The Argosy — page 278: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE KEY OF THE CHURCH. “« JT OHNNY, you will have to take the organ on Sunday.” The words gave me a surprise. “I take the organ, good mother! What’s that for?” ‘Because I was to have taken it, Johnny, and this accident to my finger will prevent it.” Tod and I had just got home for the Michaelmas holidays. Not a week of them: for this was Wednesday afternoon, and we should go back the following Monday. Mrs. Todhetley had cut her finger very seriously in carving some cold beef on the previous day, and old Duffham had put it into splints. ‘Where's Mr. Richards?” I asked—alluding to the church organist. .“ Well, it is rather a long tale, Johnny. A good deal of dissatisfac- tion has existed, as you know, between him and the congregation.” ‘‘ Through his loud playing.” ‘“Just so. And he has resigned in a huff.” ‘I am out of practice.” “There’s plenty of time to get up your practice between now and Sunday. Don’t make objections, my dear. We should all do what little we can to help others in a time of need.” I saidno more. And, not to lose time, went off to practise there -and then. The church stood in a lonely spot, and I took the way across the fields to it. Whistling softly as I went, and fixing in my own mind upon the chants and hymns. “Let me see. For the morning we will have the thirty-seventh psalm, ‘ Depend on God :’ there’s real music in that; and ‘ Jerusalem the Golden.’ In the afternoon ‘Abide with me’ and the Evening Hymn. Mornington’s Chant; and the Grand Chant; and fhe Halloa, Fred! Is it youre” A lithe, straight-limbed young fellow was turning out of the little valley. It was Fred Westerbrook: old Westerbrook’s nephew at the Narrow Dyke Farm—or as we abbreviated it, the N. D. Farm. ‘¢ How are you, Johnny ?” I shook hands, and asked after Mr. and Mrs. Westerbrook. “ They are both well, for aught I know,” he answered. “ The N. D. Farm is no longer my home, Johnny.” Had he told me Dyke Manor was no longer mine, I could not have been more surprised. ‘‘ Why, how is that, Fred?” ‘They have turned me out of it. Two months ago.” ' ‘And why? I never thought it would come to that.” EOMRniilElooe _ SS (CO)