The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-12-28

calm dignity over this hunchbacked old
mar with the curious monkey face, and
his voice was resonant and firm.
"Yes,' he said, "even organists may
be useful. Just wait; l will prove il"
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 vas 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 We're 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 flagstones 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. 1t was a moment Of deepest
silence in the church; the congregation
had opened their prayerbooks. To them
5 it seemed as if their country was the
sorrowing mother, who stood under the
cross, with the sword piercing he,
heart, signing after deliverance and lib.
erty.
The silence became long, oppressive
ly long. The organ would not begin
t Was it then really true that Father Mi
. chael had gone mad?
The sexton in the chancel pulled thu
string that led up to the %organist. Owe,
o the entire church could be heard tn
faint tinkling Of a little bell. Then tn
r organ woke. The whole church resound
: ed with fierce trumpet calls. The sing
ers arose in wild amazement. Why, thi
was not the prelude to "Stabat!" AM
the whole congregation was as if strucl
8 by lightning.
u No! It was not "Stabat Mater tina
sounded from the organ! It was a hymn
full Of thunder and Of fire, the orgal
8 pipes rang out like brazen trumpets
the deep bass tones reared like lannon's
and the defiant rattle Of the sna1
y drums beat echoed through the sanctu
J, airy. Changing Of arms, rattle Of mus
d kerry, shrieks intermingled with trum
j. pet blasts and clashing of swords Their
were in this fierce outburst Of sounds
10 The organ groaned and trembled b.
meath it's burden.
3. But the congregation below had Ri
en-. They were like a crowd in tumu
tuous uproar. Voices took up the strair
Of the organ; first one, then a might
I'd union of voices burst forth in fierce vi
restraint. Mothers stood upon the seat
stretching their children toward tt
organ, weeping, but singing with will
% intensity. Choir boys and priests mad
ID frantic motions to check the organis
3. but all the while they were singing IL
l. "Marseillaise" unconsciously.
l. And Father Michael played on notl
I'd ing could stop him. He played like OF
10 possessed, and now and then his thil
10 shrill voice could be heard, as if spu
III ring on the tones Of the organ. now ri
10 ing in a wild, challenging cry:
"Aux armes citoyens! LIE jour
re glorie est arriver
of Suddenly the organ was silent. F
Their Michael had sunk from his bencl
r. They found him lying on the floor. TIL
nv heard him whisper with a peculiar smil
a. II knew that I should find it. It
he my hymn-'Stabat Mater, 'r%etribution
ed stabat mater dolorosa!"
ed A restful sigh-Old Hunchbacl
he soul had fled. From the French.