The Ghostly Flute of Larry Dielman
AP Recalls Story Of Emmitsburg Legend Of Ghostly Flute Player
On the many windy nights, with the snow often swirling about in the Catoctin mountains, Larry Dielman would work his way up the hill to the cemetery on Christmas Eve. There he would unpack the flute his father gave him and slowly pipe Christmas cards betide his father's crave- Some say the tunes were mournful, a momento to the death of las musician father and to the love Larry never rekindled with the wife who left him.
Others maintain the music, though solemn at times, was a jubilant start to Christmas. The legend of Larry Dielman is the legend of Christmas past, and a few say, of Christmas present. Some Emmitsburg residents whisper that the ghost of Larry Dielman still haunts the graveyard near the Grotto of Lourdes. piping his carols every Christmas Eve. as he did for 36 years when he was alive.
Though Larry Dielman died in 1923. townsfolk say they believe he continues to lament his father's death and delight Christmas churchgoers with the ghostlv nocturnal music which filters down from the mountain graveyard of the town below. While few have actually heard the Christmas music since his death, the legend continues.
Several townspeople remember the old man playing "Silent Night" on his flute and then coming into St. Anthony's Church, wrapped in a shawl, to observe the midnight services.
They say that in the dark, despite the prevailing weather conditions, he would march up the hill to play his mellifluous music.
"You've got to understand, I was only a boy at the time. but. oh sure, I heard the music year after year. I remember the sounds of Christmas night .The sleigh bells, the laughter of people bundled up for the cold weather riding on the sleighs, the howling of the dogs and the flute music. He used to play all sorts of Christmas carols, included -Silent Night, recalls Eugene Warthen.
"He would play the flute at his father's grave just before midnight mass so everyone could here it as they went into church. And then old Larrv would come down with a shawl wrapped around him and sit in the back of the church for the midnight mass," says the 79 year-old Emmitsburg native."
"But I never heard his ghost playing music up there, though folks swear they have." Mr. Warthen says.
Even before the stories of the Christmas ghost began to be whispered among Emmittsburg residents, Larry Dielman was a legend in his own time. Some say the 6-foot, portly man was a bard born centuries too late to be appreciated.
He was renowned for squiring all the girls in town with his musical ditties composed on the banjo. Others have noted that his lackluster musical career stemmed from being in the shadows of his father's brilliant career.
His father, Henry C. Dielman, a professor at nearby Mount St. Mary's College, was an internationally acclaimed composer who had led symphony orchestras in New York. Philadelphia and Baltimore.
While his father wanted Larry to become educated in the classical tradition, he be seemed content with his mastery of the banjo.
After singing to all the girls in town, be finally settled down and married the girl of his dreams. But being an irascible character, he soon began to croon to the passing women. Finally, his wife left him and be never remarried.
Larry Dielman began playing the flute at the grave in 1882, the year his father died. He never mastered the flute while his father was alive and legend has it that townspeople were surprised with the sweetness and perfection of the music the very first year it was played. Larry Dielman told customers in his general merchandise store that it was in memory of his father that he mastered the flute.
It was Christmas Eve in 1922 when he last played the flute. According to the legend, he began his normal piping, then faltered, then the music ceased all together. By the time townsfolk arrived at the cemetery on the hill. Larry Dielman was unconscious.
Although he died in the spring of 1923. people still say he pipes his melodious tunes each Christmas Eve from the mountain above Emmitsburg.
Reference: Gettysburg Times, The | 1977-12-22
