Kenosha tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1855, 1855-05-31
From Dickens Household Words.
A Leaf from the Parish Register.

l. had once long search to make among
the register books of Ciorley Parish. Ii
extended over. many. years. and kept me
pouring day after day, .oyerthe musty pages
in the vestry room. Abraham S,edman,
the clerk-whom we all know very well in
/ Chorley-kept me company all The whole
time; and in one of my midday pauses,
when we we're sharing some bread Il cheese
and beer over the fire, he told me OF the fol-
lowing passage in his life: g. fes
have lived in the parish, said he, going
on now for seventy years. When 1 think
of past times, my present friends in the
place seem strangers TO me. Our old &C
qusintances die of one by one. and new
ones come into their places so gradually,
that we scarcely miss them; but one day
we look around and find that the world has
passed into strange hands. @ 'st H
At this point Abraham Stedman paus-
ed and looked into the vestry fire FOR fe W
moments; | was silent waiting for him to
proceed. aga ssar 81 r..a see i. ss....
The story am going to tell you is won
derful enough, though there are no ghost.
in it. do not believe in ghosts. Ii any
man ought to have seen ghosts, ought !;
for may, say, without any offence 10 my
kind friends Today, that all my truest and
oldest friends are gone to the gsrost lani 4;
and | am sure they would pay me visit
if they could. Besides ] never feared to
walk about an old house in the datk at mid
night. or GO out at silent time through the
church-yard where most of my friends lie
or even into the church il had occasion.
On Christmas eve cannot say exact
" how many Years ago tits now, but it
WAS not very long sfterI was made clerk
the rector, THAT was poor Mr.. Colby. J
tsld nae he was in ltils perplexiy about
the sections being i'll, seeing that there W as
no one to ring the bells. Now | always
made pointof setting up with thesexioa on
that night, and taking hand At the bells;
fer | could ring them pretty well, and it
seemed to me only lit!le MADNESS, proper
to the season, to offer to keep him eompa-
ny in such lonely place. He was much
older N an thaG | WAS, ssd know he was
glad Of my society, We used to have q
li,;le FIRE up in the beifrey. and make toast
aud Pssset an hour or two after midnight.
But this time the sexton was i'll, and prem
Used the rector at once that | would ring the
bells; sad SO it WAS agreed that / should.
l used TO offer my company to the old
uau because | knew that he IS timid and
little superstitious; but, for myself, did
not mind at all going there alone. Al ex-
sctly half past eleven, on that Christmas
| eve, took all the church keys. aud started
from my house 10 fulfil my promise. 1t was
VERY dark rir~s ..slst, cad xinly, ami say
eral eff our old lamps had either dropped
out for want of oil, or had been blown cut
by tue gusts. could not see any one in
the street; but as | left my door fAncied
that | heard a foolstep little ways behind
me. / shoull not have noticed it thcn, il
it had not been.that on several nights pre-
vious!y | had f.n2ci;2, tn some person
n1' Seore"' .o7a ~ bsgolsab s7av sa,r,
~, -, - 10" t,sdi saadl saoJlrI aaoE WI sar
hem ! aoiabsaa o5i 81 sos,g 10 agod aai7,,..,,,
4 merry Chi. ten about
The foossteps.s 80 WAS s,rlk,Lx the three
quarters as passed over the style into the
grave yard; and just sfisrshat caught 3
sound ike the footsteps again. | looked
back and waited awhile; but | could hear
nothing more. | was ashamed to walk back
little ways, for began 10 think that was
becoming coward aud conjuring up things
cut oil my fear. 1t is true. that tancied this
before tLat night; but it never troubled me
till then, and SO did not eloub. it was some
supersti.ious feeling about my task that was
al the bottom oft. What object could any
one have in following poor nan like me,
night after night?' asked myself. So
went on through the pathway between the
grave stones, humminy an old ditty.
Now, though | hSd resolved to Danish
all thoughts Of the supposed footsteps froaa
my mind, lcould not help turning half round
as stood with the great key in The lock,
and looking about in the direction | had
come. own | was frightened then, for at
about thirty yards, saw distinctly, M be-
lieved. the dark head Of Han peepins at
me over the head Of one OF the tomb stones.
| stood ia tile shadow Of the church perch
SO that it would be difficult for any one at
that distance 10 observe that | was looking
that way. The tombstone was some way
from the gravel path ard on, OF lIEe of any
one passing through the church yard, and
indeed, as you know. no one would have
occasion TO pass through the church yard,
unless he wa. going 10 church. like myself.
hesitased for n moment. and then walked
briskly towards it; but the head seemed to
withdraw itself Immediately and disappear
What was more strange. | walked round
the very stone and could see no one near;
nor coui hear any movement A little
further was another tomb stone, some Whist
higher, with carved top, and tried to
pursasde myself that it was this top com
ing close behind the other stone that had
deceived me- But this could not be; for
stand how would in the church porch,
could not bring the second tombstone ex
actly in line with the trst to my eye.
felt a little uneasy at this strange fancy; but
it would not do to 90 back. foris was near
/ twelve, and had promised the rector to be
in the belfry ready to ring out peal on the
stroke of midnight. So opened the door
quickly. closed it behind me, and walked
feeling my way through the aisle.
| was quite in the dark, for my lantern
was in the vestry room, and kept finder