Kenosha tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1855, 1855-05-31


| libraries. / believe it made me feel faint
for just then, L had so strong a tingling in
my ears that | seemed to hear the bells al
ready beginning to peal forth in the beliry
| listened, and fancied tina: could hear dis
tinctiy that confused jingle which precedes
full peel, Z The fancy terrified me for a
moment, for ! knew that had seen the sex
ton i'll in bed that day, and even that he
could no. Be there unless he got tie keys
from me. But when this notion had pass
ed, / set it down for another invention OF
mine, and began TO think the tomb stone
affair no more worthy OF belief than this
So turned the great key with both hands,
and opened the great fire proof door. and
let myself into the vestry room. 'H O. ''a'a'
I When was once in there, knew where
( to find my lantern and finder boxina mo.
ment. Railways keptthem on the second
shelf from the ground, in the closet just be-
j hind where the plan of the parish estate ei
East Haydocke hung up. framed and glaz-
ed. But the pew opener kept her busters
and brushes there also. and we used TO have
words about her throwing nv things out OF
order sometimes. This time found that
she had scattered my matches. and had
10 sioop down and fee abou.for ihem among
all the things at the bottom of the closet.
which took some time, When found them
l struck light and blew the Under with
my breath. i saw the sexton do exactly
the same thing one night, as stood in the
dark, right at the end Of the aisle, and his
face reflected the fire at every puff, and
looked quite devili.h as it shone GU! strong
ly and faded away again. l mention this,
because have thought Of it since. and
believe it had something to do with what
befel nae that night. | lighted nay can
die and shut it up in tie lantern. 1t gave
very weak light, ana the sides Of the lam
tern were of thick, yellow horn, very dirty
aud dusty with lying in the closet; for |
rarely had occasion TO 60 into the church
after dark
Swinging this lantern, then in one hand
and holding wood under the other arm, to
kindle my tire with, went up to the steps,
, again isto the dark side aisle. Just nj that
moment, as was shutting The vestry room
door. | suddenly felt heavy hand laid up
On my arm. | started, and cried who's
shere?' The lantern Tell, 80 that the light
went out. Nobody answered; butsome one
immc distely held me from behind, trying
to keep back nay arms with extraordinary
strength. was not a weak man, although
am short; but l struggled long to ge;
round anl face my enemy, and just as |
was getting little more free, another one
came 10 his assistance. called aloud for
help, but they stuffed my mouth with seine
thing-swore if | called they would sheet
NE through thehead, Upon this they bound
my arms tightly. and led me back TO TIE
yestry room, where SAT in a chair. while
they lighted candle. they had with them.
was little frightened as you may sup
pose; but thought they were only thieves
who had followed me, and got into the
church through my forgetting. in my fright
about the torn bstoce. to fasien the church
door; and, as knew that there was very
lutte in the vestry room, was rather glad
20 think how they would be baffied. When
they got light saw they had masks on.
/ They were we'll dressed. and although they
swore at me, i; was evident they were not
common burglars could tell that from
their language One laid long shining
pair Of pistols on the baze that covered the
table, out Of =, reach. Ikncw that he did
il TO intimidste me; for he asked me imme
diaiely for 10Y key.in loud voice. 1t WIS
no use NY refusing them; Twas quite help,
less, and they had nothing to do but 10 take
them out of my hands. told them that
the rector kept all the plate in his house,
and chat there was nothing in the closets
but few bottles of wine, and some wax
candles. The Oldest man, | think. asked
me then, where the books were kept but
would not tell him. determined that, let
them DO what they might with me, l would
keep to my determination not to tell them
where the books were. They tried much
to terrfy me, with words at first, but fad
ing that did not do, the older one, who was
The principal in everything, put his pistol TO
nv ear and declared he would ask me three
times, and then at the third time. FIRE. Now
was in great terror at this. and never be-
liesed myself So near death as did then;
but had made kid of vow to myself,
and being in a church, | thought curse
would be upon me if yielded; SO held
my tongue; and when he found was FIRM,
instead of firing h. flung his pistols down
upon the table again. and began sullen!y
to try all the locks he coull find about the
rooa with the keys he had taken from me.
In this way he soon found the book he wan
ted in u fire proof safe.
And SO both Ofthem began to pore over
the bsoks by the ligh! Of the candle. They
chose tive with vellum covers. wh:sh knew
to be the marriage registsrs-ths old one
and the new One-eontsiaihg al the mar
riages that had taken place at old Chorley
church for seventy years back. l heard one
ask the other il there was no index; for they
did not understand our indexing, which
was raereIy to write down all the letters OF
the alphabet, with the umbers of the pages
at which names beginning with each letter
could be found-tsking the first letter from
the bridegroom's name of course. So they
had long search, each of them turning
over the leaves of one book and examining
it page by page. | watched their faces, and
tried 70 bear in mind at what part OF the
/ thpN should STOP