The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-08-07
MISCELLANEOUS
Courtship of the Elder Adams,

olC UNIV
old Weymouth meeting house, and heard a
sermon from the venerable pastor, Rev. ia
cob Norton. About the same time, | made
MIR. Norton a visit, and became much inter-
ested in the old gentleman. mentioned my
agreeable visit to an aged lady of the parish,
whose acquaintance | had made. She inform
ed me that Mr.. Norton was ordained their
pastor when he was about twenty-one years
of age, and that he had been with them near
" forty years. She observed that most ofhls
parishioners could remember no other pastor;
but that she could remember his predecessor,
the Rev. Mr. Smith, and that he and Mr..
Norton had filled tho same pulpit for the bet
ter pant of the last eighty years.
Mr.. Smith, said she, was an excellent
man, and a very fine preacher, but he had
high notions of himself and family-in other
words-he was something of an arlstocrat.'-
One day, said she to me, to illustrate to you
a little the character of old parson Smith, l
will tell YOU an anecdote that relates to him
self and some persons of distinction. Mr..
Smith had two charming daughters-(the eld-
est of these daughters was Mary, the others
name | have forgotten)-who was the admir-
alton of all the beaux, and the envy ofall the
bellies of the country around. But while two
Careful SldIuidlS I ~ PuioOh . iuiih WIZ
holding consultations on the subject, it was
rumored that two young lawyers i think both
of the ~neighboring town of Quincy,) a Mr..
Cranch, and a Mr.. Adams, were paying their
addresses 10 the two Miss Smiths. As every
man, woman and child, of a country Parish
in New England is acquainted with whatever
takes place in the parsons family, all the cir
cumstances of the courtship soon TRANSFERRED.
NJ r. 80, @F - racnoafnbln fnpnfIu Of
some note, was considered a young man of
promise, and although worthy Of all the ALI
ance he sought. He was very acceptable TO
Mr.. Smith, and was greeted by him and his
family with great respect and cordlallty. de
was received by the Oldest daughter as a low
er; and was in fact a young man ofmuch re-
speciality. He afterwards rose to the dig
nifty of Judge of the Court Of Common Pleas
in Massachusetts, and was the father of the
present Hon. Judge Cranch, ofthe Districtof
Columbia.
The sutton of the other daughter was John
Adams, who afterwards became President of
the United States. But at that time in the
opinion of Mr.. Smith and family, he gave
but slender promise Of the distinction to which
he afterwards arrived. His pretensions were
scorned by the whole family, except the young
lady to whom his addresses were especially
directed. Mr.. Smith showed him none of
his ordinary %civilities of his house, he was not
asked to partake of the Inequalities of the ia
BILE; and it is reported that his horse was
doomed to share with his master, the neglect
and modification, to which he was subjected,
for he was frequently seen shivering in the
cold, and gnawing the post at the pastors
door, oflong winter evenings. In fine 1t was
reported that Mr.. Smith had intimated TO him
that his visits were unacceptable, and he
would do him a favor by disseminating them;
he told his daughter that John Adams was
not worthy of her; that his father was an
honest tradesman and farmer, who had tried
20 initiate John in the arts OF husbandry and
shoe making, but without success; and that
he had sent him to college as the last resort.
lie in fine begged his daughter not to think
Of making an alliance with one so much be-
meath her.
Miss Smith was among the most dutiful of
daughters, but she saw Mr.. Adams through
a medium very different from that by which
her father viewed him. She would not for
the world offend or disobey her father, but
still John saw something in her eye and man.
ner, which seemed to say 'perSeCere,' and on
that hint he acted.
Mr.. Smith, like a good parson, and an af-
fectionate father, had told his daughters Ifthey
married with his appreciation, he would preach
each, of them a sermon on the sabbath after
the joyful occasion; and they should have the
privilege of choosing the text.
The e%spousal of the eldest daughter, Mary,
arrived, and she was united to Mr.. Cranch in
the holy bonds, with the approval, the bless
ings, and benedictions of her parents and her
friends. Mr.. Smith then said, my dutiful
child, | am nowready to prepare your sermon;
what do you select for next Sunday!' MY
dear father said Mary, i have selected the
latter part of the Send verse of the 10Th chap
ter of Luke; Mary hath chosen that good
part which shall nerer be taken from her.
Very good, my daughter said her father;
and so a sermon was preached.
Mr.. Adams persevered in his suit in def
ance of all opposition. 1t was many years
after, and on a very different occasion, and in
resistance of very different opposition, that he
uttered these memorable words, sink or slcim,
lire or die, SurriUe or perish, / gire my heart
and hand to this measure But though the
measures were different the spirit was the
same. Besides, he had already carried the
main point of attack, the heart of the young
lady-and he knew the surrender of the cita-
del must soon follow. After the usual hest
tation and delay that attend such an u%npleas-
ant affair, Mr.. Smith, seeing that resistance
was ~fruitless, yielded the contested point with
as much grace as possible, as many a prudent
father has done. before and since that time.
Mr.. Adams was united to the lovely Miss
Smith. After the marriage was over, and all
things were settled ia quiet, Mrs. Adams re-
marked to her father, you preached Mary a
sermon on the occasion other marriage won't
YOU preach me one likewise?' Yes, my dear
girl said Mr.. Smith, choose your text and
you shall have your sermon WELL said
the daughter, : have chosen the SD verse of
the 9TH chapter of Luke: For John the BaP-
list came neither eating bread nor drinking
wine, and ye say he hath a derl.''
The old lady my informant, looked meYery
archly in the face when she repeated this pas
sage, and observed, if Mary was the most
dutifuI daughter, l guess the other had the
most wit
l could not ascertain whether the last SER
mon was ever preached.
1t may not he inappropriate to remark, how
we'll these ladies ipeti6aJ ,bo a~afaran,o IF