Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-15
, sGl llaGgllanG0llS.
A STORY OF ST. MARKS EVE:
WHICH HATH A MORAL IN IT.
BY THOMAS HOOD,

i st. Marks Day is a festival which has been OBJ
served on the 25th of April III Catholic countries,
from time immemorial. The superstition alluded
to in the following story was formerly pretty gem
orally believed, and viglls at the church-porch at
midnight were common.
Il hope it'll choke thee " said Master
Giles, the yeoman; and, as he said it, he
hanged his big red fist on the old oak table
Il do say hope it'll choke thee Y
The dame made no reply She was chok-
ing with passion, and fowls liver, which
was the cause Of the dispute Much has
been said and sung concerning the advan-
tagc Of congenial tastes amongst married
people but the quarrels Of this Kentish
couple arose from too great coincidence in
their tastes. They were both fond of the
little delcacy in question, but the dame
had managed to secure the morsel to her
self This was sufficient to cause a storm
of high words, which, properly understood
signifies very low language.
Their meal times seldom passed over
without some contention of this sort As
sure as the knives and forks clashed, so
did they being in fact equally greedy and
disagreedy; and when they did pick a
quarrel they picked it to the bone.
1t was reported that, on some occasions,
they had not even cOntented themselves
with hard speeches, but had come to scuff-
1 Ing he taking to boxing and she to pinch
NC, though i'll a far less amicable manner
than is practiced by the taker of snuff On
the present difference, however, they were
satisfied with wishing each other dead
with all their hearts :" and there seemed
little doubt Of the sincerity of their aspir-
alton, on looking at their malignant faces :;
for they made a horrible picture in this
frame Of mind.
Now it happened that this quarrel took
place on the morning of st. Mark a saint
who was supposed on that festival to favor
his votaries with a peep into the book of
fate. For it was the popular helief,in those
days, that if a person should keep watch
at midnight beside the church, the apparit-
IONS Of all those who were to be taken bv
death before the anniversary would be seen
entering the porch. The yeoman, like his
ucighbors, believed most devoutly in this
superstition and in the very moment that
he breathed the nseemly aspirations afore
SAID, it occurred to him that the eve was at
Rand, when by observing the rite of St
Mark, he might know to certainty whcth.
cr this unchrstian wish was to be one of
those that bear fruit Accordingly, little
teiore midnight, he stole quietly out of the
house, and set forth on his way to the
church.
In the meantime, the dame called to mind
the same ceremonial and, having the like
motive for curiosity with her husband, she
also put on her cloak and calash, and set
ont, though by different path, ,on the same
ewand.
The night of the Saint was as dark and
cihII as the mysteries he was supposed to
reveal; the moon throwing but short oc
eaSonaI glance, as sullen masses of cloud
We're driven from her face Thus it fell out
'Aat our two adventurers were quite un
'2,aSclous of being in company, till a sudden
5ampsc ofmoonlight, showed them to each
oueT' On y afew yards apart. Both, through
d natural panic, became pale as ghosts
anu both made eagerly toward the church
p2Ech. pore; Much as they had wished for this
,, ,,SIon' they could not help quaking and
ot'PPing on the spot, as if turned to stones
Sn9I Sn9 IN tins position the dark again threw q
sudden curtain over them, and they disap
Pe@Ied from each other.
iNe Two came to one conclusion each