The Holly chieftain., 1904-01-29

He came in sight of the church,
which was not far from the station.
Arriving at the porch, the foremost or
tine party discovered that the door
was locked. Here was sudden check
and they began to consult together as
to where the key might be found.
As they did so, window of one of
the little cottages opposite the church
was thrown up. and an old man, in a
quaint, old fashioned nightcap, stuck
his head out.
Il be a-comin'," he cried: ''ye must
jest bide a bit, and I'll be with 'ee."
This was evidently the clerk Or sox-
tom at any rate. he was the individual
required. and there was nothing to
do but to "bide," as he had desired
them.
At last the churchyard gate clicked.
and a shriyeled, bent figure made its
| appearance. dangling bunch of great
keys in one hand. He threw the great
door open with a clang, and the people
entered the church. 1t was very dark
inside. The windows We're most of
them of colored glass and high up, and
the old fashioned pews and the thick
squat columns which supported the
roof seemed to swallow up what little
light there was.
They've put 'em all inside the chan
Gel rails said the old man, who had
| constituted himself sort Of ghOulish
master of the ceremonies.
No one seemed to, care to be the
10 hot of hn hn1t
| editice.
At last Ted Burritt, with a grim
| determination, approached the railing.
Inside. the bodies, or what had once
been bodies, were disposed in two
rows.
Those on the right hand lay in cof
| fms which had been hastily gathered
| from all parts of the neighborhood;
| those on the left were mere groups
| of ashes collected together on pieces
| Of tarpaulin.
Ted Burritt began at the right.hand
side. The other people followed his
example, and the old clerk acted as
| cicerone.
This 'un." he said, indicating the
terrible contents of one coffin, sis sup
| posed to a-bin young female, as
| they found thimble and bit of a
dress among the ashes. Thimble 'ad
the name o Lizzie scratched on it."
A man who was craning his neck
over Ted Burritt's shoulder gave a
sharp cry: That's my girl. That's
my Lizzie. And her mother waiting
for her at home, and won't believe as
anything can have happened to her
| Oh, Lord,' and he broke ont into wild
! outcries.
Some Of the others, forgetful of
| their own concerns for a moment.
| gathered round him and made an at
tempt at consolation.
"At least you know which she is
that ought to be a little comfort 80
YOU
But thought she might have been
saved. She was such good girl
and look at her there" and he gestic
| ulated towards the open coffin.
g. can't stand much more of this"
murmured Ted Burritt,' as he wiped
| the great drops of perspiration from
| his forehead.
They left the bereaved parent moan
| ing over his child's remains and again
passed on. The next three collins
were examined, shuddered at and left.
The mutilated corpses which they con-
tanned possessed neither head, feet
| nor hands. They could never have
| been taken for anything human had
not the fact been established beyond
all doubt. Was either of those his
| father?"
| There only remained one or two
more belonging to that row, and they,
| too, were unrecognizable. After that
nothing was left but the poor heaps of
ashes on the other side.
This is all, ladies and gentlemen"
| said the old man, with sort of char.
| nel-house cheerfulness, "'sides one
more in the vestry, as was put there
| in consequents of bein' very little
damaged. 'cept about the legs; and
| passon did say as | was to show i'm
fust. though bein' easy recognized.
| But my pore old eds bin all of
| tumble since th' accident, and clean
| forgot i'm. But anybody as likes can
| Jest step into the vestry and see i'm
for themselves. They've laid i'm out
on the table, through bein' of hextry
size, and runnin short O. collins. e
was found buried under a lot o. rub.
bidge, and they 'ad deal o'trouble to
git i'm out" s.%
There was general rush in that