The Portland daily press., 1869-03-06
Miscellany.
The Cares Tale.

The following very good story is told in
Charles Reade's novel of "The Cloister and
the Hearth"
Once upon a time in the Kingdom of
France and in the Duchy OF Burgundy and
not days journey from the town where we
now sit, slipping of old Medoc there lived
cure. say he lived; but barely. The par
ish was small, the parishioners greedy, and
never gave their cure doit more than he
could compel. The nearer they brought him
to a disembodied spirit by meagre diet, the
ho.ier should be his prayers in their behalf.
know not if this was their creed, but their
practice gave 1t color.
At last he picked rod for them.
One day the richest farmer Ia the place had
twins to baptize. The cure was had to the
christening dinner as usual; but, ere ne
would baptize the children he demanded, not
the christening fees only, but the burial ices
Saints defend us, parson," cried the nolnGi' ol';i
talk not OF burymg; | never "a d'a tbs see cnrn y
dren liker TO live" "Nor = saiu .ne 80 LUZ,
"praise be to God.n Natheless they are sure
TO die: being sons of Adam as well as OF thee,
dame Rut die when they will. twill cost
them nothing. the burial fees being paid and
entarad in This book" For all that, twill
cost them something" quoth the miller, the
greatest wag in the place, and as big knave
as any; for which was the biggest God know
eth, but no mortal man, not even the hang
man. "Miller, / tell thee nay" quoth the
cure. "Parson, tell you ay," quoth the mil
ler. twill cost them their lives" At which
mlllstone conceit was great laugh; and in
the general mirth the fees were paid and the
Christians made.
6ut when the next parishioners children
and the next after, and all had to pay each
his burial fee or lose his place in heaven.
discomfort did secretly rankle in the parish.
Well, one fine day they met in secret, and
sent a church warden with complaint to
the bishop, and thunderbolt fell on the poor
cure. Came to him at dinner time sum-
mons to the episcopal palace, to bring the
parish books and answer certain charges.
Then the cure guessed how the shoe pinched.
He left his food on the board; for small his
appetite now and he took the parish books
and went quaking
The bishop entertained him with froWn
and exposed the plant.
"Monseigneur," said the cure right humby
"doth the parish alIege many things against
me, or this one only?" I'm sooth, but this
one" said the bishop, and soitened little
First Monseigneur, L acknowledge the fact
'Tis WELL" quoth the bishop; "that sases
time and trouble: Now to your excuse, if ex-
cuse there be. "Monseigneur, have been the
cure of that parish seven years, and fifty
children have baptised, and buried not five.
At first l used to say, Heaven he praised
the air of this village is main healthy; but on
searching the register book found it was
always SO, and, on probing the matter, it came
out that, of those born at Domfotnt, all but
here and there one did 60 and get hanged at
AK.
But this was to defraud, not their cure
only, but the entire church of her dues since
"pendards" pay no funeral fees, being buried
in air. Thereupon, knowing by sad expert
ence their greed, and how they grudge the
Church every sou, l laid trap to keep them
from hanging; for, greed against greed, there
be oil them that will die in their beds like
true men, ere the Church shall gain those
funeral fees for naught Then the Bishop
laughed I'LL the tears ran down, and question
ed the church warden, and he was fain to
confess that too many of the parish did come
to an unlucky end at AK. "Then,n said the
Bishop, II do approve the act for myself and
my successors; and so be it ever, till they
mend their manners and die in their beds"
And the next day came the ringleaders, crest
fallen, to the cure and said, "Parson, We were
ever good to US, barring this untoward mat
ter; prlthee let there be no i'll blood anent SO
trivial thing"
ana tne cure said, "Mys children, were
unworthy to be your pastor, could not for
give wrong; 60 in peace, and get me as
many children as may be, that by the double
ices the cure you love may miss starvation"
And the bishop often told the story, and it
kept his memory Of the cure alive; and at
last he shifted him to a decent parish, where
ne can offer glass of old Medoc to such as
are worthy of it. Their name it is not le-
gion. III 4stl3lNt r