Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-04-01
Mlistrilanrolls.
From the Columbian Magazine.
THE FOUR PHANTOMS.
A STORY OF ST. MARKS EVE
BY II. p. RATTAN.
CHI AP L Err V.
THE SEXTON.
Hath this fellow no feeling?
He sings at grave-making."-

AMONG the many droppers-in at Rust Hall
was grim Master Adam Mould, the village
sexton.
He was a tall, muscular and well-formed
man, with high cheek bones, keen black
eyes, iron-grey hair and crisp black whis-
kers. Adam Mould was more remarkable
for the assiduity with which he attended to
his duties in the church-yard, than his pune
tuality inside the church 1t was his wont
to loiter about on Sundays, viewing the re-
suit of his handy work, occasionally break
ing out in some odd verse of an old sea song,
till the memory of the Sabbath stopped him,
removing a stone from an already occupied
grave, or walking slowly and admiringly
round new one, giving the rough edges
finishing touch, and, as it were, a friendly
pat with the fiat of his well-worn spade.
That Adam Mould was man of undoubt-
ed courage his being sexton fully proved !;
indeed it had been limited that in early and
even middle life, few men could dare more,
or handle a boat better in dark night on a
rough sea; and some scandalous persons
surmised Mr.. Mould had been somewhat sus-
piciously acquainted with certain gentlemen
whose free trade principles were practically
carried out on the broadest possible scale,
entirely unshackled by any ceremonious OBJ
servance of sundry regulations, much laud-
ed and approved by his majesty's commits
sioners of customs and excise.
Now the church-yard was situated close
to favorite running place on the beach,
and it was notorious, that the stoutest heart
ed of the villagers were SO scared by hideous
noises on dark nights, that the Office of SEX
ton went a begging, till Adam Mould &C
cepted it and from that time, such appear
ed to be it's influence among the hitherto
distracted tenants, better conducted sci
could not be found, and farther that John,
son to Adam Mould, keeper Of the village
pnblic house, frequently assisted his father
working with him early and late, and, doubt
less as reward for his flial conduct his
bar was always remarkably well stocked
with superior Schiedam and commendable
Cogniac, to the great delight Of its many
frequenters and the manifest augmentation
of Johns purse and consequence.
Adam Mould was always welcome guess
at the kitchen of Rust Hall; his tales o
strange sounds, strange sights, and mysterl
Gus tollnqs of the church bell, were listen
ed to with breathless attention. lie wa
vastly popular among the younger house
maids and serving men, and it was particu
larly worthy of notice, during Adam Mould
solemn recitals, that many loving arm
wound itself round a buxom waist withou
the usual "ha' done dos" that would hav
been uttered under any other circumstances
AS if the whole household was under some e
lectric influence, the theme of Adam Mould
conversation was nothing more or less thai
the identical legend of Saint Mark, whicl
occupied the attention of Sir Methusalal
and Lady Rust.
Now it so happened that the personal dis
likes of John Thomas and Con Sweeny ha
been aggravated to the highest possible pitch
John Thomas having detected Con Sweeny il
the very delightful but improper act of ra,
ishing kiss from the pouting lips Of the not
a-bit-too-much-to-be-peasant-resistingP att
Pride--while Con Sweeny, equally on tn
alert, discovered John Thomas actually o
fering a new silk dress, fresh from the dr.
per's, to the bewildering little maid
John Thomas had mentally anathematize
Con Sweenys Hirsh himpudence," an
INDUCED in sundry reyengeful visions Of