The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1923-06-07
IN PERPETUITY
BY BERTA RICE
0.sssss II
e. 1924, by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

q, 1924. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
"The Ladies' Circle will meet at Sis.
ter Trask's on Tuesday afternoon at 2
o'clock. A goodly attendance is re-
quested, to consider an important
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 her
fifty-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 25 years." oplned
Mrs. Miller.
twenty-five years? Susan Bailey
WAS CuulCh vi 6ubiSt pNiOiN "o~
born, and I'm forty-two," complacent-
ly admitted Mrs. Trask.
aren't we getting away from the
main issueT was Mrs. Campbelrs
diplomatic interference. 1--WE all
agree" she continued, that Mrs.
Bailey has outlived her usefulness as
an organist. I move we appoint our
church clerk, Mr.. Miller, to acquaint
her with the facts and request her
resignation. 1 also suggest that he
carry q substantial check with him."
II second the"
atwood won't do II. 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 a 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-
Ll0U CTlD IHe lOllONl Ing uuys
at Is an answer to prayer" he s9ld
to his wife, I hated the job Of dis
missing her. Now we can get a new
organist and have her installed before
Mrs. Bailey returns. don't know
where Wen 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
plciously. A full choir and 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.
"Thats the last time I'll pump this
wheezy old box" she declared, pound
/ ing the keyboard with her fist. "Tm
paralyzed to the waist"
/ "Why, what's the matterT' 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"
| II 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 ever
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, ant
continued. with more than the usua
instrumental errors that were chari
tably ignored. The service closed witt
the national anthem. The tenor hur
riedly suggested to Mrs. Bailey tina
they sing without accompaniment l
she felt nervous about playing with
out notes.
"Good landl I can play the Sta
Spangled Banner with my eyes shut
Go back there and sing"
The patriotic fervor expressed D.
the indomitable spirit Of the age
organist communicated itself to tn
audience, which Joined in the exultan
refrain with a verve and abandon tina
was inspiring. "O'er the land OF tn
free and the home Of the brave,
reached the finale in a triumphan
t peal that set all hearts athrill.
| A week later the choir gave Mr.
Bailey a surprise party that include
a generous check. Mrs. Miller, who wa
, absent, inquired of her husband
"Wasn't Mrs. Bailey pleasedf
"Pleased Is weak word. When
} left. her stiffened old legs were dan
: ing double hornpipe around IL
i, room, while she waved the check alof
crying:
$ Look at thatl They want me
t They must want me!
"Whether we want her or not, ST
is. from now on, organist In perpetuit
:, until she joins the choir invisible"