The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-02
lis Assistant 0rganist
.tcopyrleht. lp1o hy Aggoelated Literary press.l

church
Large ana fashionable congregations. a rule,
not addicted to amateur organists fact anything
that may be obtained free of does not appeal to
them It. is as 8distasteful for them to accept
s+Flices OF an orsanst without making the return
ot good la salary as it would have been for Colonel
Asren to take the pay OF professional.
Therefore, it was not always easy matter for
qured management Fortunately for him. he could
"va,ta The the course OF long experience he had
chnrch musical matters which nude II possible for him
itis method was to contribute SO literally to the
support of the church that member of the
prietGrship especially when he went Ia the length
or putting in his expense and
was willing to employ the famous solosts with
This is What he had done at St Judith So it wa.
little wonder that he shared royalty in the privileges
Of npbudinE the plant that he felt perfectly secure
In his position OF supreme arbiter OF matters musical
It stuetion which would have made the colonel
content with the business OF living had other
largely freni the side Of the eoionets existence
Of creation His only enid young Fellow
from college and candidate for postgraduate dis
enamored of the daughter Of Struggling rural VICAR
father or his own He had cablcd home for the
parental blessing and his intention OF beins
Se se naa 70 * ct ds'
The new arrangement did not appeal TO the father
with his son over something which was beyond re-
call out he did not feel equal citing him after
his sudden metamorphosis into the head Of a family
He cabled sum of money which must have gone a
disappointment and advised Alec ana his bride to re-
main in England until further notice,
But it had interfered seriously with his capacity
for enjoyment and even his unquestioned primary in
right The colonel realized too that his present. mood
was having a very perceptihe effect on the mdsic
tomary whoeheartedness. when ne made that dis
ooyery he decided to secure an assstant
lie advertised and arransed for an applicants
there were doxensto come to the church on certain
ceived plan whereby the trials might he made so
brief as to consume only single evening. he had a
aa It should be played, from his viewpoint. needed
no further exploitation lie had therefore, selected
didatos took their turns in the petition bot the
colonel offered no suggestion while the contest was
At last there remained only untried of all the
anxious crowd. 1t getting late and most OF the
others had gone This candidate had assembled to the
loft In obedience to the coonefs heckoning invita-
uon and climbing 10 the bench. She was a
sT hr shy h aa not
very modesy In dark gown and the colonel fancied
and he recorded mental wager that when she did
there would be telltae accent AS he put the open
1T isn't at all difficult 70 read, you know"
4 81 really know ii well thar ] couldn't make a
mistake II should try she said, with little ner-
Then she played i--played it SO understand'ngy
and so well that the shade tbs reformer must
have felt approval even though 1t had no power to
dimoulty in expressing his satisfaction.
i Wont You play something else for m" he
! others DO you know any Of the Bach preludes or
Don't take the trouble cir. / think l can do with
out, she said and without further parley he began
popularity st. AIMS" AS proceeded the colonel
first amazed, then delighted The technical dim
cuties Of the composition nothing TO her. Her
finger work admirable and her podaiing was
nent died away it was only he was in
a place of worship that restrained the colonel from
noisy approval, As it was he said efnphaucaliy:
You'll do. mss"-He had never heard her narne.
Viola" she supplied rather hesitatingy,
1T FITS you beautifully. being the of one of
the organ stops" he said gallanty 'Niola"-
GAMBIA" she said quite family this time
Most remarkable The name of still another stop.
You certainly daughter Of the noble instrument
this she laughed little and he took refuge in
the safe subject OF terms She expressed herself as
they separated. with the understanding that she
to play the aha ar ens m M
colonel, who had rehearsed them with the choir
The members of the congregation OF st Judith's
we're not at that time, in the habit of hearing tn.
prelude. Those who dtd hear IT on the hrst Hay OF
the assistant organists incumbeney were so out
spoken in their appreciation of that the follow
Ing Sunday the church was vel hsd when the litl5
seated himself beside her prepared to turn the music
BESIDES the fact that Miss (ia,nba was an excellent
orgahs the feminine contingent made two other dis,
nn e, ,he nrranist and his assistant were
the most widely discussed persons In the parish
The colonel was wdower 4 many years. stand,
nf Miss Gar eamba Some Of them We're 80 frank in
their expression of the fact that IL not possible
for either of persons most interested To remain
in Ignorance Of what Was being said them II
annoyed colonel nightly, but did not seem To
disturb Miss Gambia In the least Not only did she
appear take pains to prevent gossip but actually
seemed to court publicity
The climax came night musical affair in
the church parlors. Engaged HIS aecompanist Viola
made her appearance in gown that aroused much
admiration. The colonel In rather late and his
assistant did attempt 10 hide her satisfaction that
he ALL She unmtstakaby glad &c
see him that even the delighted colonel was at =
ioss 10 account for her tngenuousness Tie could not
rid himself of the suspicion thar she was playing
IL part but Il delightful none the legs
FINALLY at a when they were the center
M q could fail TO be eye
witness she up behind him and imprinted
light kiss on his forehead.
My dear Miss GAMBIA =, he protested with a cuun-
teuance that npopieetic.
.f'm alec's wife!" she whispered. Introduce me
1t was critical moment for tho colonel 1t was
every drop blood in his body had been seized
with sudden determination 10 get 10 the very top
II his head. Whit mighty effort he rose to his
feet.
Ladies gentlemen, he began rather family
Int strenGth be nroeeeded. II take great