Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-28

threw it up at the feet of the stranger, who
! watched it with that idle interest which labor
begets in the unconcerned observer.
'Do you always do this work" Farms
| worth asked at length.
YES was the laconic return.
'But the old. sexton-Joe Grimwet-is he
gomez
The woman looked up with some interest
at this indication that the other had some
previous acquaintance with kempton and its
people. She did not, however, stop her
labor, as man would probably have done
eyes," she said '.Hes buried over yonder
there beyond the burdocks."
The gentleman changed his position IN
easily. Some subtle disquietude had arisen
to disturb his serenity. The wind rastleG
mournfully among the dry leaves, the peb
bles ratified against the spade Of the grave
digger, increasing the sombreness of a scene
which might easily affect one at oil suscepti-
bic to outward influences. In such an atmo9
| phere sensitive nature not frequently ex.
| perences certain feeling Of unreaity, as il
dealing with scenes and creatures Of the i'm
| agination rather than with actualities; and
| Fafnsworth, whatever the delicacy of his
mental fibre, was conscious of such a sense at
| as if the sound of his own voice were needed
| to assure him of the genuineneSs of the place
and scene.
"But how long has he been deadT he
| asked And his daughter; what became OF
| herr
The grave-digger Strengthened herself
to her full height, brushing back her
| wind-hlown hair with one grirny hand, she
raised her face SO that her deep-set eyes
were fixed upon the questioner's face.
so you knew Della Grimwet!" she said.
'eWhen were you here before2 It'd go hard
for you to mako her out now, if it's long
since"
as she here stillF' Fa-nsworth persisted,
| ignoring her question.
eyes" the sexton replied, suddenly sinking
; back into the unfinished grave asa frightened
animal might retreat into itsden. eyes; she
lives in the old place"
"Alone."
'Her and the boy"
He recoiled step, as if the mention of a
child startled or repealed him Yet to close
observer it might have seemed as if he were
| making an effort to press her with further
questions If SO, his courage did not prove
sufficient, and he watched in silence while
her a1duolls work Presently, however, he
. advanced again toward the edge Of the pit,
which was rapidly approaching com
pletion under her familiar labor.
'Should find her at home at this timer
he inquired. ''Or would she be ont at
worll!n
''She's out, most likely" was the reply.
/ ''Shell be at home along about shutdown"
i,
or two, as if there were many things con-
; corning which he could wish to ask; but, as
! the woman gave him no encouragement, ne
7 turned at last and climbed the slippery,
ragged path up to the church, untetherei
his horse, and drove slowly down the hill to
j the village.
/ Cap'n Nat Jersey was just coming out Of
the village store, and to him Farnsworth ad-
/ dressed an inquiry where he might find
shelter for himself and horse.
"Ten,T the cap'n responded, with the de-
liberation OF q man who has very little to
say and his whole life to say it in, "well, l
dunno but We might get a chance with Wild
der Bemis, an I dunno as ye could; but
+. there amt no harm trying, as knows Of"
! Further inquiry regarding the where
abOuts of the domicile Of the Widow Bemis
led TO an offer on the part of Cap'n Hersey TO
act as pilot to that haven. He declined, how
ever, to take q seat in the buggy: The cap'n
had his own opinion OF land-vehicles. A
man might with perfect assurance trust him.
self in boat; but, for his own part, the
cap'n had no faith in those dangerous struct-
ures which roam about with nothing better
than dry land under them. He walked along
by the sideof the carriage, conversing affa-
bly, with the stranger under his convoy.
isn't it a queer notion to have q woman
for a sexton?" Farnsworth asked, as they
J wended along.
'Wen, yes,n the cap'n returned reflect
lively. Eyes, it is sort of curious. Folks
mostly speak of it that comes here 1t is
curious If We look at it that way. But it all
come about as natural as a barnacle on q
keel. Old Sexton Grimwet kept getting con-
siderable feeble, and Della she took to help
ing him with his work. She was sort Of
cut of from folks, as ye may say,
owing to having baby and no father
TO show for it, and she naturally took
TO heaviug anchor alone, or leastways along
with the old man. And when the old man
vas taken down with languishrnent, she
turned to and did all his work for him
! having gradually worked into it, as you may
say"
: The cap'n paused to recover from his
astoaishnent at having been betrayed into
so long speech; but as The stronger had the
air Of expecting him to continue, lie presently
went on again:
There was them that wanted her turned
out when id Grimwat died. Some said a
woman OF that character hadn't ought to
have no connection with the church. even to
digging its graves. But Parson Eaton he
! was good for 'en-Tve always noticed that
when these picus men get their regular mad
up they most generally have things their
own way; and he preached 'em sermon
about the Samaritan woman, and Mary
Magdalene, and lot more of them dis
reputable scripture women-folss, and,
though he never mentioned Della by name,
they all knew what he was driving at, and
they wilted. Twas a pitiful sight to see the
girla-digging her own fathers grave up there.
Me and Tom Tobsy and Zenas Fas ton took
hold and finished it for her.
They moved On in silence moment or two.
Farnsworth's gaze was fixed upon the dark
;'ening bay, and no longer intsrrogated his
companion; but the latter soon again took up
his narrative:
"'Twas well the parson STOOD up-for Dele,
, too; wosnep-folks is 50 cussed hard GA each
other They woufdnt Ia let the girl live, 1 be
liave. ALWAYS were of the notion there waTn't
! no harm in Dele. Some - city chap got the