The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-07-02


"Parson Hobbs, we shall have a new
miich-cow in few weeks, and want you
to make me one Of your best churns say,
fourteen inches ia diameter at the bottom.
aud at least twenty inches high, taperirg #
handsomely toward the top, and the whole
decorated with as handsome and tasty a lid
and dasher. ms you ever made in your life "
Now, old Deacon Wood was the weal,hies
man in The church, and Of course the most
influential and Parson Hobbs found it quite
| impossible to tell him in plain language that
until the old score was settled and cash ad-
vanced for the churn, that not Il stavc should
he touch to fulfil the order; but being de-
termined not to compromise his vcracty
with himself or wife, after his solemn pro-
testalions, he meekly replied
"Very well, Deacon; leave your direc>
tons on papor and will place them on file,
and in due course of lime, when work is
slack, we will see what we can do"
Not doubling but that he should be sue
ccssiul in victiniizng the unsuspectng Par
son out of the new churn the willy old Dea-
con wrote out his directions, and lett the shop
in the best spirits bat the thoughts Of tie
/ Parson were not so pleasant. So, setting
himself on the work block, he soliloquzed
as follows -
1" have made a solemn promise to Mrs.
Hobbs and all solemn promises are placed
on recordand even if they wasn't shouldn't
dare to raise her dapdcr-,hat I'll make
no more churns for The neighhors, unless
they II either advance the cash, or leave some
thing in my possession that will secure me
against any more losses; for, with so much
care and perpleXtv on my mind, it is quite
impossible TO do justice 10 my theological
studies; therefore. I'll - hold let me
sce,-whar will do ? All have IT,. III
place the Dcacons job on the promisedEst,'
and be very careful that it never comes eff
With this disposition Of the matter. time
slowly passed along, and at the end of the
next week, Deacon Wood called for his new
chnrn, but was met at the door by the SIRE wd
Parson, and informed him tha, business had
been so pressing during the past week that
he had been unable TO take the directions
from the file; but at the first opportunity
.hat offered itself, he would look at the di
reciion and see what could be done.
And thu, the subject was disposed of from
week TO week, and fl ON month to month, ill
the old Deacon began to "smell mice
and suspect the true state of affairs hut be.
iag determined not 10 be baked by the Rev>
eiend Divine, he at length threatened to re.
port matters at The next Church Meei-
ing unless he could see the churn commenced.
The Parsrn, thee, 10 prevent an open
rupture sawed out he bottom OF the churn
in the Deacon's presence, and until his de-
pdruie, fused away over a pile ol stavcs
heaped in one corner Of the shop. And as
often as the Deacon called to talk over the
news Of the week, and keep an eye to his
job, the Pa'son was Obliged TO take up the
churn and Lring it Il little nearer completion;
but the progress was so slow that the Dca-
con finally lost all patience; and entering
the shop one morning, about the middle of
the week, and finding the ordered churn in
the same unfinished condition that il was the
week previous he sna.chrd of his hat with
a spirit Of vengeance, run his long aud bony
fingers through his fl ken hair. and throwing
himself back on his dignity exclaimed, in
torrent Of passion
Parson Hobbs you've been to work on
hat churn Of mine little more than eleven
months, and don't see much more prospect
of my getting it now than did the dav |
left the ofGerl Your conduct, Parson Hobbs
your conduct. sir, is iucxcusabc aud in,
compatible with the character OF Parson,
and as sure as there's Il vengeance for the
wicked. if that churn aint done and sent TO
my house on Saturday next, will interrupt
YOU in the middle Of your sermon, on the
Sabbath, by inquring aloud if you have yet
linished my cturn. Marx what say, Par
son Hobbs I'm nat TO be longer trifed
with. Pm man that means what saws.
ani says what means, and am determined
10 ave my churr"
As may well be supposed, the Deacor' 5
threat soon became generally known through.
out the settlement, and as Saturday night
came round the town gossips were on
the qui rice to SEQ whe'hcr the Parson
delivered the said churn but as nothing
of the kind passed from the 81 op, the
subject soon became one of general ex.
ctement and anxiety to listen to the spai
between the good hearted Parson and Dca.
con Wood, n man who was never known to
rrtract n syllable after making a threat.
On the following Sabbath, the square old
church was filled 10 overnnwine by an atten
live auditory who had come from all parts ol
the town. to see and hear their (avorite Pas
tor, who, good soul as he was, thought thai
the extraordinary audience was merely q
demonstration of his growing popularity and
the increased interest in spiritual affairs
Selecting for his mornings service the sub.
iect of Moses and his brethren crossing the
red sea with safety, and the awful fate oil
Pharaoh and his host, who attempted to fol-
low, the Parson WAS more eloquent than IL
sual-seeing the close attention of his hear
ers; and as he WAS blest with sientorian lung,
he waNed warmer and warmer on the sub
Jeet until he exclaimed in his loudesi voice
with an old fashioned half singing tone