The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-02-14

without lingering. into the church. and
so take their seats and have half an hour
longer to wait in silence and good behav-
ior with liability to discipline For rod
is ever ready in church as well as at
home. for the back of him who shows
himself void of understanding The
fugleman. who welded that rod was
strong of arm: and no boy could call him
self fortunate. or boast that he had es
capped the scourge of folly till the service
was fairly done
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. laal Lose not this morning s
sightl Be in timel Quick. laggardl'' an
so forth, each to the other
At Norwich Mill. Mistress Barbara
Humble would not go to church. though
her brother did. Nor would she let any
other of the household go. neither her
man nor her maid, nor the stranger, if
any. that was within her gates; but at
1890 of the clock she cali them together
and read aloud the Penitehtial 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 a 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 and holidays-that
of 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 "Nec aspera terrent. He walked
slowly down the aisle with the precision
of a machine. and his face was remark
able, because he was on duty. for having
no expression whatever You cannot draw
face or in any way present the efigy 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
faces-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, a funeral or wedding, to set man
in the stocks and to stand over him, to
cane boy for laughing in church. to put
a 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 lad in white sheet and
remain with him while he did public pen
ance for his fault. He was constable,
clerk and guardian of the peace
The boy who followed him was a tall
and lusty youth past 49, who might very
well have passed for IS; boy with rosy
cheeks. blue eyes and brown hair; but his
eyes were downcast. his cheek was flushed
with shame because he was clad from
head to foot in long white sheet, and he
was placed so clothed. for the space of
balf an hour, while the bells rang for SER
rice 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,
The porch of Warkworth church Is
large and square, fifteen feet across, with
a stone bench on either side. The bow
was stationed within the porch on the
eastern side, and close to the church door,
so that all those who passed in must needs
behold him At his left hand stood the