Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-10-22
DEACON SOLOMON SLOW.

In the town OF ButmaD, Oh the Shaws sheen
| river, lived u most worthy and respectable
gentlcman called Solomon SLOW, Of great AMI
| most pious gravity; insomuch that he was
elected to the office Of Deacon OF the church.
lE all his motions he was deliberate, and his
$ eek Tat person, liis sleek smooth face, and
his sleek black hair, betokened more than or
dmary sanctity; ,ndeod he never was seen to
smile but twice in his life, for being Of the
most straitest sect Of our religion, he held oil
enjoyment and gaiety an abomnation. The
first time that. he was seen to smile, was the
first Sunday, in which he took tho appointed
seat ut tho bottom of the pulpit. Here he
felt that he was few miles nearer heaven,
that he had ever been before, and a consoling
complaceDcy crept through his inner man,
and quoted down the more active feelings of
his nature, very much as gentle sleep soothes
the angry and fretted spirit of a less calmly
tempered brother. In this gracious mood ho
had elongated his visage, and shut his eyes as
he listened to the thunders of wrath which the
parson was d'schargins from above at the
nodding heads Of his people. The fury Of the
preacher waxed strong-and in luckless mo
ment he made more luckless gesture and
also discharged the great public bible, sermon
and all, down upon the sleek head of the
san Gifted Deacon Solomon Slow; but his per-
son was not moved from lsJ place, nor was the
gravity thorcof impaired, but he rose instead
with molly zeal, and picked up the bible, and
the sermon and Carried them back to the pla CO
from whence the. came the parson, however
was a man Of more thunder and also Of more
fun; while he spohe to his congregation, and he
was replacing The good things Oh his cushion
and as the Deacon was turning TO go down, M
the following remarkable words; viz. "Thc
blessed word ol the Lord seems to oe distill.
ing like the dew OF Heaven, upon The head Of
our new Deacon '-Dcason Slow put his hand
moderately TO hIs crown, where he felt a kind
Of contuson" and hor. it will sprout
up'-here it was that the deacon first began
to smile, and before the parson had ended
"and sent forth an humble iold"--the Dea-
cons chops were dstondud with broad Or u.
THIS was The DcaCon's first smile the sec
ond was upon an occasion some what less SOL
enn.
Deacon Stow had three sons--it is unneces-
sary to mention hls daughters who were. as
Deasons soEs arc apt to 5e--thc deuce only
can tell why very rogusl, They we're in the
habil Of poking tun at an old ram, who endeav-
ored to make ms share OF the sport by but
ting them over, kind of fun. winch he
often manifested disposition 10 play oil upon
the Deacon, as he marched down TO salt his
tlock-ior these we've duties To which he paid
except when he was made very wrath, on
walch OCCASIONS his anger would burn like a
furnace sevoD times heated. Now the Doa-
con sheep pasture upon the Shawsheen river
which IL narrow, but deep, and the pasture
terminated IN a procipice which rose fifteen
feet above the waior and shelved over il, as
beetle browed house hangs over a narrow
street; aud the boys, after they had exhausted
all other fun upon the ram, were in the habit
Of squattng now and then on top the preci-
pce, and daring ha' at hIn, upon which hs
would como with blind Jury thsreat. The boy
who Feld the hat. could easily leap aside, and
the exasperatod ram was quickly cooled by
plunge headlong dosn the stream. At this
trick they were one day caught by the Dea-
con. thea iaiher, who took them into thick
ct close by and amounted their backs thorough
ly wah the oil of birch an excellent applica-
tipn in such dssos made and provided II IL
not always etleolual however. n,,d M this case
the disease was not curod. as the boys we're u
few days shcr waiting round tho place in or.
der 70 ropes, the johs upor the unsuspeetipg
~ ara. .Ifl.