The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1895-12-03
STABAT MATER.


Mon Dieu for over 80 years the old
music and the young girls had sat
dreaming about weddings and christen-
ings whiles Old Hunchback up in the
organ loft sat and improvised soul sway
ing melodies en- his instrument. But
outside of the parish not a cat knew
Father Michael
What happened to him has happened
to many others; after his death his
name was known over land and king
dom. Then fame took it on it's wings,
and now, wherever dwells an Alsatian
is known the legend of Father Michaels
Stabat Mater
In his youth he had dreamed Of great
achievements and honor as an artist,
but never had he believed that his name
would be celebrated in legend and in
song-he who in his old age had become
accustomed to being laughed at by ev-
erybody.
And pitifully ridiculous looking he
was with his hunched back and his
monkey face, SO ugly that the dogs
barked when they saw it. And for this
reason he had gone through life with
love for naught but his music.
Up in the organ loft of the church,
lifted above his fellow men, he was
transformed into another being. And he
played with such wonderful skill and
touch that the maidens heard sweet
whisperings of love in the flow of mel
ody, while the DOING mothers were
swayed into dreams of happy girlhood
under the influence of his strains. But
this was of no consequence to Father
Michael; he played mostly for himself
expressions of his hearts silent
dreams.
They jeered and ridiculed him in
the village Every time he went into
Moser's, the tobacconist, he was greeted
by sarcastic:
"Why don't you marry, Father Mi
chael? Are you going to live without
leaving SO much as your name after
you? What you improvise on the organ
amounts to nothing; it dies away at
once. No, it is great deal better to
give the schoolmaster little trouble
and present some fine boys to the ar
my"
Everybody in the store laughed this
sally. Michael was just the right one
to give his country brave soldiers But
he let the people laugh and sought con-
ISOLATION in his beloved organ.
\ y
The war was ended
But after that time it was that Fa-
ther Michael felt his loneliness heavier
and more dreary than ever. The wounds
% Jeering words sunk deeper, and he
felt their cut with bleeding heart There
were moments when even the music
failed to bring him peace. 1t seemed to
him as if the words of his neighbors
were becoming more cruel and that
there lay more seriousness in their rail-
lery. Perhaps he was right Misfortune
dwelt with them; there was bitterness
in many hearts. Perhaps now they
found certain satisfaction in giving
relief to their bitterness by tormenting
Old Hunchback-him who did not weep
with them, but only played on his or
gan-the old good for nothing.
Yes, poor old Michael thought that
he himself was the most wretchedly
useless creature in existence.
Moser and the others were decidedly
right. During the anxious days of the
war the others had done everything they
could. Fathers and SONS had seized their
arms and gone forth to battle; the wom-
en- had cared tenderly for the sick and
the wounded-he, he alone had only
been able to mourn and dream. Day
after day he had sat for hours before his
organ immovable, with his face hidden
in his hands-seeking after something
he had never been able to fnd-a mel
ody which breathed and lived in his
soul; a miserere full of tears and of
sorrow, but through the signs there
should sound the cry of wrath the cry
of reyengel Oh, if he, with thunderous,
raging and rushing pillows of sound
could have checked the advancing enc
myl
But days, weeks, months passed. The
loathsome annexation was bitter fact
The time passed and no deliverer came.
Gradually the necks were bent. Slow
~, almost imperceptibly, they grew
accustomed to the burden of the yoke.
Now and then was heard an exalted
voice hurting an insanely impotent pro-
test against the conqueror and seeking
to incite the people. but the people lis
tened, terrified, to the bold words. Once
in while rebellious conscript created
a scandal in the barracks by shouting,
"Vive la France ~ when the oath of al
legiance was to be administered. 1t al
SO happened that daring patriot had
nailed the tricolor to the belfry of the
church tower ON the morning of the
14th of July. And great CONSERVATION
was caused by young blond girl who
at a fete crossed the market square,
where all the military authorities were
assembled, dressed in neckerchief of
red, white and blue.
Further than that the rebellious spir-
It did not evince itself But with every
such outburst the grief and pain of Fa-
Their Michael became intensified. The
memory's fever, which was whipped
out Of the others as soon as it showed
itself. was looked up and hidden in the
soul of the old man. But there 1t lay
and grew to sick1y hate, to helpless
envy against all these others. He envied
the unknown youth who had nailed the
flag of France to the old tower; he en-
We'd the recruit who had shouted, give
la FranceI'' in the barrack yard, and
he envied the girl who had had courage
to bear the colors of France right through
the lines Of the enemy.
Everywhere about him they found
every day some new way of showing
their strong memory and faithfulness
that knew no death. He alone could do
nothing, could find nothing. He was
useless-always useless. Yes, yes-his
soul could weep, but his organ-it sang
beneath his fingers.
But one day Old Hunchback stepped
into the tobacco store, and they scarce
ly knew him. His face beamed. Moser
filed his snuffbox, and as usual began
his sarcastic remarks.
"Well, now you see, my good Fa-
Their Michael, of what use really is such
an organist, eh?'
But Moser did not finish This time
Father Michael did not bend his head.
This time it was Old Hunchback who
smiled with a peculiar and proud ex-
preston. He looked frankly and earn
estly at those present, and there lay
calm dignity over this hunchbacked old
man with the curious monkey face, and
his voice was resonant and firm.
"Yes," he said, even organists may
be useful. Just wait; will prove 1t. -
They crowded around him. They in