The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-08-16
NIS0I9ILIlANR0US
PASSAGE IN THE LIFE OF
MARVEL DEACON.


Two bites Of a cherty,-as his family his
tory will show.
Acting on the spur of those new feelings
|, which had sprung up in his bosom, he
went resoIuely forward in his purpose dec
; Grating the village green with IAN elegan,
meelin' u.s. and by singular coincidence
The corner stone of that edfce was laid on
he very day which made him the father
of Two lusiy boys.
The foundation Of the church being laid
under such auspcious circumstances. and
with such omens of fertility and speedy in
crease, the work went on with great vigor
and high hope. A spacious frame work
was erected on its foundation, rooted,
shingled, clapboarded and painted with sur
prising expedition. The inside Of the
church was not so speedily completed, and
in consequence of some unavoidable delay,
il was determined 10 open the Church for
worship al once, but to postpone the formal
dedication ill the whole of The work was
completed.
Accordingly, as soon as the lower floor
was laid, and the pews and pulpit erected,
although scarcely anything had been done
TO the gallery, public worship was had in
The new house. A few loose planks were
arranged in the gallery 10 accommodate 1.-The
singers and the crowd of urchins ,ha, al
ways swarm around the aighes, seats in
our synagogues. TO keep these in order,
as well as 10 lead the music, (lor he
was both ty,hirg man and chorisler,) the
Deacon took his seat also in the gallery
Aas he lillIe foresaw the caiaslropy that
awaited him, but in happy security joined
IN the psalmody, pouring forth cataract Of
melody, and making the ears of the audience
TO tingle with the rich Nasal iwang of his
sIentorian voice. The psalms were sung,
The prayers were prayed, and the cho
sen chapter of Holy Writ had been
Tread, when the venerable Elder Mack ros,
in the pulpi, aud announced The text. A.
that unlucky moment, the Deacon's al,en
ton was caugh. by the grimaces of young
rogue who was taking Off the Mlnis.er.
surrounded BY half dozen others ready
10 pit with suppressed laughter. The
spectacle was intolerable,
THE sight no longer BIount could bear!
By heavens and all lis saints swear.
III hit his head knock!'
The angry Deacon sprang furiously for.
ward to visi, the pate Of the offending ur-
chin with an admoniory rap, trod though,
y but with all his weight, on the unsup-
ported end Of an unlasiened board, and in
a moment, he found himself making a fly
ing leap into the midst of the congregation
below.-He landed most gracefully aslrlde
the neck and shoulder of a Corpulent old
lady, who shrunk under the tremendous
shock Of his descent into the bottom of the
pew, kicking and screaming like a shor
deer or hurt duck The Minister paused
IN the midst OF his text, and the whole
congregation arose as though they were
about singing the doxoIogy, and every head
was turned towards The pew in which the
ldying Deacon and the fat woman had so
mys'eriousy disappeared. For a momen'
not a sound was heard
Not drum was heard nor a funeral noie!
but all was aPPallngIy still so tha, Elder
Mack began to fear that i, was all over with
both Beacon Marvel and Mrs. Broaders
Bat sounds soon broke upon The stiffness OF
the peo2le-sounds which indicated that =
desperate struggle was in progress, attended
with no little wrath, n.affrighl and con-
fusion. The Deacon had nearly stunned
Mrs. B; by his fall. while in ner turn al
most annlhla,ed him by The manner in
which she dragged him down with her
and crushed his unfortunate leg beneath her
mountainous weight Rustlng and suug
gling, groaning, kicking and something thai
sounded awfully like cursing, rose in hor-
rid discoIds from the Invisible pair, and al