The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-07-26


were scattered here
and there upon it. A light still burn
od in the vestry, while Solomon
,ruc9Iebackit, the sexton, waited on
the porch for the minister to come
forth.
"There'u be shaw the night" he
muttered, placing the key in the oaken
door preliminary to locking up;
Dtberen be shaw the night, or I'm sair
mistaken. And the Annan's rising
IFS shaving moo amang the hills
All at once the light in the vestry
was eztinguished, and the minister,
man about fifty years of age, appeared
On the threshold wrapped in a heavy
winter cloak and carrying a thick
staff
oLCck up, Solomon, my man. he
said
Solomon Obeyed, turning the key in
the inner door, and then that of the
cutter one Of solid oak, while the min
ister stood waiting on the path. Then
the two side by side, and with much
the same kind of mechanical trot,
passed across the churchyard, pausing
now and again to struggle with the
fierce gusts, and to hold on their head
gear-the sexton his Sunday bonnet"
and the minister his broad brimmed
clerical hat
Reaching the iron gate, which was
rattling and creaking in the wind, they
descended three moss-grown steps. and
reached the highway. Here all was
pitch dark, for the shadow of tall yew-
trees fell from the other side, deepen
ing the nocturnal blackness; but,
crossing the road, they opened another
yeW-trees grew, and reached the door
CT the manse
Standing here in complete shelter,
they heard the "sough' of the blast
overhead among the tossing boughs,
like the wild thunder of stormy sea-
The manse was a plain two-story
building, as old as the times of the
Covenant and containing numberless
cheeress chambers, the majority of
which were unfinished. Here the
Reverend Sampson Lorraine had
dwelt in solitude for fve-and-twenty
years. He had come to the place as
shy young bachelor, student, and
a booSwOrm; and despite all the sieges
that had been laid to his heart, as was
inevitable in a place where marriage
able men We're few and spinsters many,
a bachelor he had remained ever since.
People said that love disappointment
IN early life had made him thereafter
mvulnerable to all the charms of wom-
en-, but at first his single condition
made him very popular. Presently,
however, as his position as a bachelor
grew more confirmed. and his eccentri-
cities increased, he ceased to awaken
much interest
Opening the door with latch-key,
he entered a bare lobby, and striking
light, led the way into large room
on the ground floor. 1t was scantily
furnished with an old carpet, an old
fashioned circular table with drawers,
were numerous shelves, covered with
books. The room had two large win
dGwS looking on the back lawn which
SIoped down to the river, but was with
out curtains of any kind
fire burned on the hearth, and a
rude box of peat fuel stood by the
nreside. One side of the table was
spread with a clean cloth, on which
stood a tray with bread, oatcake,
cheese, and butter, and a large stone
Water-jug, black-bottle, and some
glasses.
Sit We down, Solomon" said the
minister, placing lighted candle on
the table
solomon stood, hat in hand. Every
sunday evening for many long year
he mad entered the house in the same
way, at the same hour, and received
NE same invitation.
Seen in the dim light of the room,
Sne sexton was little wizened, white
haired man, with hoary, bushy eye
oPoWs, keen gray eyes, and sunken,
tanned cheeks. He was dressed in de-
V5nt black. with a white shirt, and the
AIhd OF collar known in Scotland as
Suck-ups." The minister, on the
other hand, was tall and somewhat
portly, with round, boyish face. gen.
ne olue eyes, and mild, good-humored
mouth His hair was white as snow,
ana Tell almost to his shoulders.
SIT We down, sit ye down." he re-