Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-08

NNhS RSAAAN N"o BA1NA bV
left for more worthy artificers.
W %
The following clipping came the other day
from Seattle and the handwriting was GER
tainly like that of Mr.. Frank Brown. II
memory does not play one false. Mr..
Brown was we'll known in Omaha for many
years, and while his business was banking,
he had a constant love for the organ and
for good music generally.
A churchfull of music lovers sat through
a terrific storm at the First Presbyterian
house OF worship last evening, during
which the lightning flashed the thunder
rolled and a sixty-mile gale reached up
the big thirty-two foot pipe, with DR..
Chase at the helm and a breathless audi
ence lodging imaginary thunderbolts.
AT a few minutes after s O'Clock with a
clear sky and smooth sea, this courageous
musician unbuttoned the green pillowsham
that hung as, a sort Of fatigue uniform
and fetched a PARKWAY whine from ovei
the mountain to indicate that the baron
eter was rapidly falling.
Presently a milkmaid on the way to the
pump trills a g~uileless melody, while a
cloud perhaps no bigger than a mans hand,
Or. Chase's hand, for instance, steals up
bulbs in the balcony fades into darkness,
Out goes DR.. Chase's left foot, and a dis
tant rurHbling of thunder, from another
big gold-plated whistle heralds the ex-
tinguishing Of aonther batch of electric
lights away up in the ceiling. At this, the
startled milk maid ceases her wRrbling
Of clouds come up and turn the interior
Of the big church into q deep chocolate
brown, with only the CLEAN of a light at
the organ, to keep the audienc from rails
Then the big wind hits them. Heaven
help the poor mariner on the deep. Even
the Oldest inhabitant cannot remember such
a hard blow. Gwendolyn gasps HISTORICALLY
and nestles closer to Percy; and all the
while DR.. Chase tearing off handful after
handful of dripping chords and dragging
them down to the left-hand edge OF the
keyboard. to disappear up the big thirty
two-toot pipe, now tearing things to shreds.
Away. up in the ceiling a row of cleo
trio bulbs comes suddenly TO life and as
suddenly dies away, and a thunderboIt
tears through the huge auditorium, mar
rowly missing DR.. Matthews, whO smiles
choir. Another flash back by the echo or
gan another crash OF chewed up chrO-
mates, with DIR. Chase playing with the
hands one direction and walking up the
And ~then-just as everybody is on the
point OF hysterlcs-comes a rift in the
clouds and the lights Ia the upper section
Of the big eggshell decide not to play
lightning any more. and the rain quits, and
the milkmaid comes out on the back stoop
and sings that II IL going to clear up,
And the church bells hidden IN the Seventh
avenue section of the big organ, shake
themselves and find hat they are wringing
wet.
/ Then the cloud, about the size of DR.
: Chase's hand disappears over the mountain
again and everybody bTeathes a compliment
tary sigh OF relief and the organist arises
and makes a cute little bow and the storm
is over.
Such, is the way, DIR. Frank Wilbur
Chase played it-with an intelligent ohli.
cato of electrical effects. Nor is there
any doubt that whoever Unanswered tbs
lightning did il we'll.
The deliciously witty manner in which
the appeal for the collection is referred to
Is worth reprinting:
After DIR. Matthews extended himself and
cracked a few jokes, and said what a nice
choir he had and how much everybody
should strive 10 sc live that the ensuing
collection should be very extensive. not 4
say, liberal-a voluntary offering was re
I ceiVed.
eeived. THOMAS j. KELLY.
.
Musical Notes.