The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-05-15
THE CHURCH MILITANT.
by BARRY PAIN.

AS l passed the yicarage, thought
that il looked likely place. walked
on few yards. and then it seemed
to me a pity not to see il the place was
as good as it looked. SO ! went back
and asked at the bacl door if they could
give me a job of work.
The kitchcnmaid said there was no
work for me, and she was not inclined
TO talk. But she fetched me some bread
and cheese. and had chance to look
round. | marked the scuilery window:
IL was out Of sight of the road. fas-
tened with the usual simple catch, with
no bars or shutters. A regular invita-
to nc a one-man jolt. and just as good
that night as any other night.
So that night. by half-past ten. was
in the shrubbery OF the yicaragc gar
den. smoking my pipe and watching
the house. There was only one light:
twas in the study windows downstairs
At III o'clock that light went out and
another appeared in the upstairs WIZ
dov. That's all right" said 10 my
self "parson's finishe writing his
ct rInon and gone up TO bed" When the
whole house was dark. went round 1t
once or twice. juss 10 see how things
Law. | couldn'i fini anything better
than the sculery window. but that WAS
quite good enough. | was impatient
10 begin. but / did not consider il safe
TO start work until half-paSt twelve.
The window gave me more trouble than
] had expected; the catch was ,ery
stir. and had nothing but my pocket
knife 10 force IL back with. However
rot il back nj last and opened the vim
dow very slowly. an inch at a time, max
ING no noise Then got IN.
| no sooner got my feet down on the
scullcry floor than was knocked head
long. and fouE! 13-stone weight OF
nv chest. | asked il, speaking under
difficulties, to get OIL again. ! was
bit dazed. for i had come down hare
and bumped my head, but l saw the
only thing to do was TO sham drunk
pnd | spoke thickly. | undid one EN-,
Of my collar. pulled my hair over III!
forehead. hung my lower lip, and pu
on a b,eary stare. l;v the time tina
man had got of my chest, struck
match on the heel Of his boot. and lit TIT
candle behind him. looked complete
drunk IL ever any man did.
could see now hat the man wh'
had knocked me over was Rev. vii
liam Lake himself. And the more
aoolse., nj him. the more felt sorry tina
had ever come.
"WcIl," he said, You dirty ltti
Cinrer-headed. two-penny half-penn.
scoilndrel. what are you doing here?
| hiccoughcd and answered: Tho
thish was my housh- hummer twcnn
Willetsh Tcrrish. Amt thish ri?'
..'rhat won't do" he sai'l; II hear
YOU round the house an hour ago-or
shouldn't have been here waiting TO
You. Besides. drunken men don
open windows that way. You're nc
drunk. Drop it,"
I thought about it for moment, an
saw that there was good deal in wha
he said. So l dropped II. iasHhe
my collar again, sat up, ana puileu y
my cap.
\ ~yery WE'LL" said. then what's ~
move nOw?
I suppose he saw my hand slippin
round. tor he said. quickly: Hive 20
.any weapons:
sBlcss you, no! l only
BEFORE could finish he was sittin
on me again. l tried smash NJ mn
but he caught my wrist and nigh pros
~ After that l didn't try again
wasn't only that he was bigger, hcavi'
and stronger than most men; ne WI
ouick az light, and you could ncv'
tell from his eye what he was going
a. next. lie went all over me careful
and took my knife, and the shooter. al
my Jenny. Then saw tina; the gan
was up.
What q silly little liar you are!'
said.
As have said. / saw that 1t was
mn. and | couldn't make " any wor'
I was good deal disappointed, and
had been roughly handled and all
Ccihcr | was not in the sweete' tempe
s, | spoke out. l said that did II
want any adjective omttcd) Ireae
iny from a substantive omitted y
himself. All | asked was what his 4
icriivc omitted) move was.
III you swear any more he said
shall be compelled to cause you cons
cradle physical pain
had a bumped head and bari
elbow. l was fairly copped. and