The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-11-04
LOCKED IN A CHI URCH.
Unusual Experience of Bro lkIyn News
paper Man.


paper Man.
from the Chicago Chronicle.l
A newspaper man of this city had a
singular experience a short time ago
which he would not care to repeat.
Having a business engagement with a.
certain Brooklyn clergyman, who has
one of the cutest little studios in the
city, where some of the best sermons
that come from a Brooklyn pulpit are
made and sealed but not delivered I'M
til the following Sunday, the newspa-
per man met the clergyman in question,
according to appointment. Thes study Is
in tower up a winding staircase that
reminds one of an intellectual cork
screw, and the ascent of which is likely
to frighten bores and inqusitive intru-
ders on a minister's time and patience.
The tenant of the little sky parlor.
from the windows of which the city
spreads out before the spectator de-
signed 1t himself and, although a man
of weight morally, mentally and physi-
were a boy in his teens 1t is wonder
full to see the ease and grace with which
he does this aerial act. 1t puzzles his
visitors, and they frequently look as If
they were in a brown study themselves.
debating in their minds as to whether
the doctor has taken a course of GYM
nastics or whether in the best Sense of
the term he has been sparring for wind.
But, however, to return to the story.
The newspaper man had transacted his
business, babe the clergyman good
night, and after receiving the latter's
caution about finding his way out.
started down the little staircase on his
way home. The seeker after news nod
ded his head in a pleasant way, as if
there We're no doubt about 1t, but al
this point it was the unexpected came
in. He reached the end of the spiral
staircase and of another fight, and at
this time there began to be a flight in
the imagination. He pushed forward
boldly, however, and as he was doing
his level best to make his exit, the sex
ton was heard running in another di-
rection, and before the newspaper man
had time to divine his idea the lights
went out as if they had been extin
guished by machinery. Then came a
soliloquy over Shakespeares PUT out
the light and then put out the light"
with a special emphasis on the word
"then."
1t was Saturday night, and the sex
ton was probably anxious to do his
marketing, but what was the newspa-
per man to do? The air was chilly and
clammy, and a suggestion of catacombs
made its unpleasant intrusion on the
church prisoner. He pounded and
kicked the doors and called in vain to
the sexton, who had undertaken to ex-
ercise church economics to the letter by
not wasting light. Surely there was
every indication of spending the night
in the church, and for once the member
of the press realized the meaning of
that abstruse phrase that ne had been
let in on the ground floor. Then came
thought of pneumonia and church mice
with no reason for either except that
the first named was unpleasant and the
latter was suggestive of that charity
with which all newspaper men are run
ming over. Then followed recolleetions
youthful ones, too-of Jeremy Tay-
lor's "Holy Living and Dying" followed
by a feeling of extreme hunger and
thirst. This was succeeded by sicllly
Of breakfast and Sunday
morning devotions.
Then there was a. reaction, when his
imagination grew cold and he pounded
the only thing that he had to lean on
in the world-a church door-and much
to his astonishment and greatly to his
relief came the sexton running and let
the newspaper man out and put stop
to a narrowing tale. 81 thought
heard some one said the doctor. with
a merry twinkle in his eye. what
was the matter?' why" said the
newspaper man, Il was all right until
the light went out, and then was like
a ship without compass" 81 don't
wonder" said the church member
You might have spent the night under
lock and key" And now this little tale
carries a moral to the effect that
church sections should call out before
closing their edifices at night a warn