Litchfield enquirer., 1850-08-15
The Church and the Tavern.
by LAURIE TODD.

In the year 1903, when Louis XVI
was beheadcd, and the French Revolu-
ton was in full blast, / was thorough
going radical. With seventeen more Of
our club, was marched under guard
of the Kings officers. and lodged in the
Edinburgh Jail Afrsr a summary hear.
ing, 1 got liberty to banisns myself, and
accordingly / took passage in tho good
old ship Providence, and landed at New
York in June 1894. was then IA my
22d year. When the ship cast off from
the wharf, in Scotland, and swung round
with the breeze, my father stood upon
the shore. He waved a last adieu, and
exclaimed Remember the Sabbath day.
| arrived at Now York on q Saturday
and the next day being the Sabbath, at
9 o'clock. a. M, three young men Of our
company called atmy lodgings.
Where are You going |? they inquired,
= 10 the church, replied. s
We have been ten days at sea our
health requires exercise. Let us walk
out to>day, and go to church next Sab,
BATH they replied.
Said l you can go where yop please.
but LII go to church ). the last words !
heard from my father were Remember
the Sabbath day I and. had ! no respect
for the Fourth Commandment, have
not yet forgotten his last advice.
They went to the fields; I went to
the church they spent 40 Or so cents
in the tavern put a one penny bill in
the plate, at the morning. afternoon and
night service total three pence. They
continued going into the country. and in
process OF time the landlady's daug hter
and the andlady's neice would join
their company. Then each couple hired
a gig. at W day wine, cake, and ice
cream, 90 cents each; dine at Jamaica,
~ each. They got home at g. o'clock,
p. m, half drunk. and having been
caught IN thunder storm, their coats,
hats and nantes. we're damaged so per
cent. They rose the next morning at 8
o'clock u. M, with sore heads. sore
hearts, muddy boots and an angry cons
science, besides sl2 lighter than when
they started. Il we TO church, rose at
5 o'clock, 4. M. head sound, heart light,
bones reEgeshed, conscience quiet; and
commenced the labors of the week in
peace and plenty. They were all me-
chanics some OF. them could earn 9l2
~ week. My business was that Of a
wrought nail maker, was poor the cat
null machines had just got into opera.
ton which cut down my wages to a
shaving with close application, / could
only earn $500 per week. Never
mind, at the end Of the year, my Sab~
bath riding shipmates. had fine coats,
fine hats. powdered heads and ruffied
shirts but I had one hundred hard dol
lars piled III the corner Of my chest.
Having lived fast. they died early. Near
ly forty winters are passed, and forty
summers ended since the last was laid
in the Pottcr's or other field while i,
having received from my Maker, good
constitution. (and common sense 10 take
care Of IT'D I'm sound In mind, body and
spirit. as | Was on this day SO years ago.
when first 1 set my foot on shore at
Governors Wharf, New York. BESIDES
its q fact, (for which my family can
vonch,) | have been only one day con-
fined to the house by sickness, during
all that time.
Now. Mr.. Printer, dare say you
thing, with me, that the church on the
Sabbath is better than the tavern and
field for the laboring man.