Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-12-20
Sl,5O A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
A Child Left in the Church.

A Child Left in the Church
Early in life I was committed to th'
care Of a guardian uncle, John, Presby
teran of the bluest sort. My father. !
brave, good man, die in the prime of hi
age, and left my mother with a small por
ton of this worlds goods, AMI seven chill
dren, of whom | was the oldest but one
Uncle John, who preached in village
some miles from home, offered to take me
and rear me as his own. The offer was
accepted, and I, with my wardrobe, was
duy transferred to the domicil Of that
worthy relative. The children had been
brought up in the Episcopal church, and
[ soon learned that whatever doubts may
have existed with regard to other children
my total depravity was foregonc con-
clusion The second day after my arrival
my uncle presented me with duplicate cop
les of set of rules for the regulation OF
my conduct They exceeded the len
Commandments in number, there being
twelve in all. One copy of this precious
document was to be posted IN my bedroom
and the other in little workshop, shed
adjoining the house. My aunt, thin,
sour-visag ged, over-pious, childlcss woman,
heartily seconded my uncle in his lauda-
bic endcavors to i" take my feet out OF the
horrible pit and miry clay" So between
the two | did have jolly time, | assure
you. In those days " pulpit bronchitis =
had not been invented, and ministers were
expected to do three sermons every Sun
dav. To all these was expected to lis
ten, and by way Of pastime, to attend
- Sabbath school at noon.
One warm, close summer nigat, waen
the sermon was unusually dry and prosy,
in spite of all my exertions, the leaden
eyc-lids would weigh down, and my tired
senses would steep themselves IN forget
fulness. Twas vain to contend. Nature
triumphed and the usually joyful amen
fell that night, at least, on one UNCONSCIOUS
ear. The opening Of pew doors, the bus
tlin- noise of people on their egress, the
pattine out Of the lights, the closing OF
the church, all failed to awaken me, and
the sexton turned the key on one lone
sleeper. How long | slept shall never
know. But | well reeollect the gradual
gathering together of my scattered senses,
and that some moments elapsed before |
could realize my whereabouts. When
finally became fully aware of the fact
that [ was locked " i'll that horrible old
: church, | Shut my eyes again ami shrunk
back into the corner of the pew, as If to
screen myself from somebody's sight
With many struggles, at last mustered
courage sufficient to move out INTO the
aisle and mediate on a way Of Escape
The windows were too high for me to
reach, and too heavy for me to lift if |
could have reached them. The door was
locked beyond all hope of eg ess by that
outlet. Cropping around with dim hope
that some way of escape would be opened
up, my hand came in contact with some
object that yielded to the touch and was
gone. The thought Of a ghost from the
church yard, taking nightly walk thro,
: the old church, sent the blood with thrill
to my heart, and electric sparks with a
tincline sensation to each particular hair
on my head. The bill rope was the in,
nocent cause of my trcpidation, ani wher
my hand again came in contact with 1t my
plan of escape WAS parfe tie instanter.
SEEING the rope as high as | could
reach. and throwing on it the weight o.
my body, | felt the ponierou, bell slowly
ycldin, to my force, and then its iron
tongue and brazcn lips gave forth SOUND
, that went booming away among the silent
hills aud valleys, awakening the ecaoe'
far and near, and starting the trightcne1
villagers from their heavy slumbcrs.-
Arain and again did swing it arounC
and ring out its awful .ones. All the tea'
: which had oppressed me at first had van
i,hed, and laughed with delight when
thought OF the CONSERVATION | was pro
iucinr. aud the wild running to and tr'
and asking OF questions which no one bu
myself could answer. | knew that SOM
: of them would sooner or later come to tn
church to learn who was ringing the bell
therefore | dropped the rope and crou'he'
behind the door awaiting the event. Sool
| heard footsteps and voices outside, ant
among the voices was that OF the sexton
/ The key turned in the lock, the door open
] ed, and a dozen or so OF the village pco
pie came feeling their way into the house
The night was pitch dark, and | slid on
t unpereeivel when the last Of the part,
l passed in, and striking across the fields Il
,lapping pace soon reached the parson
t age. My uncle and aunt-with an timer
I ant embryo parson, who was at the tim
I uuartered on us-wcrc in front of tn
l nous, and | had no difficulty in sliPpin
in the back way and reaching my littl
q room in the attic. To shed my Sunda,
! suit, turn in was the work OF a mo
ment, but not Il wink too soon, for hardl,
e were my breathing organs in condition t
!. counterfeit sleep, when | heard the steal
thy step of my aunt at the door, and
t felt her presence there standing, candle il
; hand. listening to my cautious and meas
urcd breathing. \ minute and she eau
: tiously pulled tho door to and retired
Next morning at breakfast, the theme wa
of course the alarm Of the previous night
| was soundly rated and called a sleep,
head for not having been awakened by al
; the noise. Ny knowledge Of the atta
| always kept secret, and if this meet
the eve of your readers in that village
they will learn for the first time who rum
the bell on thatmemorable night.-kn'ck
erbocLer