Our Churches and Chapels
TO THE READER. The general satisfaction given by the following sketches when originally printed in the Preston Chronicle, combined with a desire, largely expressed, to see them republished, in book form, is the principal excuse offered for the appearance of this volume. Into the various descriptions of churches, chapels, priests, parsons, congregations, &c., which it contains, a lively spirit, which may be objectionable to the phlegmatic, the sad-faced, and the puritanical, has been thrown. But the author, who can see no reason why a "man whose blood is warm within" should "sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster," on any occasion, has a large respect for cheerfulness, and has endeavoured to make palatable, by a little genial humour, what would otherwise have been a heavy enumeration of dry facts. Those who don't care for the gay will find in these sketches the grave; those who prefer vivacity to seriousness will meet with what they want; those who appreciate all will discover each. The solemn are supplied with facts; the facetious with humour; the analytical with criticism. The work embodies a general history of each place of
capturing one of the savages before the savages made their appearance.
Robinson was surprised one morning to see no less than five canoes
drawn up on the shore at a point on his side of the island about two
miles below his shelter, to the south. The people that had come in
them were on shore and out of sight. Robinson went back to his shelter
to make his plans. He made up his mind that he would be foolish to
attack them. There must be twenty-five or thirty of them. He finally
went to a point where he could see farther inland and soon caught
sight of a crowd of about thirty savages. They were naked and dancing
around and around in a circle. All the while they were singing and
making hideous noises. There was a fire in the center of the ring of
savages. "They are cooking their feast," thought Robinson. "Maybe I
can surprise them while they eat and rush in and seize one." But this
seemed too great a risk to run. He had no weapons but his bow and
arrows, his lance and knife. What could he do against so great a
number?
But fortune favored his plans. As he gazed at them from his safe
distance he saw one of their number break away from the rest and run
with utmost speed directly toward his hiding-place. At once two other
savages pursued him. They had no weapons but clubs. They ran with
great swiftness, but the man in front was steadily gaining ground.
Robinson now to tell the truth was dreadfully frightened to see the
savage run directly toward him and his shelter. He kept his place,
however, and watched the race. The man running away ran along the
TO THE READER. The general satisfaction given by the following sketches when originally printed in the Preston Chronicle, combined with a desire, largely expressed, to see them republished, in book form, is the principal excuse offered for the appearance of this volume. Into the various descriptions of churches, chapels, priests, parsons, congregations, &c., which it contains, a lively spirit, which may be objectionable to the phlegmatic, the sad-faced, and the puritanical, has been thrown. But the author, who can see no reason why a "man whose blood is warm within" should "sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster," on any occasion, has a large respect for cheerfulness, and has endeavoured to make palatable, by a little genial humour, what would otherwise have been a heavy enumeration of dry facts. Those who don't care for the gay will find in these sketches the grave; those who prefer vivacity to seriousness will meet with what they want; those who appreciate all will discover each. The solemn are supplied with facts; the facetious with humour; the analytical with criticism. The work embodies a general history of each place of