The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1847-08-28

SuPPVSv ! may VeHtuIe " speak Wi WI Hlllu
if there is any mistake, you cannot say it was
my fault?"
"No, certainly mott" cried two voices from
the window.
"YOu say your name is Mutt, do yOuw
81 do"
"John Nutt?"
"Yes.n
swell then, all that | have to say, is, may
the Devil crack your
The two heads were drawn in like lightning
from The rain; and as the window was slam
med down with a violence that bespoke rage
and disappointment, a loud horse laugh rose
upon the wind, and the lover Of practical jokes
turned on his heel to trudge homeward through
the mist, as the good woman inside was going
in search Of the finder box to enable her to
hunt up dry chemises, shirts and night caps.
There is no part Of the world where a new
preacher, whether new lights or blue lights
produces a greater sensation than in Boston
though after he is gone, the people may relapse
into their quiet Unitarian paths, still they have
no objections to wander out Of them in search
Of any novelty in religion; and if they do not
always change their belief with every fresh
importation, they at least pay him the compli-
ment of hearing what he has to say. There
happened to be, during the period of which l
am speaking, one Of those wandering theolo-
gical meteors blazing round Boston, and the
people from every lane and by-way focked to
see it, not with pieces of smoked glass in their
fingers, but with ten-cent pieces, and York
s~hillings, to drop into the green box, by way of
adding fuel to the flames. So great was the
crowd, that the ordinary rules about the quiet
possession of pews for which the owners had
paid, were entirely broken down; everybody
took that seat which suited him best, and those
who came late sat down in the places left to
them by those who had come early. One
pleasant Sunday morning Mackay went to
church by times, took his seat in a central pew,
Just under the shadow of the pulpit, and sat
bolt upright, with his arms extended, with an
apparent degree Of unnatural rigidity, down
by his sides. He was presently surrounded by
half dJzen females, nearly all Of whom were
strangers to his person, and in a little time the
whole church was full to OVERLOOKING.
The psalm was sung, the prayer said, the SER
mon delivered In the preachers best style
He dwelt particularly on the requirements of
the great precept of brotherly love,-upon the
beauty of universal bcnevolence or the plea
sure which arises, not only from clothing the
naked and feeding the hungry, but from atten-
ton to the minute and graceful courtesies and
charities of life, by which the thorny path is
softened and adorned. In the language of the
critics in such matters, "there was not dry
eye in the place:" the appeal had found its
way to every heart. All Mackay's immediate
neighbors were sensibly affected; he wept with
them; the big tears chased each other down
his cheeks. But while every one else was busy
with their handkerchief wiping away the wa
ter that the orator, like second Moscs, had by
strokes of his eloquence caused to gush from
their hinty hearts, Mackay held his arms stiff
and straight, while half a glass of liquid suf-
fused his face. The dried eyes Of the female
friends were not slow to observe this; for, in
addition to the evident signs of deep feeling
which he exhibited, his face was rather a hand
some one. He wriggled, fdgeted, looked con-
; fused and interesting, but raised no hand,
searched for no kerchief, and seemed to be in
deep distress.
At length a young widow LADY, who sat be-
side him, remarked that he was ill at ease, and
heaven bless the female heart! it always
melts at any mysterious sorrow,-after one or
two downcast looks and luttering pauses, she
said iRan under tone,
spray, sir, is there anything the matter with
you? You appear to be unwell."
"Ah! madam" breathedMacka in a whis-
per, 81 Am a poor paralytic, and have lost the
use of my arms. Though my tears have flow
ed in answer to the touching sentiments of tie
pastor, have not the power to wipe them
away"
} In an instant q fair hand was thrust into a
~reticule, and . white handkerchief, scented
with otto Of roses, was applied to Mackay's
eyes; the fair Samaritan seeming to rejoice in
+, the first opportunity Of practising what had
been SO recently preached, appeared to polish
t them with right good will. When she had
! done, Mackay looked unutterable obligations,
+ but whispered that she would increase them a
thousand fold if she would, as it wanted it
/ very much, condescend to wipe his nose. The
r novelty Of the request was thought nothing of;
, the widow was proud of the prOmptitude she
had displayed Al in sucCOring the distressed; and
to a person who has done you one kind action,
the second seems always easy. Her white
/ hand and whittier handkerchief were raised to
MaCkay'S cut water; but the moment that it
. was envcloped in the folds Of the cambria, he
:; gave such sneeze as made the whole church
0 ring-it was, in fact, more like a neigh. The