Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-05-16
THE CHURCH MILITANT.
BY BARRY PAIN.

AS I passed the vicarage, thought
that it looked n likely place. walked
on a few yards, and then it seemed
to ne pity not to see if the place was
ms good as it looked. So l went back
and asked a the back door if they could
give me a job of work.
The kitchenmaid 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. l marked the scullery window;
it 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 a one-man jolt, and just as good
that night any other night.
So that night, by half-past ten, 1 was
in the shrubbery of the vicarage gar
den, smoking my pipe and watching
the house There was only one light;
it was in the study windows downstairs.
AT IL o'clock that light went out and
another appeared in the upstairs Will
dow That's all right" 1 said to my
self. Parsons finished writing his
sermon and gone up to bed" When the
whole house was dark, went round it
once or twice, just to see how things
lay. 1 couldn't find anything better
than the scullery window, but that was
quite good enough. / was impatient
to begin, but did not consider it safe
to start work until half-past twelve.
The window gave me more trouble than
I had expected; the catch was very
stiff, and l had nothing but my pocket
knife to force it back with. However,
/ got it back at last and opened the win
dow very slowly, an inch at a time, max
ing no noise. Then L got in.
/ no sooner got my feet down OH the
=scullery floor than / was knocked head
dong, and found a 13-stone weight on
nv chest. I asked it, speaking under
difficulties, to get off again. I was q
bit dazed, for L had come down hard
and bumped my head, but 1 saw the
only thing to do was to sham drunk
end 1 spoke thicl>ly. I undid one end
of my collar, pulled my hair over my
forehead, hung my lower lip, and put
ON a bIeary 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, I looked a complete
drunk if ever any man did.
l could see now that the man who
had knocked me over was Rev. vii
liam Lake himself. And the more
looked at him, the more / felt sorry thai
I had ever come.
We'll" he said, you dirty little
ginger-headed, two-penny haf-penny
scoundrel, what are you doing here ?
1 hiccoughed and answered: Thor
thish was my housh-nummer twenty
Willetsh Terrish. Amt thish ri ?"
THAT won't do" he said; 81 heard
you round the house an hour ago-or
shouldn't have been here waiting fol
YOU. Besides, drunken men dom
open windows that way. You're no
drunk Drop it"
1 thought about it for a moment, anG
saw that there was good deal in wha
he said. So 1 dropped it, 1 fastened
my collar again, sat up, and pulled OF
my cap.
VERY WE'LL" said, ''then what's tn
move now?"
L suppose he saw my hand slippin,
round for he said, quickly: Have yol
any weapons?
'.Bless you, no! I only"
Before 1 could finish he was sittin!
aon me again. 1 tried smash at hin
but he caught my wrist and nigh brok
lit. After that didn't try again. !
wasn't only that he was bigger, heavie
sand stronger than most men; he wa
quick as light, and you could neve
-~do next He went all over me CAREFUL
<and took my knife, and the shooter, an
my Jenny. Then L saw that the gam
was up.
What silly little liar you are!" h
=said.
As have said, / saw that it was a
up, and 1 couldn't make it any wors,
I was a good deal disappointed, and
had been roughly handled, and alto
xgether was not in the sweetest tempe
So 1 spoke out. 1 said that did nc
want any adjective omitted) preacl
ing from a substantive omitted) liz
himself. All I asked was what his (at
iective omitted) move was.
IF you swear any more" he said,
shall be compelled to cause you coHsit
cradle physical pain
I had bumped head and barke
elbow. L was fairly copped. and N