THE SILENT CHIMES.

PUTTING THEM UP.


I hardly know whether to write this history, or not; for its events did
not occur within my own recollection, and I can only relate them at
second-hand--from the Squire and others. They are curious enough;
especially as regards the three parsons--one following upon another--in
their connection with the Monk family, causing no end of talk in Church
Leet parish, as well as in other parishes within ear-shot.

About three miles' distance from Church Dykely, going northwards across
country, was the rural parish of Church Leet. It contained a few
farmhouses and some labourers' cottages. The church, built of grey
stone, stood in its large grave-yard; the parsonage, a commodious house,
was close by; both of them were covered with time-worn ivy. Nearly half
a mile off, on a gentle eminence, rose the handsome mansion called Leet
Hall, the abode of the Monk family. Nearly the whole of the
parish--land, houses, church and all--belonged to them. At the time I am
about to tell of they were the property of one man--Godfrey Monk.

The late owner of the place (except for one short twelvemonth) was old
James Monk, Godfrey's father. Old James had three sons and one
daughter--Emma--his wife dying early. The eldest son (mostly styled
"young James") was about as wild a blade as ever figured in story; the
second son, Raymond, was an invalid; the third, Godfrey, a reckless lad,