Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-09-27

down the papers, this IS dull run, let uS cllmo
up higher and leave these old rat traps to
their fate, and when old Baylis comes up here
if his aged bones allow him to crawl so high,
he will think the rats have been having a
midnight frolc." call right" replied Tom,
jumping up ready to follow his leader, but
stopping to pick up paper which had fallen
beyond the others, and glancing at it, he ex'
claimed, 81 say, Archer, here is something
lust prime" "What's that old fellow ?" said
Willie, as he stretched his handsome young
head over his friends shoulder, to look at the
discovery. "Well, I should say that is old
Squire Hayes sure, for there is no other Jabez
Hayes in all the country, but who is Phoebe
Lathrop, of Somerset parish. .....
II don't know" responded Tom, "but she
must have been some old sweet heart OF the
Squire's whom be was to marry and didn't
good luck for her."
"Yes," replied Willie, "it was only yester'
day I asked him to contribute toward next
training day, for our new company, and what
do you think he answered."
"That he would give his entire fortune"
laughed Tom, sarcastically:
"Not much" replied Willie; "he drew him.
self up, and looking me in the eye as if l
were a convict, and he the judge, said
"Young man, I have no money to throw
away; if you want money, why don't you
earn itp The old miser, how | would like to
pay him f."
The boys were silent for moment, each
thinking over his individual wrongs, then
Willie Archer's face kindled, and he said" II
have it, Tom; let US have this thing read out
in meeting. Graudfather's eyes are not so
bright as they were, and if we erase the
words-not to be used-he will never notice
the date on the back, and what trick it will
be-" 1t is needless to say that Tom assented,
and the two rogues parted an hour later,
their plans we'll laid, and both eagerly look
ing forward for the next days denouement.
Sunday came; calm, peaceful quiet rested
upon the village, and in answer to the church
bells throngs of villagers pressed forward to
the church, little thinking of the mischief
about to be perpetrated in that sacred edihee.
Now Baylis, the grey-headed sexton, was in
the habit of slipping the various notices, con-
fided to his care, just under the cushion in the
last pew until the proper time came for them
to be read, so it was but the work of mo-
ment for Willie Archer to slip the stolen pa
per in its place with the others, while Baylls
was showing some strangers into seat; then
this worthy young gentleman took his place
in the minister's pew with as calm face and
sedate manner as he could assume, not forget
ting to send knowing look to Tom Sewall,
who had just shown his mother and sister into
their seat.
Service began and proceeded in the usual
manner, until in his solemn way Baylis
walked up the aisle and handed the notices to
his superior. Parson Bigelow commenced to
read. First, there was prayer and confer
ence meeting to be held on Tuesday evening
to which "all brethren were invited to attend"
then the usual Thursday evening meeting,
young peoples prayer meeting, Dorcas So
ciety to be held at Mrs. Deacon Swift's, a let
ter from Everstone parish commencing Mis-:
tress Abigail Fitching as member 'in good
and regular standing" to the parish OF Pen.
tonville, and lastly, to publish the bans of
matrimony between Samuel Spoford and
Dolly Ann Jessup, spinister, both of this
parish, also-here the parson stopped, adjust
ed bis spectacles, turned the paper and finally
read in halfsatisfed voice: 81 this day
publish the bans of matrimony between Jabez
Allyn Hayes of this parish and Phoebe La
throp, spinster. of Somerset, parish, this to be
repeated for three weeks"
What could it mean? Was the old Squire
about to be married, and they not know it,
thought the congregation But glance at
the supposed bridegroom convinced ever one
that there was some mistake and that he was
not the happy man. All at once suppressed
laugh was heard, coming, as it seemed, from
the minister's pew, which proved contagious,
for one after another joined until the whole
congregation seemed conVulsed. AS for the
Squire, who usually sat so pompous and
straight, hardly condescending to glance at
his poorer neighbors, he seemed to have shrunk
to half his usual size, his face was flushed, and
then became pale as death. He moved un'
easily in his seat, and at last dropped his
head, seemingly to avoid the mirthful glances
of the parishioners as they turned in their
seats to look at him. What to do he did not
know, to leave the church seemed cowardly,
vet to remain seemed more than he could
bear. Luckily for him, at that moment some
thing happened that turned the attention OF
the villagers from him. A whisper resound-
ed {: "Widder Sewal has tainted !" and look
ing around, he saw that she was lying like a
smtten reed in ;he arms of her friend who
sat nearest her. "Poor thing, how tender.
hearted she is !" thought the simple. minded
folks, never dreaming that Phoebe Lathrop
and Widow Sewall we're the same, and that
she was the bride that so many years ago the
Squire had courted in vain. By the efforts
of her friends the lady soon revived, and she
herself left the church, followed by her half
frightened children. By this time Parson
Bigelow had called the meeting to order, and
the closing hymn was sung, and the parish
toner's dismissed, only to gather in groups in
the old church.yard to talk over the strange
occurrence.
Directly after the opening of the afternoon
service Cat which it is needless to say the ab.
sence of Squire Hayes and Widow Sewall was
not unnoticed), Parson Bigelow addressed the
congregation in these words: Sisters and
brethren, a cruel joke has been practiced up
on one of our most worthy members. The
bans of matrimony which read this morn
ing were given me over twenty years ago to
be read the following Sunday but before
that day, an unfortunate circumstance oc-
Cured, and word was sent me late Saturday
night for them not to be published. BY some
mistake they were not destroyed, as they
should have been, but were deposited in an
old chest with other papers relating to similar
matters Who the perpetrators of this joke
are (if they can call it SOY, | do not know,
but they are known by the great God above
us; from him they cannot escape detection.
They will be visited by His vengeance, and
when their souls are writhing in the pains and