St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

half frozen to death on the steps, sir;
I'm keeping him with me to help dress
the church, and I'm thinking I'll help
him to lodging tonight. It's bitter
weather to be about outside"
ssQuite right. You might ask him to
come and see me tomorrow. Don't
let me be disturbed just now, though
Rev. Arthur Drayton, rector OF st.
Peters, raked the Goals down in the
glowing CRATE and then, drawing up an
easy-chair, sat down before the fire. A
handsome man, most people would have
called him. Iron-gray hair and beard,
clear, clean-cut features, mouth some
what too much compressed, perhaps
but altogether a face that exacted re-
spect, if nothing more No one OF his
numerous acquaintances pretended to
really know him. His parishioners re-
spected and looked up to him, but they
never offered him their confidence and
he never seemed to expect it. At any
rate, he never showed the slightest dis
position to bestow his upon them. He
lived apart, and people respected his
seclusion. His past history none knew,
although many conlectured that he had
seen trouble. However, there are al
ways some people ready to set up any
number of theories for any given set OF
facts.
Rev. Arthur Drayton looked long and
earnestly into the glowing Goals, and as
he looked his thoughts wandered back
to days that had long gone past, and
this is what he saw. A young man just
entering upon his first pastoral charge,
strong in love and enthusiasm for his
calling. A year of happiness that passed
like a dream, and then long days OF
pain and sorrow that saw him bending
over the bedside of his wife, watching
her drift away from his strong yet, ali!
how helpless grasp! A time OF blank
unconscioGsness, and then the laughter
| of his baby son ringing in his ears call
/ inc him back to take up the burden OF
life again. A. sweet child's face with
big black eyes and long clustering curls
comes before him now. His eyes are
growing dim, and when he looks again
It has disappeared. The years roll by
all too soon, and now the night is com
inc on. 1t is in his old church and he
/ is looking down sternly-unforgivingly
-on his son bending for pardon at his
feet. There come hard and bitter words
that he would fain forget; then the door
slams and he is standing alone in the
deserted church listening to the sound
ing mockery of the Christmas bells.
He pushed back his chair from the
fire and covered his face with his hands.
| NIL ~
only little heap of cold and iifeless
ashes remains, but still he sits there
motionfeess in silence.
/ The heavy door slammed
behind Sexton Davidson, sending long,
hollow echoes through the lonely
church. The stranger worked on IL
silence until his task was completed
then, tossing aside the sprays OF ever
green and holly, he stepped into pc"
. and sat down. Something lying on the
:, floor at his feet caught his eye. III
4 picked it up and looked at it curiously
u it was large key, and he turned ant
twisted it in his fingers, idly wonder
i. ing what it was for. Suddenly tn
thought flashed upon him that it wa
the key with which he had seen th
sexton lock the closet door. Evidentl,,
: it had fallen from the sections pocket
!, g I wonder what it was he locked up s.
carefully he said, his eyes wander
!! inc to the closet in the wall. Z" | Nigh
as well take a look nothing wrong i
that, L fancy Going up to the closet
he put the KEY in the lock, turned
:. and pulled open the door. A sdazzlin
array of silver, carelessly piled upo
: the shelf. was revealed. .sThe churc
= communion plate he muttered. :
= wonder why it was left here. 1t mus
Il Z: be solid ware taking a cup in hi
: hand and looking at it intently.
slight noise caught his ear. Shuttin
j the door hastily he put the key in h
), pocket and gave a quick glance arount
I All was quiet and lonely as befor.
q . 8. It's only the rector moving about !
- his study" and he gave a nervous II
: tie laugh at his own fears, then glance
:. up at the great clock. 1t pointed
7 1880. 1.-The sexton ought to be con
y y ing back soon,'' he thought. 1ieldin
9 to a sudden impulse he hurried again
]: the closet and opened the door. DO
y y easy It would be to tie the plate up ar
u u then escape through a window? Con
Is to one of the back easements he locke
. out. Only jump of two or three fe
- into a little paved courtyard belo'
, Then narrow alley that ran back b
',s tween two great black buildings lea
! ING to deserted street beyondS DO
- - yard and path smooth-swept from sno
~ no danger of being traced after on
g getting out Going back to the clos
he looked long and earnestly at t
IN massive plate. 9 1t would get me
~ of this cursed country and help me to
new start in some better place, :
y. thought, g God knows that, bad
De I've been, I've never come 10 this
;. yet; but then, how would any one