire screw-ends above,
lying across the nape of my neck. The COM
position pedal-work was now in front of me
nearly, and, pulling out a small rule, l i'm
mediately commenced my investigation and
measurement Meanwhile, could hear the
heavy theological Dean droning out his inter
minable sermon. For the first time in my
life admired his prolixity, for every addi-
tional subdivision of his subject gave me SO
much more time for my work. l
knew full well that, when the ser
mon came to an end, my little excursion
must also terminate, for the organist would
then commence his concluding voluntary.
heard faint sound at the back of the or
gan. of which, however, did not take much
notice. supposed land rightly that it was
the blower returning to his post, and natur-
ally calculated the small gratuity which
would suffice to buy his silence when made
my exit through the dark little door opposite.
How far the Dean had advanced in his ser
mon L could not tell exactly, but know that
he was deep in Thirdly and l thought to
myself it was nearly time for me to get out
had just resolved upon this, and was fold
ing up my two-foot rule and my paper of
memoranda, when my attention was attract.
ed by a subdued creekiug sound. / looked
round and, by the dusty twilight which pre-
vailed inside the organ, just saw enough to
suspect that the belows-blower had begun to
put in the in wind. In the greatest conster-
nation. put my hand upon the top of the
reservoir bellows just before me. Yes. it was
too true, the wind was being put in, ready
for the conluding voluntary. 1t must be re-
memDered that my head was of necessity bent
forward, that my face was looking down nm
OH the top of the bellows, and that I was So
securely wedged into this position that it
was only by scrambling across the ton of the
bellows could possibly get out and this was
only possible when the wind was ont
out and the bellows at its lowest level. I'M
mediately, when saw the difficulty, I en-
deavored to get one leg upon the bellows. in
the hope might be able to scramble over it
to the other side before it rose much higher
BUTT had already risen too high for This
Every movement of the handle, worked nv
the man outside, raised the large moving sur.
face an additional inch or So II
was now breast-high, within two
inches of my face. To raise nv head was
impossible, for, as l before remarked row
OF sharp screw-ends technically called "tap-
ped wires') was directly over the nape of INV
neck. All this time, though it was but a few
seconds, L was acutely conscious of the steady
progress OF the sermon. can even now re-
member every word of the sonorous Deans
peroration. A sudden thought flashed across
my mind: "What a fool am! why not open
the escape-valve?'' Now the escape-yaive.
which is an arrangement for preventing the
bellows from bursting, was, as usual, in the
middle of the wide expanse of the bellows
top. Ii could only press this down, the air
would escape, the bellows would sink. and T
might yet get free. l strained and reached.
but III vain; my longest finger could not be
got within six inches of the valve thought
OF my two-toot rule but alas in nv conster-
nation had let it drop. On went the SER
mon; ''beat, beat" went my heart. The
Delows-top was now touching my nose, and
ana the sharp points were being gradually
driven into the back of my neck. 1 strug-
sle9, p,c IN vain. 1t was no use. 1 was
wedged In, like some poor victim in a torture
machine OF the Inquisition. "Pump. pump"
went the bellows-handle; down came the
Dlood from innumerable punctures in the
back OF my neck. My agony was intense.
My face was literally jammed between the
ever-rlslng bellows below and those hideous
spikes above. dare not cry out for was not
tne Dean IN the finest passage of his perora-
ton? In the midst of my agony I heard a
sound, and felt movement in the mecban-
Ism near me. 1t was the organist pulling out
the great organ-stops. AT the same instant
my eyes caught sight of the ''pull-do gns''
leading from the great organ wind-chest
oohe Htle demon whispered in my ear; and
IN moment L saw my only hope of release
from the intense and increasing agonv was
suffering. L must open the nearest pipes. and
thus release the accommodating wind. knew.
OF course, the uproar l should cause. and /
still heard the interminable Dean at his in
terminable sermon. But could not helm f.
With one hand grasped about eight of the
bass 'pull-downs," and with the other laid
hold OF the nearest pedal crackers. A roar of
the most awful character ensued: il was as
though fifty healthy bulls and five active vol
canoes had burst into the chanel. The
Deans sermon was effectually quenched.
One OF his finest periods was brought to an
unexpected full stop. The unfortunate Or
ganist bounded off his stool, and swore audi
bly,. The bellows-blower rushed off. think
ing, no doubt, the devil was inside the organ.
But, oh joy! the bellows sank and in faint
ing state clambered over the top. stumbled
out through the little side-door, and fell i1to
the arms of two Senior Fellows who had has
tened up to the scene of the disaster. The
commotlon among the gownsmen in the
chapei, was afterwards told, beggared de-
scrlptlon. Laughter, horror, exclamations of
surprise and indignation, were all to the front
by turns. The Blessing was pronounced
amidst the greatest confusion; and altogether. |
the scene was snch as those sacred walls had
never witnessed BEFORE
was politely conducted to nv rooms. The |
next morning appeared before the Master
and Seniors, aud, though pleaded loud and
long, was rusticated for two terms. never |
went back to Cambridge. always consider |
ca mat mad been very badly treated-Tem-