The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1846-03-27
MISCELLANEOUS.
DeaCOn Slow.

In looking over some files Of old papers
"a few days ago, our eye CHANGED to light up.
upon the annex aughter.prOyoking old story
which we recolIect having read with rib
tickling delight in our boyish days, and
which we can hardly peruse, even now, with.
out imminent risk Of splitting our sides
The story may be familiar TO some of our
readers, but it's one Of those choice good
things which never grow stale BY repetition,
but, like good wine, rather improve by age.
Deacon Slow, the hero Of the story, we may
premise, had three sons, who were, as dea-
cons sons are apt to be-the deuce only can
tell why-Fery lOguish. They were in the !
habit Of pOking fun at an old ram, who en-.
deavored TO contribute his share Of the sport
by butting them OVer-a kind of fun which
he often evinced a disposition TO play off
upon the Deacon, as he marched down to
salt the flock. This was a duty TO which
he paid strict attention, as he was, accord.
ing to the story, exceedingly humane, ex.
cept when he was made very wroth, on which
occasions his anger would burnlike furn-
aRe seven times heated. Now it appears
that
The Deacon's sheep pasture was upon The
Shawsheen River, which ie narr0w but deep,
and the pasture Terminated in .PEecipice
which rose fifteen feet above the water and
lshelYed over it, as betde.browed house
hangs over a.narrow street; and the boys,
after they had exhausted all other fun upon
the ram, were in the habit now and then Of
squatting upon the edge Of the plecipice,
and darting hat at him, upon which he
! would come with blind fury thereat. The
boy who held the hat, could easily leap
aside, and the exasperated ram was quickly
cooled by plunge headlong down the pre-
, Icipice, into the stream. AT this trick they
were one day caught by the Deacon, their
: father, who took them into thicket close
by and anointed their backs thoroughly with
, the oil Of birch--an excellent application
in such cases made and provided. 1t is not
r always effeciual, however, and in this case
+ the disease was not cured, as the boys were
r, few days after waiting round the place il
+ order TO repeat the joke upon the unsuspect
ing Fanls but on beholdiDg their father com
3 ling at a distance with his basket Of salt
p they hid in the thicket which they had s,
=: good occasion to remember. SlowlS cam,
t., Deacon Solomon Slow, and after he had scat
e tered his salt, he stood upright and though
y within himself, that il would be amusing I
: see the ram bolt over the precipice into III
sp river. He saw no one nigh-how shodl
eP he, when the boys were hid in the bushes
5, and taking off bis broad.brimmed hat,
'st made demonstrations, which at once attraC
b,r ted the notice Of the lord OF the flock, VIII
'eP set on as usual in full speed. The Deaco
S,r had squatted close to the edge-and, as |
b'r saw the ram bounding along, be picture
mr. out to his fancy, for Deacons have faDc
Sep the ridiculous figure the silly sheep wou
p make, bounding with a splash into the vat
> he began 20 smlle-ths ram at last can
close, on the 6esce charge, more enrage
as the hat was larger than common-t
Dar Deacon grinned outright. but IN The mit
par. of bis delight and the Eam's ridicnlous !
bar. Pearance, be forgot to jump aside, and !
par. beast butted him over with splash into |
Z" s water where be meant the silly sheep shOl
have gone. The boys ran out clapping II
dol hands and shouting, "you'ye got il, dad
70. you've gOtit, dad in all the ecstacy Of
IL venge. Deacon Solomon Slow crawled
10. from his bath with visage longer than
had ever worn before This was his
~, 5,S0 smile. He was afterwards called Dea
500 Solemn Slow By his neighbors, among VI
SOB he lived and died a venerable old sg,
I 1SS s'BIore trouble Is aPprebended, 2 We le
100 We are glad q il, and hope he win Be
@se9 49,