Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-13
Written for The Evening Star.
A VOLUNTEER ORGANISE.

Written for The Evening Star.
A VOLUNTEER ORGANISE.
Her Experience in Playing in q Country
Church in Summer.
One rainy evening we were sitting around the
fire talking-Kate. Nellie and 1.
Kate said she "was sick and tired OF giving
music lessons. and wished she had been edu-
Gated for a cook cooking was much more in
dependent and lucrative profession than
teaching"
Remembered the coffee and omelet Kate
had prepared for supper one Sunday evening.
They were not Of the style to give one much
faith in her culinary abilities, but had any
amount Of confidence in her musical talents,
SO inquired "why she didn't get q position as
organist in some church, /" and was greeted by
peals Of laughter from the sisters
After awhile, Hates merriment having sub
sided, she condescended to explain its cause.
You remember, she said, that few years
ago we went to the mountains Of Virginia for
the month Of July; the same summer you took
that trip to Honolulu, you know. In the lot
little gray stone church. built largely through
the untiring efforts Of our landlord and his
wife, who, of course, felt a strong in
terest and quasi-proprietorship in the small
edifce.
The Sunday after our arrival was q typical
July day. would most cheerfully have FORE
gone the morning service, but mamma. con-
WINGED that my heathenism was growing apace,
insisted that church-going was the proper order
Of the day. So went.
One thing during the service especially struck
me q WAS too hot TO be impressed by anything
else and that was that in addition to his usual
duties it was hard lines for an unsongful clergy
man to have to start the hymns unassisted,
when nice little melodeon was on hand. And
after church, learning that the organist was at
the sea shore for a few weeks and that that was
the cause OF the uncertain quantity land quality
OF the music, l rashly offered my services to
manipulate the instrument (of torture, was
about to say) the following Sunday.
They (my services) were quite gleefully ac-
cepted. and during the week the kew of the
church was intrusted to me, that 1 might be-
come acquainted with the melodeon.
Up to that time my dealings with musical in
struments had limited themselves to pianos,
but this being a smaller affair anticipated but
little resistance from it and was quite surprised
to find how hard 1t was to keep my brain,
fingers and feet all ION the moye."
At intervals did not quite accomplish this,
melodeon made me SILVER and Nellie pre- dict
dire catastrophes for the coming SUNDAY.
Nothing that she prophesied. however at all
approached the real thing in harrowingness
Friday evening the choir met with me to
practice. According to instruction from them
l had learned q three-sharp venite, which We
all felt to be very fine.
The leader, however, was kept at home BY a
threatened quincy ION Sunday was disposed
to wish 1t had really come instead Of Just
threatening to-, and without her the girls were
afraid to attempt that particular venIte. so we
| rehearsed another in it's stead, worked up q
benedictus and some hymns quite satisfactorily,
and when we dispersed had the comfortable
feeling that my rash offer Of help would turn
out better than for the last few DAYS had
thought possible, and went home much re-
lieved. Sunday was - . warm day as might
people in that vicinity from attending to their
religious duties, so the little church was Is well
filed usual
Owing TO the inexperience Of the "melodeon-
ist'' no professional, occasional or offertory
were to be attempted. SO the venite was the
f1rst thing in my program. and when its time
came began quite boldly, cheered BY
seeing that the leader sore throat being bet.
ter. she, though late. was coming up the church
aisle to take her accustomed place.
Just Is she joined us she started the anthem,
the choir followed her lead, and-the mosi
irightful discords ensued.
The tones of that melodeon were like aeon-
lied groans and shrieks Of lost SOUL and I,
struggling to go backward or forward OF in
any direction to get 'in' with the singers, felt
like one myself.
OF course. you know what had happened; l
didn't til we were nearly though The leader
| had begun that three-sharp venite we had de-
cided not to have, and was playing the one we
had rehearsed, in three flats, think it was.
My family looked pityingly at me- Thew
were much mortified (you needn't attempt to
deny it. Nellie, for you were), and as for me.
if the earth had lopeaed to receive me should
have felt thankful.
After that brilliant opening you can imagine
how gleefully l awaited my next encounter
with the instrument The rest Of the music,
however, went very well, and 90 the choir most
courteously and truthfully told what had be-
fallen that first anthem 1 did not have the
obloquy Of such mess to endure. and when
the service was a thing Of the past my spirits
revived.
BY the next Sunday it was decided that an
offertory would enhance the beauty of the
services, and when the choir wanted "melodeon
solo, selected-you know that eleventh Noe
turne of Chopin's, don't you? the one with the
beautiful cathedraly chords? Well l took a
up; Mhen was JUST IN the middle OF 1t, and