The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-01-06
STABAT MATER.

Father Michael-thC choir boys had
dubbed him Old observation-disclosures or
xanist in Muhlhauscn. Every man, wom-
al and child in the parish knew him.
Mon Dieu! for over 80 years the old
women had dUzcd and nodded to his
music and the young girls had sat
dreaming about weddings and christen-
ings while Old Hunchback up in the
organ loft sat and improvised soul sway
ing melodies on 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
nam was known over land and king
dom. Then fame took it on its wings,
and now, wherever dwells an Alsatian
is known the legend of Father Michael's
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-ho who IL his old age had become
accustomed to being laughed at by CIV.
srybody.
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
vhisperings 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 a 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
mounts to nothing; it dies away at
ONCE No, it Is a great deal better t.
give the SchOOlmaster a little trouble
and present some fine boys to the ar
my"
Everybody in the store laughed a this
sally. Michael was just the right one
to give his country brave soldiers! But
he let the people laugh and sought con
ISOLATION i'll his beloved organ.
The wal was ended.
But after that time it was that Fa-
Their Michael felt his loneliness heavier
and more dreary thar ever. The wounds
~ Of j~eering words sunk deeper, and III
~ felt their cut with bleeding heart. Thele
were moments when even the music
failed to bring him peace. 1t seemed to
him as If the words Of his neighbors
We're becoming more cruel and that
there lay more seriousness in their rail
lery. Perhaps he was right. Misfortune
dwelt with them; there was bitterness
III many hearts. Perhaps now they
found a certain satisfaction in giving
80 - 'NNINi iI'' ~ " AS
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 WretchedIy
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 SON had seized them
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 lmmovable, with his face hidden
IN his Misunderstanding after something
he had never been able to find-a mel,
0dy which breathed and lived in his
soul; a miserere full of tears and OF
sorrow, but through the sighs there
should sound the cry of wrath the CRY
OF revenge! Oh, if he, with thunderous,
raging and rushing pillows of SOUND
could have checked the advancing enc
my!
But days, weeks, months passed. TIL,
loathsome annexation was a bitter fact
The time passed and no deliverer came
Gradually the necks were bent. Slow
ly, almost imperceptibly, they grew
accustomed to the burden of the yoke.
Now and then was heard an exaltet
voice hurting an insanely impotent pro
test against the conqueror and seekin,
to inclte the people. but the people lis
tened, terrified, to the bold words. Ono
Ill a while a rebellious conscript create
a scandal i'll the barracks by shouting
"Viye La France!' when the oath of a.
rlegiance was to be administered. 1t a.
80 happened that a daring natriot ha