The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-01-30
THE STORY OF A GRANTED WISH.

DullGIlOl " dS justly IidilCt, IOI IL
was tie quietest, cleaneSt, dreariest /
country in England. l spent three
years there with an old aunt, and hope
1 may never visit tine place again
There was nothing to hear, nothing TO
see nothing to do, nothing to think
about. I was too thoroughly a cOckney
to care for country pursuits, and, besides
we lived in a country town. not village.
Here / ived-OT Yegetated for three
years. And all that time l was signing
for an adventure-someth to happen,
something to break the mOnotony of ex-
istence. The reader shall hear how l
gained my wish at last and learned to
indOrse the truth of POpe's words. ITO
know the misery of a granted prayer.
We had a fine old church at Duller-
ton, almost as large as a small cathedral
/ (eNCuse the IriShiSm). It was rich in
. brasses and fine tOmbs indeed, l really
believe there were more male efhgies on
the tOmbstOnes than young men in the
town. The church though very fine was
sadly out of repair; but one good thing
. it poSsessed-an excellent organ, which
had been left the place by native Of
DulleTtOn. I was passionately fond
of music. and when oJu good easy vicar
. gave me carte blanche to use this organ,
| found life at DullertOn more endurable.
As an artists daughter l could not be
insRnsible to the beauty Of the church
itself. and between practicing on the
organ. sketching the interior of the
church, and making myself Intimately
acquainted with the tOmbs and braSses, I
spent a great part of the day in the sa-
cred edifce.
One cold, winter afternoon l rtmem-
ber having a peculiarly dismal fit, hav-
ing been in doors for two or three days
in consequence of heavy fall of snow
and when. late in the afternoon, it be-
gan to clear, l felt ! must go out, if on
" for an hour. Spite of Aunt Annie S
mi Idly expressed astonishment, / went
and felt 1 must try just one chant upon
that dear old organ. Calling at the
viCaTage for the key of the church,
went on my wilful way, little thinking
how soon my longing for an adventure
was to be satisfied. 1t was growing
dusk as l unlocked the heavy door anC
stepped inside the church so dusk, iT
fact, that l missed my footing at the
step inside, and slipped, falling against
the door in my efforts to save myself
The door slammed to, leaving the key OF
the outside. So here I was prisoner
The door, like everything else, was out
of repair, and depended on the key fol
opening it there was no latch with
in. [ tried to turn the key through tht
lleyhOle. but only succeeded in breaking
my nails. Then | remembered reading
how some one similarly situated haC
rung the bell. But alas, our belfry wa
approached by fight of turTet stairs
terminated by a door, which | found
S locked.
!, The church was about five minutes
d walk from any habitatiOu and no ont
T. was likely to pass it, so | might hav
- tentiOn. even could my voice have pene
: trated through the stout oaken door.
once thought OF escaping by the win
dows. but they were all too high fror
s. the ground, and even in this emergenc
nj ! should have hesitated at breaking
n pane of the rare old glass My Onl
to hope was that Aunt Anne would be
"a come alarmed and miss me. I had prom
81 ised to return the key at the yicarage g
| went home. but it was doubtful if m
,e nOu-appearance that evening would eN
be cite surprise Mr.. Scott, our old bacf
~ elOr vicar. was one of the most absen
re minded of men, and if he was immerse
lf- in his books, had probably forgotten th
" kew and myself by this time. My onl
ds hope to rescue lay in Aunt Anne.
~ As rose from the step where ha
ge been sitting rejecting on the situation
I began to feel that adventures, aftt
6. all. were not without alloy. / though
SO still more some hours later, Spite {
- my wrsppings I was cold, so l gather6
he stray pieces of carpet and rugs from Il
er, seats. and built myself a warm nest /
m the chancel where / could command
et full view of the door in case any OF
a. a. came to look for me.
an was neither nervous nor a supe
d stitious girl, but the weirdness of Il
" church in the fading light gave me suC
. uncomfortable, creepy sensations til
/ closed my eyes TO keep out the spectr
view.
a; must have slept some hours, for,
nd awakening, the moon was shining.
ger now began to feel very uneasy. Was
M ( condemned TO ''make a night of ii
ty. the church ? 1t was blessing the ne
day was Sunday, 1 thought ruefully-
any rate ] was sure to be found wh
Saunders came to open the doors. ]
p. looking down the long vista of thena7
ear at all the familiar tombs [ knew So we
+ai; the knights and ladies lying stir a
Dis still. with solemn-faced rows Of childl
ieSai kneeling at their sides. The white
= ures looked ghostly enough in that l
err certain light. and brought into my mi
30, q all the ghostly stories | had ever hea
free | sat mp and endeavOred to shake of
heir uncomfortable sensations creeping o
81 me, and told myself how absurd It wa!
think of such rubbish. As ! raised !
self my glance fell on large SOU
,sap Ap tomb nearly opposite. ] knew ev
site stone in the church and that Spei
I