Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-11-22
out in the fields, and in the fair mea

Out in the fields, and in the fair mea-
dows, and down the riverside. and along
the quiet country paths. and among the
woods which hang above the winding Of
the Coquet, the sound of the bell quick
ened the steps Of those who were leisurely
making their way to church, so that every
man put best foot for'ard, with a
Hurry up, ladl Lose not this mornings
sight Be in timel Quick. laggard" and
so forth, each to the other.
AZ Norwich Mill, Mistress Barbara
Humble would not go to church, though
her brother did. Nor would she let any
other of the household 60, neither her
man nor her maid nor the stranger, II
any, thai was within her gates; but at
1890 of the clock she called them together
and read aloud the Penitential Psalms and
the combination service.
The show meantime, had begun. At
the first stroke of the bell there walked
forth from the vestry room little process
sion Of two. First came tall, spare man
of 60 or so, bearing before him pike.
He was himself as straight and erect as
the pike he carried; he wore his best suit.
very magnificent, for it was his old uni
form kept for Sundays aud holidays--that
of a sergeant IN the Fourteenth, or Berk-
shire Regiment of Foot, namely. black
three cornered hat, scarlet coat, faced
with yellow and with yellow cuffs, scarlet
waistcoat and breeches, white carriers and
white cravat On the hat was in silver
the white horse Of his regiment and the
motto Nee aspera terrent." He walked
slowly down the aisle with the precision
of machine. and his face was remark
able, because he was on duty, for having
no expression whatever You cannot draw
a face or in any way present the efIigy of
human face which shall say nothing;
that is beyond the power of the rudest or
the most skilled artist; but some men
have acquired this power over their own
-diplomatists or soldiers they are
by trade. This man was a soldier. He
was so good soldier that he had been
promoted, first to be corporal. then to be
sergeant and lastly to be fugleman, whose
place was in the front before the whole
regiment and whose duty it was to lead
the exercises at the word of command
with his pike. In his age and retirement
he acted as the executive officer in all
matters connected with the ecclesiastical
and civic functions Of the town. whether
TO lead the responses, to conduct bap-
tism, funeral or wedding. TO set man
in the stocks and to stand over him, to
cane boy for laughing in church. to put
vagrant in pillory and stand beside him;
to tie up an offender TO the cart tail and
give him five dozen, or. as In the present
case, TO wrap led in white sheet and
remain with him while he did public pen
ance for bis fault. lie was constable.
clerk and guardian of the peace.
The boy who followed him was tall
and lusty youth past 1G, who might very
well have passed for IS; boy with rosy
cheeks. blue eyes and brown hair. but his
eyes wore downcast. his check was flushed
with shame because he was clad from
hoad to foot in long white sheet, and he
was placed so clothed, for the space of
half an hour while the bells rang for ser
vice in the church porch. and then to
stand up before all the congregation to
ask pardon Of the people and to repeat
the lords Prayer aloud in token Of re
pentance.
Tho porch of Warl;worth church is
large snd square, fifteen feet across. with
stone bench on either side The boy
was stationed within tho porch on the
eastern side, and close to the church door
50 that all those who passed IN must needs
behold him At his left hand stood the