The Huttig news. (Huttig, Ark.) 1907-1955, 1912-07-27
HIS ASSISTANT
ORGANISE
By OLIVE w AR NJ E r
(copyright, 1910, BY Associated Literary Press

amateur organist of considerable abil-
lily, but that alone does not define his
hobby The peculiar feature of his
play the organ and direct the music
In large and fashionable church.
Large and fashionable congrega-
lions, as a rule, are not addicted to
amateur organists. In fact, anything
that may be obtained free of cost
does not appeal to them. 1t is as dis
tasteful for them to accept the serv-
Ices of an organist without making
the return of a good fat salary as It
would have been for Colonel Aspen to
take the pay of professional
Therefore, 1t was not always an
easy matter for the colonel to indulge
his pretty fancy, and 1t required man.
agement. Fortunately for him, he
could manage In the course of long
experience, ne had evolved system
of dealing with those In charge of
church musical matters which made
II possible for him to expand his
hobby to It's most gratifying extent.
His method was to contribute so
literally to the support of the church
that no member of the congregation
could find the courage to combat his
musical ambition His generosity
gave him a sort of proprietorship es-
pecially when he went to the length
CT putting in a new organ at his own
expense and was willing to employ
the most famous soloists without any
increase in the annual appropriation.
This Is what he had done at st.
Judith's. So it was little wonder that
he shared so royalty In the privilege
of upbuilding the plant that he felt
perfectly secure in his position of SUI
rreme arbiter of matters musical It
was situation which would have
made the colonel entirely content with
the business of living had other things
been equal.
A most annoying thing had happen
ed quite recently, an episode which
for the time being. took largely from
the sunny side of The eolonel's exist
ence and left him disposed to pick
flaws with the whole scheme of crea-
ton. His only child, young fellow
fresh from college and a candidate
for postgraduate distinction, while
on a visit to England, had become
enamored of the daughter of a strug-
Cling rural vicar and had married her
without consulting either her father
or his own. He had cabled home for
the parental blessing and announced
bis intention of being on hand to re-
ceive It In person at date which, as
yet, he had been unable to fix def
nitely
The new arrangement did not ap-
peal to the father, however He was
altogether too sensible to quarrel
with his son over something which
was beyond recall but he did not
feel equal to meeting him after his
sudden metamorphosis into the head
of family He cabled sum of
money which must have gone a long
way toward dulling the sting of the
young couples disappointment, and
advised Alec and his bride to remain
In England until further notice.
But 1t had jnterfered seriously with
his capacity for enjoyment, and even
his unquestioned primacy In ST. Ju-
dith's organ loft could not make
things seem right The colonel real
lied, too, that his present mood was
having very perceptible effect on
the music; that he could not abandon
himself to 1t with his customary
wholeheartedness When he made
that discovery he decided to secure an
assistant
He advertised and arranged for all
applicants-there were dozens-to
come to the church on certain night
and show their fitness The colonel
had conceived a plan whereby the
trials might be made so brief as to
consume only a single evening. He
had a theory that any musician who
could play hymn as 1t should be
played. from his viewpoint, needed no
further exploitation. He had. there
fore, selected the grand old choral at
tributed to Martin Luther as a com
mon test. One by one, the numerous
candidates took their turns in the
NoulpSlitiou, Dul tH6 Colonel OHofeQ no
suggestion while the contest was go
ing on.
At last there remained only one
untried Of all the anxious crowd. II
was getting late and most of the 9th
ers had gone. This candidate had as
eended to the loft In obedience to the
colonel's reckoning invitation and was
climbing to the bench. She was
slight, girlish creature. shy apparent
~, and not at home In her present
surroundings. She was dressed verv
modestly in dark gown and the col
onel fancied that she might be for
eigner: she had not spoken and he
recorded a mental wager that when
she did there would be telltale ac.
cent AS he put the open hymnal on
the rack he said reassuringly:
1T isn't at all difficult to read. you
know"
Il really know It so we'll that
couldn't make mistake If | should
try" she said, with little nervous
laugh.
Then cho plavod jf-pInvod IL 60