The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-11-12
Music as a Promoter Of Courage.


TT Is James Creelman, the war CORE
spondent, believe, who always finds
himself humming tune when in the
thick of battle. He says he went
through the San Juan fight with
a''Rocl of Ages" in his mind and half
the time on his lips, and that during the
Graeco-Turkish war, several years ago,
In the height of fierce conflict, made
the discovery that he was actually
shrieking aloud the "Mendelssohn
Spring Song" which had been domi-
nant in his brain from the first charge.
This is nervousness, l suppose. Peo-
pie whose tastes are strongly musical
invariably have n tune in their minds
when under strong excitement OF any
kind.
We were talking on this subject not
long ago, and some one asked Mr.. Al
fred Robyn II he had ever experienced
anything similar to Creelman's hum
ming the Spring Song"
.There is one occasion when | did
and ! shall never forget either the cir
cumstance or the tune. 1t happened
In my student days. when used to prac-
tice almost every evening on one of the
church organs of town, without any
pumping. you know-just pedal work
that made no noise. One night late in
the fall | sat on the high organ bench
working away, with one gas jet tiaring
above my head and not another light
in the church. which was old and
gloomy as could be.
''This is ghost story, by the way;
you ought 20 know that before get
any farther-a ghost story that has a
true ending.
II had come in that evening by way
of the Sunday school room, which was
Just back of the auditorium and sep
arated from Il by large double door
This door, or half of it, had left open
as was my usual custom.
"As finished a set of exercises un
consciously turned around on my seat
half making up my mind to shut the
organ and go home, as twas after nine
o'clock. CHANGING in the direction OF
the double door, saw that it was
closed.
This was a surprise. How came
that door shut? was the question that
flashed through my brain in an instant
and then began casting about for q
reasonable excuse.
"The draft? No, there was none, as
/ had closed and 'ocked the outside
door when entering the church.
"a defective hinge, that would swing
to? Impossible; for well remembered
that this same door would never close
of itself, having invariably to be opened
with much exertion. owing to thick
ness of the carpet about the door. A
strong shove was always necessary II
order to get it open.
"There was but one thing left within
the bounds of reason, leaving out, Of
course, supernatural means, which
.scoffed at The door had been CLOSED
by some person who was then in the
Sunday school room, and who was evi
IDENTITY there for no honest purpose.
.'Well, the only thing to do was t.
investigate; so, sliding off the bench,
left the gas burning and started dowr
the aisle toward the door.
Immediately and unconsciously
began to whistle, and what do you sup
pose the tune was? That old ballad
when You and Were Young, Maggie
which 1 never had any fondness for, ant
so can't imagine how in the world /
came into my mind. But 1t certainl.
was there, and finished two or tire
bars in the liveliest manner befor
reaching the door.
Before PUT my hand on the kno
I rather braced myself, half expecting
that there might be opposition on tn
other side, Lut the door opened as eas
lily as it ever did, and walked into tn
Sunday-school room, still whistling m
tune, and peering about in the dir
light. I had no matches, so could no
light the gas jet.
-L stood tor few seconds In tn