Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-05-16

Ii was the night before Easter morn
Ing. The little village-by the murmur-
ing creek was half-hidden in the mys-
teal. varory. starry gloom of Rus
sian night in springtime. The neigh
boring wood flung blacklist shadows on
the fields beside it. All was silent
The village slumbered,
Hours passed, and long before the
night was gone its still charm was
broken. Lights began to glimmer in
the windows of cottages whose wretch
edness was disguised in the bewiteh-
ing springtime gloom of night. A gate
ereaked The tread of a foot was heard
here and there. Heavy figures. darkly
outlined emerged from the shades of
the wood \ dog barked. and then an
other and another.
Then horseman clattered along the
village street A passing cart groaned
an creaked under IT'S early morning
burden The darkly-outlined figures
increased in number. The villagers be-
gan 10 gather in the church to bid well
come to the spring holiday.
II was a quaint little church. 1t
stood upon a hillock in the middle Of
the village. All at once its windows
glowed dimly among the shadows.
Then their bright less Increased. The
church was all alight.
High into the darkness overhead
reached the old belfry tower. The top
WAS lost in the azure gloom.
Then the rickety belfry stairs began
to creak Old Micheich. the bellringer,
=. 1T In N
tern hung in the bell window, shining
like new star in the sky.
II was hard for the old man to climb
those steep and crooked stairs. His
old eyes no longer served him, and he,
like they, was worn out.
As he climbed. he pondered. 1t was
time. indeed. he thought that he should
rest. But God would not send him
death. He had seen his children bur
led He had stood by the open graves
OF his grandchildren. He had followed
the old to their last resting-place. He
had followed the young there, too.
But still he lived and lived. 1t was
hard
Many time had he welcomed the
Easter morning-so many times that
he could not recall them all. He had
even forgotten how often in later
years he had hoped for death in this
same old belfry, as he hoped for il
now And yet this early morning God
had brought him there once more.
4 II was not yet time for him to ring
the merry peals. and the old man tot
tered 10 the belfry window and looked
out over the railing. Below him in
the darkness he could dimly see the
neglected graves. The white wooden
crosses at their heads seemed to be
guarding them with widestretched
arms Here and there a few birch
trees bent naked branches forlornly
over the mounds and the aromatic
odors Of their young buds arose on the
silent air to Micheich snostrils. They
bore to him tale Of tranquil, eternal
sleep.
Where would lie be year from this
moment? Would he be there again.
Would he have once more climbed into
that tower under the clamorous copper
bells 10 awaken the slumbering night
with their sharp. resounding strokes:
Or would he lie out there in dark
corner of the cemetery with white
cross guarding his everlasting sleep?
God alone knew He was ready to
debut in the meantime God had
brought him into the belfry once more
10 welcome the Easter morning.
ITO the glory of Godr'
His old lips repeated the oft-spoken
formula and his old eyes gazed int
the deep sky above burning with its
millions upon millions of stars.
..AIicheich! Micheichr
The voice came from below. 1t was
the old sexton who had come from the
church into the graveyard beneath the
tower and was gazing upward, with
lbs hands shading his blinking, tear
Iiioistened eyes in vain effort to make
out the form Of the bellringer in tbs
darkness overhead.
What do you wantE' answered OLD
Micheich, bending over the railing
.fm here. Can't you see meT
II do not see," cried the sexton. III
Ii not time to ring: What do yol
Think
Both gazed upon the stars. Thous
ands Of Gods lanterns were blinking
at them from the armament Tn
night was waning, Micheich thought