Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-06-18
JOHN MERVAL, A. 0.
ONLY a Child Who Realized His
Expectations"

were very sweet that year.. On SUNDAYS
the Anglican ritual was SO beautifully
rendered as to delight a strict churchman's
heart, and on every day Of the week the
good rector lectured to the handful of
auditors who could leave their occupa-
tons for an hour of morning OR evening
worship-for not many rich or great be-
longed to the cathedral congregation, and
there the DOR had the Gospel preached
unto them. Their homely lives, full of
daily cares and anxious fears for the flu
ture, were not unknown to the shepherd
and bishop of their souls. He knew the
history of the sad woma who came late
to church, and slipping into a pew nearest
the door, left early that she might cook the
supper, for the tired laborers would return
10 their humble home that evening. He
knew by heart the disappointment of the
say-haired old man, who came regularly
pchurch to pray for a wandering and dis
tedient son. He had often talked with
who sat under the pulpit, blessing the
preacher in their innocent heart, and won-
dering il the st. John whose red garments
shone so radiantly from the stained-glaSs
window We're any more sanity than he.
And behind the organ, which stood at n
t teaSo on the n ehance tbia sat sa one, whose os At At
e esthp 4 o woa i by n s9f1 means OF uni tne
p%@tant. This man signed his name,
John Merval, A. O.-Assistanr Organist.
Fifteen minutes before morning afternoon
and evening service, the crooked, diminu-
tive figure of John Merval might be seen
shutting up the aisle of the cathedral to
the organ, where he disappeared behind a
dark.blue curtain, and began preparations
for his ensuing work. A blouse coat was
substituted for the more pretentiousN gar
ment in which he had appeared before the
congregation, shoes were removed and
sandals put on, and a cap Of soft black silk
took the place Of the shining black locks
which grIaced his .temples-for John was
pumped through the service and nodded
through the III When the last chant
was sung, and the last note Of the recess
slonnl hymn had died away, then it was
that John worked with might and main;
Tor the organist loved fugues and adhered
to the stiff classical school, proudly
dlsdaining all innovations of modern sem
fhilistine of orthodox organ study. 1t was
not q little wonderful how enthusiastically
Joln identified himself with the person.
allty of the performer, and he was fire.
quently heard to remark to some acquaint-
ance as he passed out of the door: "We
save you something of Bach to-day;" or
nlorning:~
Poor half-witted John had seen better
nays. His parents had been respectable
IN Canada, with enough of worldly goods
70 be able to place their son at college.
vne day, as the poor boy was seated in
,ne window of a third-story dormitory,
a manned body and cracked brain were
.ne results of this accident; and since a
eolege curriculum offered no further adj
.ahtages to the unfortunate victim, he re-
turned home; whence, after the death Of
LIS parents, he issued to seek a livelihood,
psetiarious at best, through such channels
ds me humanity of the public provided.
Increasing weakness and poor wages fin
aliy drlfted him to the Cathedral of st.
iaui, where his diseased fancy transmit
Su the humble position Of organ-blower
anlo the more respectable calling of "as-
slstant %organist." The poor fellow was
no1 utterly wanting in that wit which en-
was sometimes shown. When the inton-
ny OF the Athanasian Greed was added to
.he lntoning of the Nicene Creed, through
nv stately measures of which John had
jumped for so many years, he at once re-
ne,iea and submitted the following COM
'nuAlcation to the Vestry:
Sentlemen Of the Vcstry of st. Pnuls.
mn lhere is un addendum to my labors. I
f fnrs !, MGnetane my rights: Task W dollars
i " the ~Athanasian Creed. II not forthcom.
'"s' me Assistant Organist will resign
JOHN MEivAL, Assistant OrYapist.
"Amen"
Need it be said that the additional two
Eulars We're paid? But there was another
,n.efesllng member of the cathedral con-
H,eeallon Regularly morning and even.
, ,nS she took her seat near the organ, and
,h the long, Grape veil was lifted from
c cae sweet pale face, revealing the Widows
v wl sad the rich biaids of golden hair, it
a maS no wonder that she was known to all
IIs me pretty widow" He step, like her
t"aa, bespoke ge%ntleness, and more than
ra;s as she quietly kneeled in her seat and
,n ansea her soft blue eyes to the altar, John
....SInranured in an awe-struck whisper:
th iohe is like the Holy virgin-she is like
z znu Mother OF Godw and his sharp wiz.
n ,a,H features absolutely wore an air of
wi;'hetlc solemnity. Rarely did the pretty
! Ml4o w, speak to her humble worshiper,
cav ene incense of his alteration never
RAISED raised to burn, although a carefully.ar-
uaa.sed bouquet on Christmas and Easter