The northwestern bulletin., 1922-08-05
IN PERPETUITY
BY BERTA RICE

ter Trask's on Tuesday afternoon at
o'clock. A goodly attendance Is re-
quested, to consider an impOrtan,
church matter" announced Pastor
Weeks to his Sunday morning congre
cation.
Comparatively few knew that the
church matter" mentioned referred to
the difficult task of preventing the
widow Bailey from entering upon hel
fifey-first year as organist Of HillatOn's
Baptist church. A naturally curiosity
therefore, aided In assembling good
ly attendance" on the appointed date.
The subject soon came up for dis.
cussion. Mrs. Trask. president Of the
circle, declared: Last Sundays per
formance capped the climax. She
played the last hymn In the wrong
key, and didn't know It,"
"We've stood it for % years." opined
Mrs. Miller.
twenty-five years? Susan Bailey
was church organist before / was
born, and I'm forty-two." complacent-
ly dQHlltIeu MIS-. lTdSk.
"Aren't we getting away from the
main issue?" was Mrs. Campbells
diplomatic interference. "We all
agree" she continued, that Mrs.
Bailey has outlived her usefulness as
an Organist. l move we appoint our
church clerk, Mr.. Miller, to acquaint
her with the facts and request her
resignation. 1 also suggest that he
carry substantial check with him."
81 second the"
atwood won't do 1t. All the dis
agreeable work is put onto him."
Motion" concluded member.
The president raped for order. "You
must let me put the question, Mrs.
Miller"
The motion had majority vote, the
only exception being Mrs. Miller, who
emphatically asserted: atwood won't
do It."
He was spared the ordeal by Mrs.
Bailey leaving the village on vaca-
tion trip the following day.
ut is an answer to prayer" he said
to his wife, hated the job of dis
missing her. Now we can get new
Organist and have her installed before
Mrs. Bailey returns. I don't know
where we'll get another to play just
for glory"
Momentarily, however, the change
was made without friction. Miss
Gladys Young, seminary graduate,
was engaged for the next Sunday.
The next morning service began aus
piciously. A full choir and a large
congregation were in attendance.
While the people assembled, Miss
Young played an overture, but the
music was so faint 1t was scarcely
heard.
After the last hymn, Miss Young
sprang from her seat, and faced the
singers with an angry ultimatum.
"That's the last time I'll pump this
wheezy old box" she declared, pound
ing the keyboard with her fist. "Fm
paralyzed to the waist"
"Why, what's the matter?" they
questioned.
Matter? Just sit down and work
those pedals. You'll need ton weight
on each foot. And the bellows leaks
something awful"
"Mrs. Bailey never seemed to mind
it," said one.
"Then she's the one to play. I'm
through"
"Oh, Gladys, you'll have to play this
afternoon-there's no one else."
81 refuse to play. And that's final."
Mr.. Miller rode over to Camp Mil
ford, where Mrs. Bailey was vacation
ing.
"See, they can't do without me even
for one Sunday" she triumphed.
At two minutes of three, Mrs.
Bailey, with her blond wig askew,
and hat vampishly tilted over her right
eye, took her glorified seat at the or
gan. Boldly the music began, and
continued, with more than the usual
instrumental errors that were chari-
tably ignored. The service closed with
the national anthem. The tenor hur-
riedly suggested to Mrs. Bailey that
they sing without accompaniment II
she felt nervous about playing with
out notes.
"Good land! I can play the Star
Spangled Banner with my eyes shut
Go back there and sing"
The patriotic fervor expressed by
the indomitable spirit of the aged
organist communicated itself to the
audience, which joined in the exultant
refrain with verve and abandon that
was inspiring. "O'er the land Of the
free, and the home Of the brave
reached the finale In triumphant
peal that set all hearts athrill.
A week later the choir gave Mrs
Bailey a surprise party that included
a generous check. Mrs. Miller, who was
absent, inquired Of her HUSBAND
wasn't Mrs. Bailey pleased"
"Pleased Is weak word. When
left, her stiffened old legs were dane
ing a double hornpipe around the
room, while she waved the check aloft
crying:
Look at that They want me
They must want mel
whether we want her or not, she
a-A l. A.~lA A.