The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-01-01

thus governing the household, IN spite oi
the sinful and ino,dina,e grumblings of
its liege and legitimate lord. Some peo-
pie may think this mode Of acquiring in
fluencs was not exactly either fair or hon
est but it is not opr business to con-
test the point. We only profess to tell
wha, is necessary to the progress and fl
nal catastrophe of our history.
Numerous, not to say innumerable,
were the little societies established un-
der the influence of aunt Edith and the
Minister, whose industry in collecting
donations from men, women aud chit
dren, was such, that there was not bit
of molassess candy, or pennyworth of
gingerbread, wickedly devoured by the
little urchns of Elsingburgh. All wen,
to the minister, aud through him-no-
body knew where. One society was
the parent of half dozen more, until
they multiplied SO fast, that the good
women of the village he'd no time to at
tend to domestic affairs and no travel
Ter could sojourn nigh, at Elsingburg,
without rising pale in the morning, in
consequence of fhaving suflieed to satiate
the appetite of innumerabie multitudea
of the carnivorus species, whose num-
bers always furnish shrewd indications
of good or evil housekeeping. The
Parson was the prime moyer of all these
and it was observed Of him, that like
Goldsmith's 'man in black he always
went about with his three-cornered
cooked hat, to collect subscriptions, but
never was known to put any thing in it
himself. Hence it was affirmed by his
admirers, that he was a truly charitable
person, who hated ostentation, and al
ways gave in secret. Like Falstaffy
however, though nobody, such was the
I care he took to avoid discovery, ever
detected him in being charitable himself
, he was certainly the cause of charity II
, others. So much indeed, did he exec
in the ar, of levying contributions on th'
o neceesaries of the poor, that at one pc
riod of our history, there was hardly
d laboring man in the village that had
d whole coat 20 his back, or child tho
- was not sorely out ut elbows nay,
r may with perfect seracisy he affirmed
g.. that the majority of them were IN u
III situation of the veriiable 'Dicky Dou'
= AS set forth in the famous couplet
il which Dicky is the hero. The follow'r
Sc colloquy, between worthy, hardwood
IL ing man, and his wife, relative to the
matters, has been preserved by the LII
;e. torical Society of Elsiugburg, and W
oil better illustrate the effects of the la
q, a. sons exertions, than any general de'ai
a There is notice of the man append
to the article, stating, that, being
ed length reduced to actual poverty, by {
d" attention his wife paid to every bod,
,ss wants and affairs but those Of her fam
of and the charity she bestowed eve
where but at home, he retrieved his
" fairs entirely, by the though, of gett'
appointed beggar to two or three soc'
ties.
at It was a cold, raw evening, and Z
husband, after being out alb day ~ l
sleet and rain cutting wood, return
he home, cold, wet, and hungry, and
o' dressed his wife as follows -
m Husband. Ny good girl, my feet
I'd os wet as drowned rat. Give me
ct; pair Of dry stockings from those ! boul
y" ,so the other day Of the pedlar from Ne
CD York.
m WIFE. can't my dear gave tn
SIX, all to the society last night The m
,eJ ister says we must give all our sp
Isb, things to the poor (pious men, whom
!, should support IN their holy calling)
Tells MS we shall never miss what we =
away in this manner.
III. Hum I wish the minister wo
,,ly make his words good, FOX feel just
can very uncomfortable, aud miss very m
lgs- the dry stockings. you gave away to
her society. Bot I suppose there is no
.,s for il: so, as I hare no money just %