The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-08-02
AN AWKWARD COMPLIMENT.

Many years ago, the judges on one of the
circuits were detained so late on Saturday
night, at a certain assize town, that being
obliged to op'n the commission at the next
town On the Monday following they were
compelled, much against their will to travel
between the two places on the Sabbath dav;
but to do this with decent and jnaee-like
proprietv, it was SO managed that they
should breakfast at an inconsidcrable town.
or rather village, about half way-stay and
attend divine service there--and then pro-
ceed to their destination.
On their arrival at this midway hamlet,
whose rustic inhahitants were in that torpid
and dreamy state so common in a small coIn-
try place, and who AS much expected his
majesty in person. as two of his malesty's
Judges. at their little church on that day,
the landlord of the village ale-house, called
by courtesy an inn, was made acquainted
with their intentions, and instantly despatch
ed his head waiter, alias pot boy, alias host
Ter to the SEXTON, with the marvellous IT,
linps: the sexton made il known to the over
seers. church wardens. and rector; they to
.heiy resDectivc wives; their wives to all the
housema,ds. nurscmaids, and cooks; till, by
some freemasonrv sign, some tfleEraph'c
movement or some other occult mode OF
communication, the whole parish knew OF
the intended honor, before their legal lord
eh;ps had dispatched the comfortable and
substantial breakfast, which mine host of
the Red Lion, with an inhnitude OF bows,
scrapes, and apologies, had set before them
Great was the rummaging ot trunks, and
tumblinp over of the contents of drawers, on
this eventful morning; all the best blbs and
fuckers were had in requisition; the SILK
pown of the elderly dame, and the delicate
white muslin envelope of the younger lady,
were brought forth; and much was the RI
varv of the female part OF the congregation;
while the gentlemen were not oehino-nanu
in furnishing up their attire, and even the
rustic laborers gave their shoes ana hlgh-
Ions an extra polish, and hid their sunday
clothes under their whitest and best stitch-
ed smock trocks. All, in short, were de-
termined to do their best to show the Judg-
es that they we're properly sensible OF tne
high honor done them; and more especiai-
". all those in authority, From the rector
down to the parsh-clerK, maze up ther
minds to do something that might be pleas
ing to their unexpected visiters.
First. a sort of procession was formed,
consisting of the old beadle, areheaded,
hearing his tarnished laced hat in one hand,
and his staff of Office in the other; then came
the overseers. and then the church wardens,
bearing certain willow wands in their hands,
which had been rudely separated from their
native stems. and hastily stripped OF their
bark for the great occasion, last but not
least. came the well-fed rector, side by side
with the Judges, and honored as he walked
by sundry scraps oftheir learned conversa,,
ton. Thus they reached the ivy-covered
fame; the inhabitants, cap in hand, forming
an avenue from the gate of the churchyard
to the door of the church, and were usher
ed into the only pew conscious of once green
baize, but which had become venerably vel,
low by extreme old age. The church had
not been so still. during divine service, per-
haps for ages; the wayward urchins, who
generally contrived, by their contumacious
Behaviour, their munching of apples. or
cracking Of nuts, to get lasts OF the hea-