The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-01

week, the second two cents the third two
cents, and as many more as there may be IN
the family can go for nothing. little is
made during harvest by cleaning a merciful
tradition making it incumbent on the
farmers to not rake their fields too scrupu-
lousy; and that all the families may have an
equal chance in the gathering of what is
left rule obtains that none shall
begin to CLEAN till o'clock in the morning,
when the signal is given from the bell OF the
parish church, similar signal being sounded
at the hour agreed upon for suspending this
work Fortunately, too in the village OF
which l am writing large number OF charl-
ties are in operation, most of them coming
down as relics from former generations, but
as conscientiously administered, neverthe.
less, as though the benefactors were still
alive.
SOME QUEER CHARITIES.
One gets an idea here, not only of the
amplitude of English benevolence, but of
some of its vagaries also. Many years ago a
gentleman invested $50 for the perpetual
schooling of three poor children. The yearly
income from this amounts now to 1920 and is
quite God-send to the school board Con-
tiguous to the village is a small piece of land
which from time immemoral has been
known as the Poor's Fen, the rental of which
@elds every poor family in the neighborhood
a half ton of coal yearly Another singular
beneticience of great antiquity is that from
which there is annually distributed to the
poor families in the village a sum of money
equal to a shilling each for father and mother,
| and half that amount, Tor about 1871 cents)
for each of the children. From money saved
by former parish minister, who sacredly
set apart the whole of his salary to this work
OF charity, living i'll the most humble man
ner during the thirty years of his rectorship
l., bn,-
about forty, get an annual dividend
at the present time of about 1923, and there
is surplus left for other benevolent objects
Still another charity provides for the school
ing and clothing of twenty children i'll
the parish, the beneficiaries of this fund, of
whom sixteen are boys and four girls, wear
ing dresses and coats of a dark-green color,
| as practical means, l suppose, of keeping
their benefactors memory green. As a still
further method of keeping fresh and fragrant
the memory of the eccentric authors of this
charity, an annual memorial sermon is
preached in the parish church. after which
the widows OF the community are again re-
membered by the distribution to those of
this class who are present to hear the sermon
OF the munficent sum of thirteen cents
apiece. The widows, it is said are always
out in force on that day. There are also two
clothing clubs in operation here, the mem
berS paying from five to fifteen cents per
week aud getting bonus at the end of the
year of from seventy-five cents to dollar;
| and added to all these there is a Maternity
Club. from which all mothers in the COM
munity who pay % year can obtain the
use OF such articles as are necessary for young
children. Thus. the poor and laborng
classes are not so badly off as would at first
appear, though, notwithstanding all these
helps, they can scarcely be said to live on
the fat of the land" unless having
piece of fat bacon as special
relish for Sunday dinner entities them to be
placed in that class | am candidly assured
that bread and dripping "a cheap substitute
for butter) form the chief articles of diet in
the laborer's family for breakfast and tea,
and that for dinner they usually eat vege-
tables cooked in a sort of paste or pudding,
with the luxury of meat once or twice
week and most meager allowance for beer
and tobacco. Still. however, they look hearty
and healthy, and have, withal, an air of con-
tented repoSe, which, among the better paid
but harder worked laborers OF the United
States is a universal and lamentable def
cheney.
AN ANTIQUATED VILLAGE.
The village in question is a charming place
to visit. Everything is SO old there, The
parish church has stood for over six hundred
years, having been first Catholic then Protest
ant under Henry the Eighth, then witness
of the Catholic prosecutions under the
bloody Mary" and afterwards Protestant
again, as, of course, it still remains What
changes in government it has witnessed, to
what opposite doctrines its old walls have
listened, and how many generations it has
seen pass in solemn procession to the gravel
One needs to gaze occasionally on such hoary
piles to give him proper appreciation of
the stirring past and to remind him by force
of contrast of his own littleness and muta-
NV MIA of lp1 81,
church has been used in every spot over and
over again. Such a complicated condition
of affairs as will be revealed there when
Gabriel's trump is blown battles comprehen-
sion. To unearth skulls and bones in dig
ging new graves is a common Occurrences;
and quite recently, in digging founda-
ton for a new wall around the schoo-house
close by as many as five skulls were turned
up. A rather solemn place, and vet a place
of great interest-this antiquatcd village. 1t
has its draw backs, however as a place of
residence chief among which is the preva-
lence of the accursed caste spirit. The viii
lage squire is walled in by dignity that is
positively impenetrable. The landowner is
of course, very much above the unfortunate
wretch who rents his farm, even though said
u. W. may ride in his own carriage; while the
tradesman looks down on the farm laborer
Between church people and dssenters the
lines are very sharply drawn. The Congre-
gational minister tells touching stories of So
cial ostracism of himself and flock by the
pampered children of the bloated Establish
ment No wonder this worthy man entered
such mild protests against the reflling OF
his social glass by mine host" for he must
needs have some comfort poor fellow, and
if he seeks little that is spirituous, as well
as spiritual, who can blame him. especially
as the customs OF the country allow minis
tiers such indulgences? But my friend of
the cloth, a really intelligent gentleman,
much beloved by his flock, is about to seek
fresh fields and pastures new" under the
smiling skies of America, and meanwhile he
strengthens himself for the battle here by
the fond hope that the days of the Estab-
lished church are numbered, and that the
Withdrawal from this institution of the state