American citizen., 1876-03-11
wEsTCHESTER TOWER.

Some years ago 1 bad occasion to
make short trip from London to visit
my old college friend, Maitland, who
had settled down as a clergyman in
connection with the Cathedral of West
chester. 1t was pleasant excursion,
chiefly by railway, and I was hospita-
bly, entertained. After dinner my
friend and walked out in the dusk of
the evening, to look at the antiquities
of the place. In the course of our ram
BILE the moon rose and threw a charm
over the scene. With the moonlight
streaming through the colored windows
we sauntered through the ancient cathe-
dral. enjoying the solemnity of the edi
fee.
As we approached the gates of the
choir, Maitland, though accustomed to
the place, became singularly silent.
All at once he called on me to notice
that we were standing under the main
cntral tower, and that in the vaulted
dome over head was a round black
spot. You see that dark spot" said
he; "it is covered hole opening up
into the tower. 1t is sometimes used
for the hauling up of lead and timber
for repairs on the roof. call your at
tention to it now, because I am going
to tell you something about it by and
by"
Seated once more atthe fireside of my
bachelor friend 1 listened to what he
had to say about the hole in the tower
win try to repeat his story as he told
it to me.
suppose it must be about five years
ago, soon after came to the cathedral,
that was engaged one evening in this
room writing, when had occasion to
refer to book not in my possession,
but which knew to be accessible to
me in the cathedral library. To pro-
cure the work sailed out with a Ian
tern; and had not gone very far when
I was assailed by CHEEKY shout from
Symes--Geofrey Symes-an Oxford
man, who had been my junior at Oriel.
Symes was little eccentric. He had
taken q fairish degree, and might have
done well; but, being passionately fond
of music, he took to studying the organ,
and this had brought him to Westches-
ter, as professed pupil of the organist.
As such he was allowed to have constant
access to the instrument-oneo of won-
derful compass-in the cathedral.
"Symes would not, perhaps, have been
called scientific musician; but he had
awonderful gift of expressing thought
and feeling on the organ, which he al
most made to speak, so extraordinary
was his power in bringing out effects.
When engaged in this way he seemed
to be lost in an enthusiastic ardor. He
wildly reveled in musical sounds. On
this occasion he seemed 70 resolve on a
display of his powers. Rushing away
for few minutes, he brought little Jim
Oxley, son of the verger, to blow the
bellows, and with this necessary aid he
set to work and produced voluntary
that was altogether marvellous, and
the effect of which was enhanced by
the darkness. Well-known passages
from great masters were skillfully
welded with harmonious links into one
another. One, however, q favorite of
his as 1 knew, was complete and alone
the 'Quando Corpus from Rossini's
'Stabat Mater I could compare it to
nothing but the strenuous forging to-
gether of solid bars of melody, SO
severe, SO nervous, so weighty was the
working out of the theme. And last of
all, with most ravishing sweetness,
came the exquisite duet and chorus
from Mendelssohn's 'Lobgesang,' Il
waited for the Lord : and as those deli
cate silvery strains of patience and
thankfulness streamed into one another
and melted at last with the chorus in
to the great tide of praise, was un-
conscious Of any thing but the music,
and could have staid there without
further thought till the morning.
al was aroused from my ecstasy by
little Jim, who had been blowing the
bellows all this time, asking me if he
might go home, as his father did not
know where he was. 1 let him out, and
as the door fell behind him heard the
low, dying wall of the o.gan as Symes
struck one or two Intellectual notes and
exhausted its last breath. He came
,foxun nd iafpad r,,a and nc