Ellsworth American., 1903-11-11
4 { SEXTON'S HABIT
toriginall

Mrs Pollock pihS" cNNN''t S''N Nt'u hol
g,rl to keep her company and Pol
lick shared in her wish.
Pollock had a habit of stepping to his
.oor every night before going TO bed
:. ,oke n look at his church, not that
10 aypected to see anything unusual
!. ,vas mere matter of habit. His
to told him that 1t was a habit and
hecped him TO break it up. He gath
ared his resolution for an effort to do so.
This effort took place one night in
November. At 10 o'clock Pollock put
out the lights in the house and went to
hnd This was only the beginning of
4. No sleep came to him. and he
tossed alou. struggling witt 4 desire
"a eet up. 20 to the door and look at
tbe church, after which he knew he
,,onld 30 back to bed and TO sleep.
7, was near 2 o'clock in the morning
before he gave way; then, ri3ing, he
wont to the door. opened it. looked at
tho church and was about TO turn
when lie saw or thought he saw
aosh of light at one of the windows.
putting on his clothes and taking his
lantern and the key to a door opening
into the vestry, he hurried over to the
gloomy pile, now dark within. though
lighted dimly without by a waning
moon. Opening the door. he entered
and. passing through an arch. stood on
the chancel steps with his lantern be-
hind him. that it might not interfere
with his vision. and peered ut the
news. aislcs, naves-indeed. at those
things with peculiar names that go to
make up the interior of church.
Seen at that hour. by the faintest
climmer Of moonlight shining through
the windows nothing could have been
more uninviting. Even a sexton may
have feeling, and old Pollock, although
he had seen the sight many times be-
fore, remarked to himself that he would
rather be opening grave by daylight
than standing there gazing over sea
Of emptiness. But, not seeing anything
unusual. he was about to take his de-
parture when he heard fumbling at
the great front door lock. Not wishing
10 Ut seen, ue Ult~ tut lls liShI anu
got into one of the choir pews. where
be could watch any one entering the
church.
Sure enough, the big door opened and
some one came in. Then came the
scratch and flash of match and the
lighting of candle. BY its faint flame
Pollock saw man enter the church,
leading a shrinking girl up the center
aisle. who shuddered at every step. The
pair came nearly to the chancel. where
the man waited. listening for sound.
while the girl sat in n front pew. her
face buried in her hands. They were
evidently expecting to meet some one.
Then the clock In the tower struck 2
moment later Pollock saw light
moving in the guild rooms, and present
ly a man dressed in the vestments of
clergyman came in. holding in his hand
a small lamp. The man before the
chancel met him at the rail and whis-
pered something 10 him. Then he turn
ed to the girl
Grace, dear" he said. ''this is the
Rev. Mr. Hartshorne. rector of this
church. He will marry us"
From this moment Pollock saw
through what was on foot as well as IL
be were intimately acquainted with the
parties, He had served as sexton with
DR.. Hartshorne for twenty years and
knew full well that the man before him
was not DR.. Hartshorne. A young girl
was about TO be ruined by mock mar
riage
But what was he to do7 He was an
old man incapable of overcoming these
two rascals and did not think that to
appear and accuse them would be OF
any avail. At any rate he did not dare
try 1t for fear of bodily injury. The
girl was almost dragged to the altar.
There was light enough for Pollock TO
See that the man was we'll dressed
Whlle the girl was in the garb of the
poorer classes. The mock clergyman
began the service and had reached the
words, Grace. will you have this
man when Pollock gave a groan that
echoed through the church with all the
Despair Of one suffering from melan-
chola insanity.
Ihe groom and the mock clergyman
looked at each other with startled faces.
lhe bride had to be supported.
Go on" said the groom under his
'eeth with an oath. and, after consider
aole urging, the service proceeded.
DO you. Grace. have this man
There was another groan, this time
aown In the body of the church, for
rohock had slipped around by a side
passage and got in among the pews.
Inc pretended clergyman dropped his
book.
You'll burn for thisv' came a voice
IRON still different direction.
by this time the groom had lost his
nerve as well as the clergyman and,
picking up the bride, who had tainted,
hurried down the aisle with her.
Drop her" roared a sepulchral voice.
Inc girl was dropped in the aisle and
,ae men frantically made for the door.
UNLOCK fearing they might gather cour-