The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-11-21

ate ornamchts OF The norid Gothic architec-
ture, that they must have cast, in workman's
wages, sum sufficient to startle the wealth.
lest aud most liberal minded select ycstry
in London.-The marvel, however, is les.
sened by the explanation afforded by the
parsonage who performs the Important Of.
fees of pnrish-clerk aud sexton, in one or
other of these twin churches, who haply
observing stranger employed in exploring
the localities of the spot, issues from his
domicil with ponderous key in his hand,
and, inspired with silver hopes, volunteers
to admit - his honor" into that church of
which Ire considers himself the peculiar
guardian.
His services accepted, he points TO low
ivy-grown wall which separates the two
burying- grounds, aud informs the vlsi,er
that it is the line of demarcation between
the two parishes which meet on that spot,
neither of which could boast Of church
ill the days of the third Edward, in whose
time, saith that venerable gossip, Tradition,
two wealthy co-heiresses, of one parish,
unluckily placed their affections on the lord
Of the manor of the next, who, being OF a
remarkably grateful temper, regretted that
he could not marry them both but, as the
claims of both TO his regard were So equal
that he found some difficulty in deciding
upon which of the fair spinlers 'o-hx his
choice, he left them to settle that point n
mong themselves. Now, rs that was IA
matter on which it was utterly impossible
that they should ever agree, they had re-
course To the expedicni of casing lots for
the object of their equal affection, when the
youngest sister throwing the highest num-
ber, became his wife, aud the elder, re-
nouncing the world, buried her disappoinl-
ed hopes in convert, and devoted
her wealth to the erection of the first-bullt
church, which she dedicated 10 her patron
ess st. Agnes. The married sister, howey-
er, became widow shortly after her mar
riage, which she attributed TO the wrath of
Heaven at the crime she had committed, III
obtaining the advantage over her sister,
through the use of false dice: aud she CON
fessed the fraud to her spiritual dircc:or,
who enjoned her to atone for 1t by imlta-
ting the example Of her pious sister, and
building church also. The pentent Wild
ow complied and the second church was
erected, and dedicated TO 81. Mary.
After this legendary preface, Master
Ralph DigweII, or Peer Pnchpipc, which.
ever i: chances tn be, introduces :bc ylsltcr
into the holy pile which he emphulically
styles his church, and points oot The tomb
of the foundress, with her eGgieS aud Lat
in epitaph, repeating, nj the same time, IN
solemn recitative, four quaint rhymes, not
al. Al "A t..
Flrst, which he nyers TO he The very lines
the lady ordered To be engraved on her
tomb, though nothing can differ more from
the half-obliteraled mounslc sentences
theron incrbed. Then he proceeds to do
the honors of the monuments of the ances-
tors Of the noble family, whose pew with lis
crimson curtains and cushions, takes M II
good sixth of the church, and is exalted two
feet higher than any other.
/ Pass into the other church, and you will
find every thing ditto to this--by which you
gather, that u noblcnau's family is resident
in each parish; and that there exists no
slight rivalry between them, you learn from
the zeaI with which the clerk Of each par
ish extols and magni6es the superiority OF
his lord aud his lords ancestors, over the
patron peer of the other church aud his
! progenItors.
One amen-crier has certainly the udyan-
tage over his Antagonist, IN thIs-thai he
can boast of the greater number OF monu
tnents belonging 10 his lords ancestors,
neither can their superior grandeur be dis
put.d bet then, his opponent stoutly AYERS
that the ccfiins in his patrons vault infinite
| Iy snrpass in magnifcence nny which tn
other is able to display, aud boldly challen
ges hin to the proof, Z" that the geptlema'
may Judge for himself" But from thu
test Master Ralph Digwell always shrinks
well knowing that the cofiins Of the nobl,
fitz Aymers would make very sorry op'
pearance, bereft Of the rich velvet, gold
lace, silyer-gilt nails, aud all the rest o
their pompous funeral decorations, which
he has since converted to his own use
Nay, there is plumber IN the markct-town,
few miles distant, who must suppose that
Ralph D'gwelI is the proprietor oil 'enu-
mine, from the vast quantity oi thnt metal
which he has sold to him, during the Tune
he has held the office Of sexton and parish
clerk in the church OF st. Mary, Deepdole.
From this hint you may iufer, gentle reader,
that it is well for Ralph DigweIl that The
present Earl FIrz-Aymer en,eriaIns such
horror Of every thing that can remind hun
Of death, ms to preclude all chance OF his
ever entering the family vault, ill he I"
himself coffined, and carried tbIther, to take
up his final residence among his ancestors
when he will be, most probably, ns insen-
.blc of The depredations that have been
committed upon their funeral inefy, os
those that will undoubtedly, be perpeirnied
upon his own, provided the same sly kna'e
keeps the key Of his domus ultima.
II happened one evening that the rival
sstton. met 1T n little wlcket-gate which
affords means of commu nicniion between
their respective churchysrds, and mutually
drew up for gossip; for though they ner'
er talked without quarreliing, yet they al
ways made point Of conyersIng whenever