The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-11-19
ing from my s;ory, and must not weary

arrived, did I scan .he familiar faces
and note the changes that time had
effected during my long absence.
The light in our church, as you may
have observed is always n subdued
one-partly owing to the dark glass
window there above the altar-so that
by frequently moving the nictitatng
membrane OF the eye | am enabled to
observe what passes pretty clearly.
Well, to my surprise, the old pew
about which am telling you remained
that day empty, and remembering
their previous regularity, | grew more
and more apprehensive as to what
might have befallen its joint occu-
pants.
However. on the following Sunday
morning l soon discovered that my
favorites were there. But, alas! how
altered from the blithe and light
hearted couple whom l can even yet
recall. Clothed in black, and with
heavy, downcast eyes. their lined and
harrassed faces bore evidence to some
bitter anguish within.
at once conjectured that their son
must be dead. But, no, was mistak
en-. From scraps Of talk let fall by the
sexton in the vestry, gathered that
he had been found guilty of crime,
and had been condemned to penal SER
vitude for several years. That inno-
cent babe, whom l saw baptized at the
sacred font, had attempted to commit
a murder-had tried to kill a man!
/ was not astoniShed now at the
striking change produced In his par
ents; nor that after this they seemed
to wax older and feebler every Sunday.
their hair turning whiter and their
frames more shaky They were among
the saddest sights that 1t has ever
been ny lot to witness.
At length there came Sunday when
the cid man appeared alone, and from
his deep mourning and woebegone as
pect knew that his wife must be dead.
Her funeral took place the next day,
and the old man was there. But, as
had anticipated judging from my own
parents case, he was not long in fol-
lowing her to the grave.
Three Sundays later his place was
also vacant, and the pew stood DESC
late and empty. The old couple died
their son, and it was some years later
V,
which I will now relate.
1t was New Years eve, and there
had been evensong-at the usual hour,
for our good old rector was getting
too infirm to undertake a midnight
service. How well l remember the
sermon that evening! 1t was one OF
the most eloquent that he ever preach
ed. The ground was white with snow,
which was lying deep and still falling,
oh, so fast. The church door was
standing partly open, the sexton being
busted in the vestry.
The lights were burning low, and all
was very calm and STILL when | saw
and heard a man creep softly through
the door and into the church. Bowed.
attenuated and ragged, with hair
cropped quite close, some instinct told
me that this could only be one man
and he once the little boy with the
curly hair and bright blue eyes, so like
what his mothers had been when she
was still pretty Rose.
! watched him intently as he stole
up the aisle cautiously and slowly, un-
til he reached the well-known pew.
Then, when he had stood there some
minutes, | observed by the shaking OF
his shoulders-for his face was turned
away from me-that the man was
weeping. He did not venture to seat
himself therein, but hesitatingly. and
with feeble gait, he again moved up
the aisle and toward the altar just be-
meath the beam upon which l was
perched.
saw that he was gazing up at the
painted window, where the CruclhXlCn
is depicted. In the dim light of the
church the surrounding figures We're
nearly lost; the cross alone stood out
wildly dark against the white land
scape beyond. Then the man crouched
lower and lower, until he reached the
ground and lay there PROSTATE on the
chancel steps. close to the altar.
Suddenly the lights were turned out.
! heard the sexton go away, locking
the door behind him, and it became
certain that the man was shut in for
the night.
1t seemed to me that hours must
have elapsed before the man slowly
raised his head and stared blankly
ground him, as if he had forgotten
what were his surroundings, and was
wondering how he had got there. Then
his eyes were attracted by and rested
on the black cross thrown into relief
By the background Of pure white snow.
"All blood!' he gasped breathlessly.
Blood. blood-everywhere bloodw
He threw back his head with a fren-
zied action, and | could imagine that
his conntenance must be fearful in its
terror. Still apparently under this aw-
ful ha!lucination, he writhed into
lneeling posture. Involuntarily his
hands were extended upward TO the
cross, with a gesture OF frantic plead
ing. Then great sob echoed through
the church.
Though your sins be as red as scar
let they shall be white as snow"
Was it voice or a whisper? Or
was it wave OF soft angelic music
that came floating round the altar, as
if part of heaven Itself? / know not
to this day.
But surely the man also heard it,
for his attitude had changed. The
strained muscles relaxed in their rigid
ity, the whole figure collapsed
A lnT LONG CiU OH IN hn