The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-06-17
A FINE CELLAR OF WINE.

expected the very simplest of fare in
the humble house of nv friend. and nv
expectations, so far as fish, fowl, and
hesh were concerned, were realized. But
when had tasted a glass of port was
SO struck with the extraordinary fineness
OF Its flavor, its body, and its bouquet
that was obliged to ask him straiobtlv
where he managed to pick up such a
treasure in these DAYS of adulteration
and high prices
:, lll tell you Tomorrow he replied,
alter you have visited my churcn.''
The association of splendid port wine
with an obscure Norfolk church seemed
TO me little remote, but knew from the
old gcntleman's manner that he had \
story To tell, So i said no more.
Accordingly the next morning ! ac-
cQmpanled him to the church. 1t was
one ct those spacious, imposing eIfices
so frequently to be seen in the eastern
counties, built a most upon the verge of
the sea. My host showed me a very old
tomb with a battered canopy and some
half-ettaced escutcllrons and much drlicatr
tracery.
. Tomb of the first lord of the manor"
date unknown, but popularity called Sir
Dicks slab There are lots of similar
tombs about here everywhere. But you
don see anything extraordinary about
the structure of the tomb itself? No.
" ell, Pm not surprised at ii. But look
here -
;" saying he placed his thumb on the top
ol the helmet surmounting the drfaced
coat OF arms, and Immediately the whole
ol the front OF the tomb under the slab
began To sink below the pavement. AT the
same time disclosing a dark Walt, up which
came that damp, earthly smell peculiar to
cryPlS and charncl hoIlSeS. Then, stoop-
lny down and pressing the little stone
helmet again, he caused the store to AS
cehd to It's normal position
ol course my curiosity was intensified,
and wanted to hear the story at once.
But the old gentleman said
NO, although lt's not a Ionr warn il
can't very well be told aS we are standinr
mere; :" Wen have it over another vlasS
oi that old I'o:t tonight"
SO, when We bad drawn our chairs
round the fire, and taken Our first sil> of
the famous port, lie began:
have been here nearly tittv Years.
and when WAS first appointed thcr,.
wasn't Il hotter place in all En-. .Iaul ior
smuggling -cNcrpl, perhaps, Cornwall or
Scotland or Homncv marsh
never SAW my predecessor. for the
very good Reason that the living had been
vacant for ten years previously for reasons
which you shall hear presently. NV sur
PRISE, th' rri"rr, may be imagined when.
III the course of my inspection Of the
premises, | came upon a cellar filled with
All sorts OF WINE Il spirits How it was
that they had remained undiscovered and
untouched during the ten years interval
between the departure OF my predecessor
| could not find out, until took into nv
service As gardner al old fellow who told
me what follows:
Z" The last rector, the Rev Mr. Airport,
was appointed here in 1872 Not many
days alter his arrival he came into the
church for some purpose or other, and,
discovering a curious old registry in the
veStry, took 1t into the parsonage pew,
which stands exactly opposite Sir Dicks
slab, to examine Over the volume he
fell asleep. When he awakened the
church was quite dark, and, As it was
milwintcr, very cold. OF course he
jumped up, amazed and not IA liltlc awcl
ut his position, for there was as much su-
pcrStitlon in those days amongst clu-
Gated folk as there Is now amongst the
lower classes. He was about to grupe his
his way out of the pew, when he was ar
rested by an extraordinary noise which
has
but which seemed to be suppressed sub
terranean thunder
Suddenly he saw faint ray of light
where he knew was Sir Dicks slab.
Brighter and broader it grew, and then,
much to his relief, but still more to his as
tonishmcnt, a human head appeared inside
the tomb, followed by the remainder of
very big and burly human body, which
was succeeded bv more heads and bodies,
until a group of half dozen men stood
on the pavement of the aisle.
"Smuyglers OF course they were, and
now the poor parson was seized by a
dread. The st. Edwards smugglers
were notorious as desperate crew.
Many of them had been pressed for the
French war, had escaped, and as there
was price on tncIr heads, and their
hands against every mans, they regarded
desperate crimes as necessary incidents Of
their calling
"Thcy were evidently in high spirits,
and moppcl their browS rs they sat, some
Oh the tomb itself, some on the wooden
seat near, passing round a big lcathcrn
jack OF liquor, talking in an almost incom
prchcnsihle dialect, and even going 80 far
rs to light their pipes. The Rev. Mr.. All
port was no coward when dealing with or
dinary humanity, and, as he crouched i'll
the pew, pcerlng at the weird group
through an opening in the curtains, he re-
volved in his mind what his next move
should be.
"a notion struck him suddenly. The
vcstry was within few yards Of him,
and he could get to it by door at the
other end of the pew. Silently and eau
tionsly he groped his way along, and in
Il few minutes reappeared with white
surplice. Arranging it so that his face
was completely shrouded, he seized the
opportunity of lull in the smuyglers'
talk, and, standing on Il hussock, stretched
out one sheeted arm and uttered sepul-
chral groan.
"Thc effect was magical. These big,
bearded fellows, who cared for no man,
who faced danger with laughs of defiance,
were seized with the most ludicrous panic,
and tumbIed head over heels through the
opening in the tomb, leaving the church