The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-03-14
OUR STORY TELLER.
EDWARD BROWN, STOKER.

EDWARD BROWN, SIOkEh.
"In the midst of life we are in
deathp Those words sounded 30 quiet |
and solemn that Mary and / stopped |
short close to the old-fashioned lych |
gate at the little village churchyard; /; |
and then, as il we moved and thought |
together, we went in softly to the fu-
neral, and stood at little distance, me |
with my hat off and Mary with her head |
bent down, till the service was over. |
There il is all again as Pm telling it to |
you, come back as fresh and as clear as
IL was looking at it now pretty old |
fashioned church, with a stone wall
rcund the yard, where the graves lay
pretty thick and close, but all looking
green and and fowery and old, a great
clump of the biggest and Oldest yew
trees ever saw, and tall thick hedge
separating the churchyard from the
clergyman's house. The sun was shin
ing brightly, turning the lichen-covered
roofs of the church and the vicarage
into gold; from the trees close by came
the faint twittering of birds, and away
past the village houses bathed in the
bright afternoon sunshine there were
fields of crimson clover, and the banks
full of golden broom and gorse. Over
all was sense of such peace and silence
that it seemed as if there was nothing
terrible, only a quiet sadness in the
funeral, with its few mourners standing
the open grave, and the gray-haired
clergyman standing by; and last of all,
when Mary and went up and looked
into the grave and read on the coffin-plate,
Aged H." one couldn't help feeling
that the poor soul had only gone to
sleep tired with long life.
II was my fancy perhaps, but as we
strolled round that churchyard, and
read a tombstone here and board there,
it seemed as if no sooner had the par
son gone in to take off his surplice, and
the mourners left the churchyard, than
the whole place woke up again in busy
life. A chaffinch came and jerked out
its bit Of song in one of the yews, the
Guinea fowls in farm close by set up
their loud crying, and geese shrieked on
the green, and creaking, and rattling,
and humping, there came along a high
filed wagon of the sweetest hay that
ever was caught in loose handfuls by the
boughs of the trees, and then fell softly
back into the road.
We were very quiet, Mary and /, as
we strolled out of the churchyard, down
one Of the lanes, and then crossing a
stile, we went through couple of fields,
and sat down on another stile, with the
high hedge on either side of us, and the
meadow, that they were beginning to
NOW at the other end, one glorious bed
Of flowers and soft feathery grass.
"Polly," says at last, breaking the
silence, "ain't this heavenlyT
"And you feel betterP she says, lay
ing her hand on mine.
"Betterp / says, taking a lone
draught of the soft sweet-scented air
and filling my chest" better, old girl
! feel as il l was growing backward
into boy"
And you fifty last weekl' she says
EYES," says / smiling, "and yol
forty-seven next week" And then w
sat thinking for bit.
Polly" says at last, as / sat ther
drinking in that soft breeze, and feelin
it give me strength, it's worth being il
to feel as do now"
For you see I'd been very bad, else
dare say I'm not the man to go hangin
about churchyards and watchin
funerals; Pm stoker, and my wor
lies in steamers trading in the East. T.
come home from my last voyage ba
with fever, caught out in one of thos
nasty, hot, bad-smelling ports-been cal
ried home to die, as my mates thought
and it was being like this, and gettin
better, that had set me thinking so ser
ously, and made me so quiet; not that
was ever noisy sort of man, as an
one who knows will say. And now a
ter getting better, the doctor had sal
i must go into the country and gt
strong; so as there was no more voyagin
till was strong, there was nothing for
but to leave the youngsters under til
care of the eldest girl and neighbo
and come and take lodgings in this quit
Surrey village.
Polly thought never should get be
ter, and one time no more did I: ft
about month before this time, as / la,
hollow-eyed and yellow, upon the be-
knowing, too, how bad l looked-for
used to make young Dick bring me IL
looking-glass every morning-the doctt
came as usual, and like blunt Englisl
man put it to him fiat.
Doctor" / says, "you don't think
shall get betterP' and / looked hi
straight in the face.
"Oh, come, come, my manp he say
smiling, eve never look at the blaC
side like that"
None of that, DOCTOR" 1 says; go,
with it like man. / can stand it; T.
beenexpecting to be drowned or blown I
half my life, so / shan't be scared
what you say"
"Well, my man." he says, "yor
symptoms are of very grave natur
You see the fever has undermined W
ha,
All right, DOCTOR" / says; 4" I undt
stand you; you mean that unless y,
can get new plate in the boiler q
won't stand another voyage"
ooh, comel we won't look upon it
ahopeless case," he says; "there's
ways hope;" and after a little more ia
he shook hands and went away.
Next day when he came / had be
thinking il all over, and was ready 1
him. i don't believe was bit bette
in fact, know was drifting fast, a
] sew it in his eyes as we'll.
WAITED till he had asked me his d
ferent questions, and then lust as he "
getting up to go / asked him to
down again.
"Polly, my DEAR" I says, az i,
want a few words with the doctor
and she put her apron up to her e,
and went out closing the door after
very softly, while the doctor looked
me curious like, and waited for me
speak.
Doctor" I says, "you've abb
given me up. There, don't shake "
head, for ! know. Now don't YOU thi
I'm afraid to die, for don't believ
am, but look here: there's seven cI
dren down stairs, and if leave my W
widow with the few pounds Pve b,
able to save, what's TO become of the
Can't you pull me through
My dear fellow" he says hones
I've done everything can for y
case"
That's what you think, doctor,
says, "but look here: I've been at