Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-11-22

room within the chaneei, provided with
chairs and cushions. curtains to keep off
the draught. and fireplace for winter.
After Mr.. Barnaby there walked into
the porch a man dressed in good broad.
cloth with white stockings. and shoes
with silver buckles And his coat had
silver buttons. which marked him for
man Of substance His checks were full
and his face fiery. as If he was one who.
although young. lived we'll, and his eyes
were small and too close together, which
made him look like pig It was Mathew
Humble. Ralph's cousin aud guardian.
at sight of him tho boys face flushed
and his lips parted, but he restrained
himself and said nothing, while the fugle
man gave him an admonitory nudge with
his elbow.
The man looked at Ralph from top to
toe. as if examining into tho arrange
ments and anxious to see that all was
properly and scientifically carried out.
''Ta Ia tar he said with an air Of dis
satisfaction What is thisf Call you
this penance2 Where is the candle2 Did
his worship say nothing about the candle?"
Nothing, replied the fugleman with
shortness.
HE ought to have carried candle.
Dear mel this is irregular This spoils
all But Ahl-bareheaded'- stood
as far back as the breadth of the porch
would allow. SO as to get the full effect
and to observe the picture from the best
point OF view-''in long white sheet
Ali bareheaded and In long white Sheet
Oh, what disgraceful day These are
things. fugleman. which end in the gal
lows For an Embleton tool If the old
man can see il what will he think of the
boy to whom he left the MILF And to beg
pardon"--he smacked his lips with salts
faction-''to beg pardon Of the peoplel
All, and to repeat the Lords prayer in the
church-the Lords prayer-in the church
aloud The Lords prayer-in tho church
-aloud-before all the peoplel Ali Dear
me-dear mel
He wagged his head. as If he could not
tear himself away from the spectacle of
SO much degradation Then he added
with smile Of perfect satisfaction de-
tail which he had forgotten
standing. tool The Lords prayer--in
the church--aloud-bef all the people
standing This is pretty beginning.
fugleman. for sixteen years
If the Lords prayer in itself were some
thing TO be ashamed of he could not have
spoken with greater contempt The boy,
however, looked straight up into the roof
of the porch. made no answer nor seemed
to hear
The speaker held up both hands. shook
his head. sighed and slowly Withdrew into
the church
Then there came down the street an old
lady in white cap. white apron. shawl
and black mittens, an old lady with face
lined all over, with kind soft eyes and
white hair. bat her face was troubled
Beside her walked girl of IL or there
abouts dressed III white frocl1 and straw
hat trimmed with white ribbon. and white
cotton mittens. and she was crying and
sobbing
Thou mayest stand Up in the church"
said the old lady. when he repeats the
Lords Prayer, but not beside Linn in the
porch
"But helped him. she cried "Oh, ]
am as bad as bel am worse, because /
laughed at him and encouraged him"
But thou hast. not been sentenced.
said the old lady 1T is thy punish
ment, child-and a heavy one-to feel
that Ralph bears thy shame and his own.
too"
Il was on one side of the hedge when
Dame Ridley dropped her basket, the
child went ON, crying more bitterly Il
was on one side and he on the other. Obi
obi OIL She said there were two ghosts
| was one"
When they reached the porch the girl,
at sight of the boy in the sheet. ran and
threw her arms about his neck and kissed
him, and cried aloud enough for all within
to hear
"Oh. Ralph. Ralph. it is wicked OF
theml
These words were heard all over the
church. and Mathew Humble sprang TO
his feet, as If deman ling that the speaker
should be carried of to instant execution
for contempt of court. All eyes were
turned upon his w)rship's pew. and |
know not what woul have happened, be
cause his periwig was seen to be agitated
and the gold head CT his stick appeared
above the pew; but luckily just then the
bells FLASHED all together, frightening the
swallows about the tower so that they
flew straight to the castle and stayed
there. and the vicar came out of the
vestry and sat down in the reading desk,
and, rs was his custom. surveyed his
church and congregation for few minutes
before the service began.
II Is an old church Of Norman work in
parts. patched up and rebuilt from time
to time by the Percies, but there are no
monuments Of them The Wears eyes fell
upon plain whitewashed building, pro
vided with rows of ancient and worm
eaten benches worn black by many gen
erations of worshipers The choir and the
music sat at the west end In front OF
the chancel was square space in which
was set a long stool While the vicar
waited the fugleman marched up the
aisle, followed by the boy in the sheet.
and both sat on this stool of repentance
Then the vicar rose-he was benignant
old man, with white har-and began to
read in full and musical voice how sin.
ners may repent and lind forgiveness But
the people thought he meant his words to
apply this morning especially and only
to the boy in the sheet This made
them feel surprisingly virtuous and in
clined TO sing praises with a glad heart.
So. too with the lessons. one of which
dealt with the fate of a wicked king All
the people looked at the boy in the sheet,
and felt that under another name, it was
his own story told beforehand prophet
ically; and when they stood up to sing in
thanksgiving their gratitude took the
form of being glad that they were not
upon the stool When the psalms were
read the people paid unusual attention,
letting the boy have the benefit of all the
pentential utterances. but taking the joy
Gus verses to themselves And the litany
they regarded as composed. as well as
read, exclusively for this convicted sinner.
Among the elder ladies' there was hope
that the offended ghosts might-some at
least--be present in the church and see
this humiliation. which would not fail to
dispose their ghostlinesses to a benevolent
attitude. and even influence the weather
1t seemed to the boy as if that service
never would end To the congregation it
seemed. on account of this unusual cpl
sode. as If there never had been a service
so short and so exciting.
When the commandments had been re-