The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-11-14
S Ell ECT L AL +. .
EUW TIE OLD LOVE JARED
FROM HOUSEHOLD WORDS.

1t was Sunday in the old town of Wen
don, and the cracked bell of large church
was Changing forth its invitation to peo-
pie to enter its open doors. 1t was an
old church--you might tell that by its
strange, high, numbering pews, which no
devou, young Oxford curatc had yet
swept away. The windows were cob
webbed and dusty, with here and there
pane of stained glass in quaint patterns;
these were distributed with perfect irreg-
ularity. These windows looked on to the
backs of gloomy houses, and on to worn
grayestones, where the forcfathers Of
those who slept there, slept. Long, tam
gled, sickly grass twined about the grave
stones; Que or two were ornamented with
marigolds and oyster-shells. Some trees
of smoke-dried green slowly grew and
slowly decayed by the side of the old
church. The bell ropes hung into the
body of the building, and stove rear
ed its unsightly pipe in the centre, sup
ported by iron bars, which radiated from
it in every direction. The church-war-
dens were already seated--or rather, en-
throned-in cancpied pews, and looked
down with the contempt natural to offi.
cials on the rest Of the scanty congrega-
ton. They were substantial shop-keepers
and had every right to do so. The pews
mt the side were of an extra height
| Their secluson sometimes promoted IN
tense deyotion--sometimes, great leyity
A few school girls sheltered their whis
peripgs in these depths, and some aged
and not very reputable or handsome look
! inc old men in Golf and caps were thlnly
sprinkled higher up. \ Z lance at the
pile of loavcs ranged behind the church
wardcns might possibly account for thel
attendance In the Innings of these pew
every shade and hue in green must have
been exhausted Some were of a rlcl
brown and tawuy aspect; others were Vi
olen,ly green, aud very woolly in sub
stance; sundry of them were worn ant
mo,b-eaten. the rotten wood had fallel
away from them; aud holes were prescn
in the flooring, of which one could onl
guess the probable extent. Against tw
of the pillars were slips of wood, An
thereon were inscr; bed arms, and othe
herallic devices; also, names purportln;
IN h, those of men who had in that PAL
i,h served the honorable Office of mayor
The dates were respectively affixed; SON
we're as old as seventeen hundred an
twenty. Their honored remains no
moldered within the dreary precincts {
this venerable edifce, and their dignit
was of strangely little moment to then
: The clergyman looked like gcntlemal
: an observer would guess that he was all
a bon-yivant He read the service in
speedy, yet orthordox manner. The con
rregatlon was not large, and the clerk
: responses were alone audible.
:. Just before the confession, a pret'
dark.eyed girl glid.d down the aisle, wit
n a rather conscience stricken air, open'
with some difficulty one OF the doors, a,
, hid herself in the very highest pew
there she knet down to say her sho
prayer. Within just as much time
suggested the idea that he had linger'
T. outside in order not to appear togethe
:, AZ Stephen Sellon entered, aad seated hi
70 self in the adjacent pew The two
ID haved very well during service, TAXI
only stealthly, innocent glances at ca
ig other, and even then at long interva
a a but when the sermon was read, and I
:. benediction said the girl remained
n. tie longer than usual on her knees; a
~ Stephen was waiting for her when 8