Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-01-03


1t is not /; 1t is the entire town which is
concerned in this matter. and the town
is in the hands of the Germans. 1t is
our brothers and fellow citizens who are
concerned; and their families and their
int rests must be looked after. We shall
sing the TIE Deum; and that is what l
wanted to see you about my good friend,
Richter"
. Don't ask me that p cried Richter,
:" / will not do it !"
Richter, L said precisely what you
say now when / first received that order,
and nevertheless L have since then
changed my mind. 1t is not the man, it
is not the Frenchman, who is speaking
to you; it is the priest. It is The pastor
who has charge of sOuls-the pastor who
desires to prevent the shedding of blood
the pastor who wishes to assure peace
and concord. a refusal upon my part
might spoil everything; and therefore /
have reckoned upon your aid in this
matter"
"Be it so, then! What piece is to be
played, which Tie Deum ?"
''The shortest to perform" said the
old cure.
Good you can rely upon me"
The choir-master rushed from the
presby tery; the priest gave himself up
to prayer. But any one who could have
seen the face of the musician as he
wendell his way home through the shad-
ows of the night, would have noticed
that tears were rolling down his cheeks.
Next Sunday, at mid day precisely,
the Catholic church of NJ was in
vaded by the ban and the arrierre- ban
of the German sabre trailers. Not q
single citizen was there. On all sides
one saw blue uniforms with gilt buttons,
spiked helmets decorated. A gilded
chair near the choir had been reserved
for the military governor of M.
The Cure Schlegel entered the chan
eel at the head of his clergy, He had
laid aside the red ribbon which ordin-
arily decorated his breast, and had
donned a dark chasuble as In sign of
mourning. His face was as white as the
alb he wore; he did not seem to perceive
the crowd 10 the nave, and his, eyes were
kept upon the crucifx above the high
altar.
As for Richter, he had disappeared
since the evening of his interview with
the cure. He had locked himself UP ID
his house, had ceased to give lessons,
and refused all entrance to visitors.
Then on Sunday morning he dressed
himself all In black, and went by
roundabout way to the church. In
short he hid himself from public gaze,
like man who had Just committed some
bad action. And, finally, instead of
leading the choir himself as usual, he
had secretly dismissed the organist and
taken his place at the great organ up
stairs.
Midday was striking upon the cathe-
dral clock, when the military Governor
Won B entered with an escort of sol
diers with drawn swords. The organ
then uttered a dralwing and dismal
melody, and the ceremony as lugubrious
as funeral service. The chant resem-
bled psalm for the dead, and the organ
uttered groans like one in the last.agony.
BY order Of the governor the Cure
Schlegel began to sing Te Deum and
Richter accompanied him upon the or
gan. 81.
For a while only the musician fever
ish and impatient let his fingers wander
over the ivory keyboard.
Suddenly lightning flashed from his
eyes; he tossed his long hair back; his
whole figure become animated and his
fingers stitfened their touch upon the
keys. y.. ..t. L.,. r..f..
The languishlng organ aWoke TO life;
it uttered brazen sounds caught up and
repeated by all the echoes of the naye;.
and all the stained-glass windows trem-
bled as though they would fall from their
Oaken frames. ''
The Cure SchIegel Immediately arose
with all his clergy, but Cafterla moment
resumed the attitude-Qf, prayer, ,.,.,s...,
\ The German audience seemed in con-
sternation; each looked st the other. A
sort of tumult arose ia the church, ias
though of a panic. The governor started
from his gilded lchalr, and hurried from
the church, Richter. was playing the
MARSEILLAISE! upon the .organ!1 Ts7
n The same evening the choir.master left
the city Ia spite Of the German police.
He'never returned.
The Cure -SchIegel recently died a
quiet and bappyideath, after expressing
one last desire--that the frst TIE Deum
sung for a French YistorY in NJ
should be performed upon the same or
gan by the musician Ricbtet.A.A ynam