The Tucson citizen., 1902-06-24
BURIED BY BROWN.
EcCENTRlClTlES OF NEW FORKS
MOST NOTED SEXTON

1t used To bc said that stranger who
was visiting Now York for the first
time aud asked his hotel Clcrk for al,
vice rs 10 what he should do Oh sun
day morning would find his doubts
quickly reduced to the alternative, Go
over to Brooklyn aud hear Bcecher' or
Go to Grace church and see Brown"
No prelatc Of the Episcopal church was
SO widely known either in or beyond his
New York diocese as this valiant
guardian of old Grace, whose income.
ii was estimated, was greater than
that of any man in the cloth aud whose
power in society was even more feared
than that of any bishop,
He received his appointment as sex
ton from the Rev. DR.. Thomas House
Taylor. and while DIR. Taylor has been
long forgotten, Sexton Brown is still
almost as much remembered IN the
great city as Jim Fisk. A T. stewart or
Charles pelmouico.
Brown would cultivate the acquaInt-
auce OF head walters and cooh>, Secur-
tac the latest Information as to the
social plans of their masters AMI mis-
tgesseS, and whenever he learned that
a party or a ball was under considera-
tion he would offer his services to de-
liver the invitations or look after the
comfort OF the guests or superjnten1
their arrival and departure In their
carriages beginning in this humble
way, 1t was not long before he gained
the good will Of distinguished patrons.
His authoritative manner. too, was
admirable for such occasions, Indeed
the host himself could hardly issue a
command TO his menlaIs with the
suayely peremptory emphasis which
Brown employed. Such was his de
pertinent and such his trust worthy
zeal that Ii was said that no one In
Grace church could be properly feasted
or buried or could even say his prayers
without the assistance of Brown. and
eventually 1T became something like
diCtum in a large portion of society
that nobody could be married In New
York in truly first class style unless
AbIbN Il = iifNFHNt bifSHfh AiF VI iphA
party.
Nor did any detail that might be
wanting for the personal comfort OF
the congregation escape his vigllant
eye. 1t was n habit Of old Peter Stuy-
yesant. for example. to keep in his pew
a Thermometer AS soon as he had TAX.
Ell his seat he would consult II. One
winter morning when the temperature
was extremely low the furnaces OF the
church got out OF order. and Browns
assistants were able to force through
them only enough heat to lessen the
chill little. 1t occurred to Brown that
the condition OF the atmosphere would
not be conducive to either the piety or
the comfort OF the aged Stuyvesant.
When the old gentleman arrived with
In the porch of the church. he was
shivering with the cold but without
attracting his attention Brown. who
knew that the first thing he would do
would be to step into his pew and ex
anime the thermometer, slipped In
ahead. pressed one OF his fat fingers to
the little glass bulb and chuckled as he
saw the mercury ascend to - When
Stuyvesaut reached the pew. he con
suited the thermometer ms usual, look
ed around wondcringly. but evidently
concluded that the church must be
warm enough and that therefore It
must be hims self who was cold
Browns funeral was marked by
much of the pomp and circumstance
which he himself had so often provided
for the rich and the great The wits
said that 1t was the first in forty years
that had been a perfectly correct per.
formance without his individual guild.
ance. He had died In the little town OF
Brandford one August night In 1880.
There he had been In the habit Of TAX
ing his summer rest. He had been
overcome by the heat while attending
a wedding at Brandford, and that sum
mer he complained, probably for the
first time in his life, OF Ill health. One
of his orders was that his body should
be placed In a casket of polished Span
ish cedar.
A more ponderous casket had never
been carried up the aisle of Grace
church. 1t was rich with silver and
velvet. 1t was so heayy-its interior
being large enough for two ordinary
corpses-that the eight knights Tenn
plars who bore 1t into the church al
most staggered with their burden.
Upon it lay their cooked hats with wav-
ing ostrich plumes, Within the chanccl
stood four Of the clergy, in the pewg
were the representative of some of the
proudest families of the city. and 3
long line OF men and women filed into
the church showing ali the signs of sor-
row for an old friend and neighbor
On the left hand side Of Grace church
as one turns after entering the porch
under the bell tower aud near where
Brown was wont for more than gen
GRAFTON to take his station every Sun
day Is n shining brass tablet. 1t was
there placed by members Of the congre
CATION In token of him who is described
upon 1t as 1.-The Faithful Sexton" and
whom they GLADLY recall for his fideli-
a l. I'll