The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-01-31
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\ SAs past zen O'clock, aBd the street
and lanes Q: The great city were GlI bu
deserted Merchant and broker, clefl
and wsrehousemAu. and The rest Of thi
busy crowd who bad thronged thosl
streets b. day bad one By one drRr,
sway 10 ibeir bones, sBd the lofty ware
boutes loomed black and forbiddiug owe
lhe silent throughiAres here and ther,
de CLEAN from a solitary window slrug
gled Intellectually with the onter darkness
and served bat TO bring into stronger
relief The general gloom aud solitude.
And uowhere was the darkness deeper
o. Tie scene Of desoIation more profound
than In 81. Wiuifred's oonrt. st. Wlni.
fred's Is one Of those queer little alley,
which intefseet the heart OF eastern Lon.
don, aud consists, with one exception, ol
houses let out IS offices, and utterly de.
serted by night. The court Is bounded
on one side by 81. Wih6ed's church,
while In one corner stands quaint old
house, occupying nearly triangular
piece Of ground aud forming the excep-
ton We have referred to, having been for
many years the residence of ST. Wiui.
fred's orgsnist, Michael Fray.
Many of these ancient churches still re-
main 10 odd hooks aud corners OF The
city; relics OF a time when London mef-
chants made their homes In the same spot
whereon they earned their daily bread,
worshipping on Sunday 10 these narrow
aisles, aud when their time came asking
DO better resting place than beneath
those venerable flagstones on which they
bad knelt in life. The liberality OF an
cient founders and benefactors has left
many Of these old churches richly endow,
ed, and still Sunday after Sunday, rector
and cufate mount their respective desks,
aud struggle through their weekly task;
but portly aldermen and dignifed bar
gesses no longer fill the high backed
pews. A wheezy verger aud pew opener
with dozen or SO OF ancient men and
women, care takers of adjoining ware
houses or offices, too often form the only
st. Winifred's, like many Of its sister
editices, though small in extent, is a
noble monument OF ecclesiastical archi-
leclure, having been designed by an ar
:hitect OF worldwide fame, and Boosting
stained glass windows OF the richest
color and exquisite design, and oaken
carving OF flower and leaf, to which the
ouch OF master had impaired all but
living beauty. The western extremity Of
he church abuts narrow lane, on
week day Que Of the busiest in the city
but on Sundays the broad portal Is flung
open IN vain, for its invitation is address.
ID TO empty seats and deserted houses.
The only sign of lite on this Christmas
I'VE, in st. Winifred's court, was faint
,leam of pickering freight proceeding
rom one Of the windows of the quaint
htee'cotnered house in which Michael
Fray passed his solitary existence. Many
lears before the period OF our story, the
anne month had taken from him wife and
.hild, and since that time Michael FRAY
lad lived desolate, his only solace being
he rare old organ, the friend and com.
'anion of his lonely hours. The loss of |
lis wife and daughter had left him with.
ut kith or kin. His father and mother
lied in bis early youth, an only brother,
gifted but wayward youth, had In early
lie run away 10 sea, and there found a
galery grave. Being thus left alone in
be world, Michael Fray's love for music
'hieh had always been the most marked
ealnre of his character, had become in.
ansified into an absolute passion. Even
lg alter evening, when darkness had
lltied on the city aud none could com.
lain that bis music interfered with busi-
ess or distracted the attention from the
obier clink of gold, he was accustomed
D creep quietly into the church aud there
ilk to bimsli, rs be called II, at the old
igan, which answered him back again
18th tender sympathy aud power OF
which no mere human lislen-
: could ever baye afforded. The Organ
T st. Ninifrcd's was Of comparatively
mail size aud made but scanty show Of
ipes or pedals; but the blackened case
nd yellow mneh-worn keys had been
ishioned by the cunning brain and skill
Al fiugers OF Father Smith, himself, but
ever bad the renowned old organ build.
turned out more skilful piece Of
craftsmanship. And Michael Fray by
Sc Of years and loying-tender study, had
OF by heart every pipe aud stop 10 the
are old instrument, aud had acquired an
Imost magical power in bringing out its ,
,nderest notes and noblest harmonies.
Hear him this Christmas eve, rs be sits
efofc the ancient key board, one feeble
Andle dimly gIimnering over the well
oFn page before him; Pickering wierd.
over The ancient carving, aud calling
10 lnomeBtary life the filgies Of mitred
blot and mailed crusader. A feeble old
ian whose sands of life have all but run
lt; q sad and lremulous old man with
iaking hands, and dim, uncertain eyes.
ut when they are placed upon those
GLOW keys, the shaking hands shake no /
niger, tie feeble sight lnds 20 labor in I
iose wei remembered pages. Under !
e touch OF Michael Fray's den fiagers, I
&c aneienl organ becomes instinct with !
'e and harmony. The grand old mas I
r. head their noblest strains, and could I
ey revisit earth, need ask no better in-
rpretsr From saddest wall Of sorrow !
sweetest strain Of consolation from
e dirge Tor the loved aud lost to Tie I
ean Of the iubilsnt yieior-eaeh shade !