Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-11-22
Eyes" he said, "even organists may

''Yes, he said, "even organlsts may
be useful. Just wait; will prove it. I"
They crowded around him. They in
sisted and coaxed him to tell them what
it was, but he was silent. Smiling as
they never before had seen him, he step
ped out of the store, and his step was
elastic as that of youth. He looked al
most straight. this hunchbacked old
man, as he passed down the street.
Moser and the crowd in the store soon
came to the one conclusion that the Or
ganist had gone mad, stark mad.
In the evening the whole village
knew that old Father Michael had a
screw loose. This was in holy week, on
Wednesday. Maundy Thursday the bells
are rung for the Christians of the whole
world, even for the Alsatians, and ev-
erybody goes to church. But in Alsace-
Lorraine they thought not only of the
holy resurrection, but also Of another
the morning Of the resurrection Of lib
erty, which no bells as yet had pro-
claimed.
Good Friday the church was throng-
ed with people. High up on the altar
stood the black draped cross. Heavy
bands Of Grape were twisted about the
unlighted candles. From the chancel
the priest read heavily and slowly the
holy words Of the suffering Of our Saw
Jour; about him who bent his head i'll
death to give to the world peace, forgive
ness and liberty.
And the people reverentially knelt on
the fagstones and offered up their hearts
in silent, sorrowing prayer. Slowly the
priest goes toward the altar, and now
the grand ''Stabat Mater Dolorosa'' was
to be sung. tt was a moment Of deepest
silence in the church; the congregation
had opened their prayerbooks. To them
it seemed as if their country was the
sorrowing mother, who stood under the
cross, with the sword piercing her
heart, signing after deliverance and lib
erty.
The silence became long, oppressive
" long. The organ would not begin,
Was it then really true that Father Mi
chael had gone mad?
The sexton in the chancel pulled the
string that led up to the organist. Over
the entire church could be heard the
faint tinkling of little bell Then the
organ woke. The whole church resound-
ed with fierce trumpet calls. The sing
ers arose in wild amazement. Why, this
was not the prelude to "Stabat!'' And
the whole congregation was as if struck
by lightning.
No! 1t was not "Stabat Mater" that
sounded from the organ! TWAS hymn
full of thunder and of fire, the organ
pipes rang out like brazen trumpets,
the deep bass tones roared like cannons,
and the defiant rattle of the snare
drums beat echoed through the sanctu-
airy. Changing of arms, rattle of mus
kerry, shrieks intermingled with trum-
pet blasts and clashing of swords there
were in this fierce outburst of sounds.
The organ groaned and trembled be-
meath its burden.
But the congregation below had ris-
en-. They were like crowd in tpmul=
tuous uproar. Voices took up the strains
Of the organ; first one, then a mighty
union of voices burst forth in fierce un=
restraint. Mothers stood upon the seats,
stretching their children toward the
organ, weeping, but singing with wild
intensity. Choir boys and priests made
frantic motions to check the organist,
but all the while they were singing the
"Marseillaise" unconsciously.
And Father Michael played on; moth
ing could stop him. He played like one
possessed, and now and then his thin,
shrill voice could be heard, as if spur.
ring on the tones of the organ, now ris=
ing in wild, challenging cry;
"Aux armes citoyens! LIE jour de
glorie est arrivel'
Suddenly the organ was silent. Fa-
ther Michael had sunk from his bench
They found him lying OH the floor. They
heard him whisper with peculiar smile:
81 knew that I should find it. It is
my 'Stabat Mater, retribution's
stabat mater dolorosa!''
A restful sigh-Old Hunchback's
soul had fed. From the French.
looked That Way.