Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-10

tar beside the foot of, the bed. arrayed
It, and recited the Confiteor
Then the priest mumbled the Misereatur
and Indulgentiam.
1 had seen extreme JUNCTION admins
tered as 1 had seen many another office
Of the church in my dim days, with
scarcely any attention. Now the words
were terribly living. I knew every one
before It rolled off the celebrant's lips.
Yet under that vivid surface knowledge
I carried on as vivid a sequence Of
thought.
The priest elevated the cibOrium. re-
peating:
''Ecee Agnus Del"
Then three times-'Domine, non sum
dignus."
heard and saw with exquisite keen
mes. yet 1 was thinking.
IF do not get out of here he viii have
to say those words over me-"
He put the host in the parted mouth Of
the dying man and spoke:
Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi
custodiat amman tuam in cItam aeter-
man,"
I thought how easy it would be to strip
the loose surplice over the sacristans
head. There was swift clip of the arm
around your opponents neck which had
learned in wrestling, that cut the breath
off and dropped him as limp as q clotn.
1t was an Indian trick. I said to myself
It would be impossible to use that trick
on the sacristan If he left the cell behind
the deaf old priest. 1 did not want TO
hurt him. StiH, he would have better
chance to live after 1 had squeezed his
neck. than I should have If did not
squeeze 1t.
The priest took out of silver case a
vessel of oil. and a branch. He sprinkled
holy water with the branch, upon the
bed. the walls the sacristan and me, re-
peating:
dabor; lavabis me, ct super nivem deal
! babor.'
while bent my head to the drops, 1
knew IT was impossible to choke down tho
sacristan. strip off his surplice, invest
myself with it and get out OF the cell BE-
fore priest or turnkey looked back The
sacrilege of such an attack would take a.
the strength out Of me.
The priest said the Exaudi nos, exhort,
ed the insensible figure. then recited the
Credo and the Litany, the sacristan re-
spending.
Silence followed.
/ knew the end was approaching. Ny
hands were as cold as the nerveiess one
which would soon receive the candle
told myself should be a fool to attempt
n. IneTe was nOL OhC NhoNA~C 80 -
dred. should not squeeze hard enough.
The man would yell. If were swift as
lightning and silent as force, they would
take me in the act. 1t was impossiple
put people who cannot do Impossible
things have to perish
The priest dipped his thumb in oil. and
with it crossed the eyes, ears, nose.
mouth, and hands of him VINO was leav-
ing the use of these five senses and IN
-
Then he placed lighted candle In the
stiffened fingers, and ended with
"Accipe Iampadem ardentem custodi
unctionem tuam."
said to myself-'I cannot do it! No
body could! Il is impossiblel
The sacristan now began 70 strip the
altar and pack all the sacred imple-
ments into their cases; preparing MS
load in the center of the ROOM
The man was dead
The sacristan's last office was to hx the
two lighted altar candles on the head ana
foot railing of the bed. They showed the
corpse in its appalling stiffness. and stood
like two angels. with the pit between
them.
The sacristan raped upon the door
to let the turnkey know 1t was time 70
| unlock.
I drew the thick air to my lung depths
The man who would breathe no. more
was as rigid as stood. But there was no
use in attempting such thing!
The turnkey opened gap OF doorway
| through which he could see the candles
| and the bed. He opened no wider tnan
the breadth of the priest, who stepped
out as the sacristan bent for the porta-
| bles. .
There was lightning in my arm as Il
I took the sacristan around the neck ana
let him limp upon the stones. The tai
of the priests cassack was scarcely
through the door
''Eh bien! sacristan," called the turn
KEY. Make haste with your load. I have
this death to report. He is not so pretty
that you must stand gazing at him al
nighti'' ID
! / had the surplice over the sacristan 3
/ head and over mine and backed out with
my load. facing the room.
II my taller had thrust his candle at me
| If the priest had turned to speak, II the
man in the cell had got his breath before
| the bolt was turned, if my white sur
plice had not appeared the principal part
| of me in that black place
| 1t was impossible-but had done IL.
To be continued.