The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-23
THE SEXTON'S STORY.
BY DAVID q. DAVIDSON.

fast approaching shower till the firsi
great drops which herald the coming
tempest battered around me, now and
then one striking me and going through
my thin summer coat.
Hooked up and saw that / was Just
passing the gate OF a country cemetery,
and a short distance from the gate i es-
pied a clump of trees, under which 1
thought / might find temporary shelter
from the dash OF rain that / knew would
soon be upon me.
Passing through the gate, I went up
the pathway a short distance and / dis
covered a rustic house in the centre of the
group of trees which ] had seen from the
road. | started towards this house, when
a fash OF lightning nearly blinded me.
When / recovered from the shock, the
clouds had gathered SO thickly that /
peered into darkness as / approached the
rustic house. As l was entering the door
an apparent apparition arose before me,
and 1 started back at the sight of an old
man, all in white, with a long snow-white
beard and hollow eyes, who looked as il
he might be a tenant OF one OF the old
graves near by.
But a welcome from him, uttered in a
very pleasant voice, treasured me, and |
entered just as the shower burst in all it's
fury.
AS took a seat beside the old man, he
said:
"Rather a dismal place to be caught in
a thunder shower, isn't It'll"
"Well, yes" | answered, ait is so. !
am glad TO nave company. But how hap
pened you 10 be here at this time, il
may ask?"
"Why, certainly, you may ask such .
question. j am here to prepare a place
for one OF my tenants. You see i have
been sexton OF this cemetery for forty
years, and have come to look upon ali
the inmates as my tenants.
Hooked a little way from where we sat,
and the pile of fresh earth indicated the
place where he had made preparation for
the new tenant.
Another binding fash Of lightning
made me involuntsrily start, and as the
peal of thunder which followed died
way j said:
"Forty years; that's a long time. !
suppose you could tell some interesting
stories from your experience here?"
"Yes," answered the old sexton; ait
l had the faculty OF storytelling ] could
find enough to make many stories"
Whose grave are got making read
now?" / queried.
Mrs. Trescott's," he said, in a mus
manner, and ] asked:
"And who might Mrs. Prescott bef"
The old sexton sat in a study for a M
ment, and then replied:
"Who was Mrs. Prescott? Well, III
have to begin at the beginning. Sixty
years ago Thomas and Robert Edmund
came to this town from England. The
two men were brothers and had married
sisters. Thomas, the eldest, was a wild
over with one daughter three years o.
age. Roberts wife was an invalid, and
their family consisted OF o son also three
years old.
"These two brothers built those two
houses that you can get a glimpse Of owe
the tops OF the trees yonder. The house
stand side by side, and In the rear, be-
tween the two, stands a gardeners house,
where lived Richard Prescott, a gardener,
whom the Edmunds brothers had
brought with them from England.
Richard Trescott's wife was a thorough
lady, me they had one on, Richard, jr.,
four years of age.
1.-THE two brothers built the large
wooden mill which you passed just below
here, and for many years the business
went on. The brothers intended that
Edward and Alice should wee at an early
age, and the property thus be kept in the
family.
Richard Prescott had been gardener
for the family for many years in Eng
land, and had succeeded his father, and
so he had grown up with the brothers.
1t was only natural, therefore, that little
Richard should be the playmates Of Ed
ward and Alice.
"All was we'll for several years, but
when the cousins were twelve or thirteen
years OF age a slight trouble commenced
Edward had a hasty temper and an over
bearing disposition, and so, on account
his superior standing and the knowl-
edge that Alice was his intended wife, O
was aroused blythe strong
between Alice and Richard,
and this Jealousy had frequent outbursts
young Richard was a manly fellow.
and stood Edwards insults in a calm and
quiet manner never resenting any OF his
Matters went on thus until Edward
Alice were sixteen, and by this time
the young nan had become so exasper-
ated that he told his father OF the state OF
affairs. Thomas was soon informed, and
r stormy scene ensued. The result was
hat Richard Prescott was obliged TO
the employ OF the brothers and sc
the town.
"soon after this Thomas. the elder |
brother, was taken seriously ill, and
fearing that he might not live TO see the |
union OF his daughter and her cousin, he
endeavored by the most urgent pcrsua-
sion, to make her promise that his desire
be realized on her twenty first
birthday.
"Por long time the girl refused e
comply with this demand, but at length
when IL became evident that her father
not recover, she consented.
And so Thomas died, and it was un-
that his will provided that ir
,ase Alice died before she was twenty
her half OF the property should e.
% Edward, and i'm case she passed he
twenty first birthday without marrying
her cousin he would take the property
.he same.
"As Edward grew Older he showed
OF dissipation, and efter n few yrar,
{ became a common thing for him 10 60
.at..a .N n I.ex 49,. - 49,. .s-Hs -. |