The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-09-03

| ""ne al Tue gross ignorance OF man
that did not know that law was justice,
and highly incensed that his brother
should accuse him of injustice; and at
last felt it his duty to take measures
against my father for SANDER, with a
view to his expulsion from the church.
"Owing to a bold diversity of opin-
ion among the members, my father was
sustained, and the deacon very wrath
fulfil wrath and anger can rest in the
bosom of q rich deacon. This breach
in the staid old church gradually
widened, for my gentle father became
suddenly obstinate, and refused to re-
tract his accusation of the deaoon's dis
honesty; subtle broils ensued, and fin
ally the Ciary faction seeded and built
the cathedral
"This famous edifice was long in
building, and engrossed the thoughts
of the entire community, and party
fires burnt fiercer. At last the bell vas
hung amidst much registering applause,
but the deacon did not join in the rap
lures of bis miserable minions. His
eldest son, whom he had just taken
into partnership, lay moaning with a
fierce fever, and the wild elamor which
responded to the first notes of the ca.
thedral bell, was unheeded by the anx-
ious parent, who sat by the bedside Of
his unconscious son. All night he had
sat there, stern and silent but CHASTITY
pale and haggard ; all day he never
left the darkened room, and midnight
found him again silent watcher by
that couch.
"That night the whole village was
aroused and alarmed by the strange
tones of the cathedral bell, which fell
with heavy, irregular tolling upon the
stiffness of the midnight. The new
church was instantly searched, but no
trace of any person could be found !;
yet / presume there are people in the
village who will tell you there was a
suffocating odor of birthstone in the
belfry. But all this is quite plausible /;
and there were sad rogues enough on
board the vessels, whose brains were
quite fertile enough, and whose limbs
were agile enough, TO carry out this
nefarious plot. That night Augustus
Clary died.
"Deacon Clary looked very haggard
and stern for many weeks, and there
were subdued whispers when he passed
by about the church quarrel, new
church, midnight knell, and the death
of his son. But he was a rich man,
and such things were easily forgotten.
"Of course the white church failed,
after smart new minister came to the
cathedral. Now and then Il charity
preacher came to preach to us, but the
prayer-meetings were faithfully con-
tinued, and the devout souls used to
think that God came more freely into
the little vestry after Deacon Clary left
us. He had always presided at those
prayer. meetings when the preacher
was absent. But the year after this Sc
ce.sion, my father occupied his place.
l can see him now, as he used to stand
in that vsstry desk, and read some in
teresting chapter from the Word. with
a look on his mild countenance like that
which st. John might have wore after
his vigils at Patmos. His hair began
to silver about bis temples then, and be
stopped slightly.
"Little Grace Clary sometimes stole
into those prayer-meetings and sat be-
side my mother. The other Clary girls
had grown up rude, fashionable girls,
and spent their time away from home
summers at Newport and Niagara,
and their winters at New York. The
other boy was rude, vagabond fellow,
who fell an early victim to dissolute
habits of intemperance and debauche-
ry."
"Tben you became intimate with
Grace at the prayer-mestings" l ven
tured to inquire.
eyes, no. Do you suppose she Is
i'll, Tom Merciful Heaven |! to think
of that groan. q Toni"
His emotion overpowered him, and
he leaned his head upon the table. A
deep, agonizing groan burst from his
overchargsd breast; but he was soon
himself again, and after taking a few
hasty turns across the room, seated
himself calmly, and resumed his mar
rative.
(Continued in our nert)
To BRoIL Pork CHoP.-Thsss
should not be cut quite SO thick a.