The Portland daily press., 1869-08-12
siALond.n church.
A PEN PICTURE BY DICKENS.


81 A PEN PICTURE BY DICKENS.
ss The following truthful picture of church
In the heart Of London. is from the pen Of
Charles Dickens: 9s''' - ''''''a7aA- ~
is As congregation we are fourteen strong
not to, count an exhausted charity school
in the gallery, which bas dwinaled away to
Jour boys and two girls. In the porch is a
beDefaction Of l0aves OF bread, which there
would seem to be n.'body LETT in the coDgre-
cation to claim, and winch saw an exhaust
ed beadle, long faced out OF uniform, eating
with his eyes for himself and family as pass
ed. There Is also an exhausted clerk in a
brown wig, and two or three exhausted doors
and windows have been bricked mp, and the
service books are musty, and the pulpit cush-
ions are threadbare, and the whole OF the
church furniture is in a very advanced stage
of exhaustion. ste4lo Asfl0f1' Saiss17 E
L. We are three old women, habitual, two
young lovers accidental, Two tradesmen, one
with a vile and one alone, an aunt and neph.
ew, again two girls-these two girls dressed
out for church, with everything about them
limp that should be stiff, and vice versa, are
ing boys. The clerg, man is, perhaps the
chaplain Of q civic company; he has the
moist and vlnous look, and eke the dubious
boots, of one acquainted with twenty port
i we are 50 quiet in our dulness that three
staggering boys, who have got away into .
corner OF the altar rafIine, gives us start
like crackers, when they laugh. The aunt
and nephew in this church are much disturb;
ed by the staggering boys. sfhe nephew Is
himself boy and the sniggerers tempt HIM
to secular thoughts OF marbles and strings, by
secretly offering such commodities to his dis
a ,lof A
for q while reslsts, but presently becomes q
backsfider, and m dumb show defies the snig-
gerers to 'sheave a marble or two In his direc.
tion.n sooi siin Bra bio slsaz ygi-ylusRs
Herein he Is detected by the aunt Ia rigor-
ous reduced eentlewoman who has the charge
OF the offices, and perceive that worthy re.
lative to poke him in the side with the cor.
rugated handle OF an ancient umbrella. The
nephew revenges himself tor this by holding
his breath, and terrib ing his kinswomar
with the dread belief that be has made up his
mind to burst. Regardless of whispers and
shakes, he swells. and becomes dlscolored, anc
yet again swells and becomes discolored, un.
III the aunt can hear il no longer; but leads
him out. with no visible neck, and WIN eyes
going before HIM like pawn's.
/ This causes the sniggerers~ to regard flight
as an eligible move, and 1 know which will
60 out first, because OF the over devout atten-
tion. thas he suddenly concentrates on the
clergyman. In little while this hypocrite
with an elaborate demonstration OF hushinl
his footsteps, and with a face generally ex
pressive OF having till now forgotten relg
ous appointment elsewhere. Is gone. Mum
ber two gets out in the same way, but rather
quicker Number three getting safely to the
door, there turns reckless, aud hanging il
| open flies forth with whoop that vibrates tc
he frr, ff q foruar of<,va l-Itt i 'ili eH
| The clergyman, who is Of a prandial pres
| ence and mufiled voice, may be scant o
breath, bur be only glanced at us as havin.
an idea that somebody has said amen in
wrong place, and continues bis steady ioI
trot like farmers wife going 10 market, HI
| does all he has to do IN the same easy way
and gives us concise sermon, still like tn