The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-05-09
THE CHURCH MILITANT.
BY BARRY PAIN.

As I passed the vicarage, thought
that il looked n likely place. walked
IN a few yards, and then it. seemed
10 me pity not to see if the place was
as good as it looked. So 1 went back
and asked at the back door if they could
give me job of work.
The kitchenmaid said there was no
work for me, and she was not inclined
n talk. But she fetched me some bread
and cheese, and had n chance to look
round / marked the scullery window;
II was out of sight of the road, fas-
tened with the usual simple catch, with
no bars or shutters. A regular invita-
tion-a window like that is. 1t seemed
to me one-man jolt, and just MS good
that night as any other night.
So that night, by half-past ten, was
IN the shrubbery Of the vicarage gar
den, smoking my pipe and watching
the house. There was only one light;
twas in the study " indows downstairs
AT II o'clock that light went out and
another appeared in the upstairs will
dow. That's all right" l said to my
self Parsons finished writing his
sermon and gone up to bed" When the
whole house was dark, went round 1t
once or twice, just to see how things
lay. l couldn't find anything better
than the scullery window, but that was
quite good enough. l was impatient
to begin, but did not consider it safe
to start work until half-past twelve.
The window gave me more trouble than
] had expected; the catch was very
stiff, and had nothing but my pocket
knife to force it back with. However,
! got ii back at last and opened the win
dow very slowly, an inch at n time, maxi
ing no noise. Then l got in.
no sooner got my feet down OH the
scullery floor than was knocked head
long, and found a 13-stone weight on
my chest. l asked it, speaking under
difficulties, to get off again. l was a
bit dazed, for l had come down hard
and bumped my head, but l saw the
only thing to do was to sham drunk,
end spoke thickly. undid one end
Of my collar, pulled my hair over my
forehead, hung my lower lip, and put
on bleary stare. BY the time that
man had got off my chest, struck a
match on the heel of his boot, and lit the
candle behind him, looked complete
drunk If ever any man did.
| could see now that the man who
had knocked me over was Rev. Will
liam Lake himself. And the more l
looked at him, the more felt sorry that
] had ever come.
WELL" he said, you dirty little
gnger-headed, two-penny half-penny
scoundrel, what are you doing here"'
hiccoughcd and answered.: Thor
thish was my housh--nummer twenty
Willetsh Terrish. Amt thish rip"
THAT won't do he said; II heard
you round the house an hour ago--or l
shouldn't have been here waiting for
you. Besides, drunken men don't
open windows that way. You're not
drunk. Drop it."
thought about it for n moment, and
saw that there was good deal in what
he said. So dropped 1t. l fastened
my collar again, sat up, and pulled OH
my cap.
Very WELL" 1 said, "then what's tho
move now?"
| suppose he saw my hand slipping
round, for he said, quickly: Have you
any weapouA?"
Bless you, no! I only"
Before l could finish he was sitting
on me again. 1 tried smash at him
but he caught my wrist and nigh broke
1t. After that I didn't try again. II
wasn't only that he was bigger, heavier
and stronger than most men; he was
quick as light, and you could never
tell from his eye what he was going to
90 next. He went all over me carefully
and took my knife, and the shooter, and
my Jenny. Then saw that the game
was up.
What silly little liar you arel" he
said.
AS 1 have said, saw that it was al
up, and couldn't make it any worse
l was a good deal disappointed, and
mad been roughly handled, and alto
gether was not in the sweetest temper
90 l spoke out. said that did not
want any adjective omitted) preach
ing from substantive omitted) lik,
himself. All ! asked was what his lad
,ective omitted) move WINS.
If you swear any MORE" he said, ".
snail be compelled TO cause you consid
Hrable Dhysical painv
had bumped head and barket
s'oow. I was fairly copied, and m,