The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-31

constant attendance at her bedside,
doing everything in her power to
save the life Of the victim, but in
vain. The result proved fatal, and
at the last few moments of her life
the parish priest was summoned to
take her confession, and to admin
lister the last sad rites of the church.
On the night above mentioned all
was stiffness IN the cottage. A Bit
ter cold north wind was blowing
without. The freezing blast whis-
tied through the trees, sang with
shrill and weird Voice through the
crannies OF the door and windows,
and howled with sobbing and
mOuEnfuI cadence in the old broad
chimney. Just az the hands of the
tall oaken-csse clock pointed to
half past eleven, a single knock was
heard by the sexton at his door.
The old man, somewhat startled,
rose up in bed and asked, "who is
there ?" Waiting a few seconds,
his question was answered by a still
louder knock. Seth got out Of bed,
hastily put on some clothing, then
went and opened the door, and there
standing before it, in the bleak wind,
was little white faced man, In the
garb of priest, whom he at once
recognized as Father Dusatoy, the
priest Of the parish. "COme in,
father" said Seth. "This is not a
time for q dog to be out, let alone a
man like you" The holy man en-
tered the cottage and took the seat
which the sexton offered him.
"GoOd father" he said, "what
has called you abroad such q time
and night as this ?"
"Seth, my SON." answered the
priest in q solemn tone, " 1t is in
deed a chilly night, but the winter
blast is not 30 cold and cruel Rs the
human heart untouched by grace
It Is a poisonous fountain whence
issue deadly waters. My soul is
panied within me; yea, my spirit is
oppressed with cloud of grief when
l witness the Wiokedness of the
mighty and the rich. They bribe
the poor with the glitter Of their
jewels, and ensnare the innocent
victims by deceit and with promises
that are weaker than wetted paper.
My son, have just come from the
house Of mourning and from the
abode Of death. The fair and viz
tu0us hath been offered upon the
altar Of last. The gray hairs bow
In SORROW over the slain victim,
while the seductive murderer reveIs
In the lap of wealth and luxury,
and receives the empty plaudits Of
the honorable and great. Go, Seth.
toll the passing bell for tho dead.
that the sacred knell may penetrate
the purgatOrisl gates and with its
mournful tongue announce the COM
ing Of the frail and timid shade,
will away to my place Of prayer,
and throug hout the whole cold night
hny intercessions shall ascend to the
holy ones for mercy and free pas
Iage for the dead. The saints be
With thee, my son, aud protect |
thine aged form from harm In thy
holy work"
And without another word the
Iorro Wful priest passed out into the |
light,
The sexton Immediately lighted |
us lantern and bent his stems to-
yard the church beIfry. He was
hinly clad, and the piercing wind
to the marrow of his
ee0ls bones, and almost froze the |
hin blood In his veins.
The church belffy Wss in the base
I high tower at the side of the
Id structure 1t was entered from
he outside through wide gothic
orch. On either side Of the portal
here was a broad sIab-stone seat
uilt into the wall. The legend was
Did that on every New Years eve
ne CHASTITY spectacle Of an old
REST sat on the stone slab at the
ght side of the porch. He seemed S
be, however, a harmless sort of a
most; for, up to this time, nothing |
cry bad had been chronicled t
gainst the sedative phantom, t
The belfry ITSELF was a damn,
81 VauiI or cell Inc only light L
it came through the open door.
nd little emb1asure in the SIDE. q
he heavy upholstered stone walls '
nd paved floor gave the dismal | 2
ace the appearance of q dungeon f
III The bail hung near the ton of b
10 tower, hundred feet from the t
'ound, and was reached by fight b
.Wel'Worn stone spiral stems. The y
'll-rope passed down through saw +
al floors in the tower TO the yauIt t
meath, where IL was pulled bv the t
xtonJ to announce the time of 6
aver and worship. The rope In Ii
Isslng through hole in the floor
'ove the vault had become worn b
the friction, and had several p
mes broken, and by the FREQUENT b
l1cings it was too short fo he s,
ached While standing on the I"
ound' The economical old exton P
u lmprovised an old coffin stool d
, e, which ha stood to ring the II
For two long, weary hours. in the a,
ad OF that terrible cold nigbt old o.
tn Morton stood upon that Stool "
ling the passing bell for the dead "
Il; and when he stepped down to d.
nome, his limbs were SO stiff W
d benumed, that he could hardly to
we. He got into the frosty air "
d crept along towards the COTTAGE th
3aklng and qufyering he get into hi
|, chilled to the heart, and 40 A
till morning. When Ellen arose ar
went to his room She was st
rmed to find bar fotbo,, ~ M