The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-07-27
A TRAGEDY.

There were three Of us in the church.
yard-Nicodemus Matthew and myself
1t was evening, and the spent sunlight was
fading along the uplands and gone alto
gether from the meadows In the valley.
Nicodemus had spent the entire afternoon
In digging grave for old Nanny, who
died yesterday and is to be buried day aft
or tomorrow. Matthew had strolled over
from his cottage door to watch him give
the finishing touches to 1t. had joined
them out Of sheer idleness, having moth
ing better to do The three Of Us now sat
on the tomb which forms sort Of table
over the ashes Of some gentleman long
since dead-so long indeed that his name
and titles. II he had any, have disappeared
from the stone. Nicodemus, smelling tho
tobacco which Matthew and smoked In
peace, produced his own pipe and lighted
1t. The smoke coming freely, no nodded
toward the newly made grave.
"The six and sixtieth, I" said Nicodemus.
(Which Is to say the sixty sixth dur
Ing my incumbency, as you may term 1t.
Clerk and sexton of this parish have been
for two and twenty years come Trinity,
and this Is the sixty xth grave that have
dug"
'Tis q fair slice Of death work." said
Matthew, "six and sixty deaths in 80
short space as two and twenty year.
Truly, as the good book says, In the midst
of life we are In DEATH Two and twenty
into six and sixty is-let's see--yes, is
three. Three solemn reminders per an
mum, as you may say, that all flesh Is
grass"
"They've all got to come to me-" said
Nicodemus musingly. "Every one Of 'em
IMAM, woman and child. It doesn't
matter how rich they are or how poor,
they've got to come in the end. Six feet
by three is all they get-sometimos less,
but not often more-and none of 'em car
ries anything away with EN-"
"No," said Matthew. "That's certain.
Naked came they into the world and naked
go they OUT
"Aye, even old Neddy, with all his gold
pieces" said Nicodemus.
"Ah," said Matthew, "though he, in
u way of speaking, took 'em up to the
very gates, eh? Carried 'em as far as is
possible, you might say"
''Ile did. A curious story was that"
said Nicodemus, glancing at me. "a sort
of story writer's story, similar TO the ro-
mancing pieces they print in books but
nevertheless true"
After had limited that I should like to
hear that story Matthew remarked that
there was chilly wind coming round the
chancel corner, and Nicodemus said that
sitting on tombstones gave him rheu-
matte pain in the small Of the back. We
therefore went over the stile to the Three
Kings and sat down against the fire in the
kitchen. There was nobody there but Ben
jamin Trip, the landlord, and after he
had filled our mugs he leaned against the
doorpost smoking his churchwarden and
listening. "That old Neddy, now," said
Nicodeums thoughtfully. II can just call
him to mind and that's ALL for tits good
five and forty year since 1t happened to
him, and was then lad of maybe IL
year old.
"Six and forty year come st. Martini"
said Benjamin Trip. ~ remember 1t as
II 'twere yesterday seeing as were mar
ried the week before"
II dare say you're right" said Nico.
demus. "Things have escaped me good
deal Of late on account of having so many
things to keep In mind-buryings and
christenings and weddings and such
like
"This being rare parish for marrying
and giving In marriage and likewise for
the bringing into the world Of babies and
stockings, as the saying is," said Mat
thew.
"But about old Neddy," continued Mo
odemus, (which was case of burying by
his own act, and therefore remarkable.
He lived, did old Neddy, at the Lone Ash
farm, and there was neither kith nor kin
to look after him, and his one idea was to
get money and keep 1t. All his life he
was the biggest old skinflint that ever
lived In this parish, which contains mul-
iitudinous variety Of human characters
"All sorts and conditions of men, as the
prayer book has IL, " interrupted Matthew.
"Thoy did say" resumed Nicodemus
thoughtfully, that the old chap never
bought but one good coat I'm his life, and
that no used to get his hats Oft the scare
crows In tho 'taty fields. However that
might be''-
Gospel truth was that there" said
Benjamin Tripp.
"Woll, was going Co say, whether 10
was or IL wasn't, old Neddy was particu-
larly noar In all his dealings, and looked
to every penny M II it had been golden
pound. Usod to rake tho ashes off tho
kitchen fire after everybody had gone to
bed and count the candle ends to 500 that
tho lasses wcron't oxtrayagant with thom.
I've heard IL said that hod spend hours
bargaining over n sixpcnco''--
"Thrccponco," said benjamin.
"And, Of courso--slxponco or thrccpence
this course of life caused him to got to
gcthor deal Of money. and ne became
rich man for these parts. and had gold
and silver In much abundance. But then
he was always afraid Of thieves"
AVE" said Matthew. ''of course no