The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-12-24

and big pair of buck>skn mtlens, on the
little table under the desk When he is
fairly seated in his corner Of the pew, with
his elbow on the top>rail-almost the only
man who can comfortably reach it--you OBJ
serve that he spreads his fingers over his
scalp, in an exceedingly cautious manner
and you innocently think ngun, that it is
very hypociilical in deacon. 10 be pretend
ing to lean upon his hand. when he is only
keeping his wig straight
After the morning service. they have an
hours intermission. as the preacher calls it;
during which the old men gather on sunny
side of the building, aud after shaking hands
all around, and asking after the folks at
home. they enjoy aquiet talk about the
crops. One man, for instance, with a twist
in his nose, would say, It's rather erowin'
season ! and another would reply, 'rolcra>
bile, bn' potatoes is feelin' the wet, badly
The stout deacon approves this opinion, and
confirms it by blowing his nose very power
fully.
Two or three of the more wordly-minded
ones will perhaps stiolI over to a negbbor's
barn yard, aud take look at his young
stock, add talk of prices. and whiile little;
and very likely some two of them will make
a conditional 'swop' of three little ye'rlngs'
far pair OF two year ods.
The youngsters are fond of getting out
into the graveyard, and comparing jack
knives, or talking about the school-maser,
or the menagere; or, it may be, of some
pr Prospective travel in The fall; either to
town, or perhaps TO the sea-shorc.'
Afternoon service hanes heavily and the
tall chDrister is by no means so bllhe, or so
majestic in the loss Of his head as in the
morning. i boy in the next box tries to
provoke you into familiarity by dropping
pellets OF ginger bread through the bars of
the pew; but as you ARE moi accustomed to
that way of making acquaintance, you de-
cline all overturcs'
After the service is finishcd. the wagons
that have been disposed on either side Of the
road are drawn up before the door. The
old Squire, meantime. is sure TO have little
chat with The pa's son before he leaves in the
course of which, the parson takes occasion
10 say that his wife is a little ailing, slight
touch, he thinks, 'of The rheumaiiz' One
of The children too has been troubled with
the summer complaint for day or two ;
but he thinks that dose of catnip, uuder
PROVIDENCE, will effect n cure. The
younger and unmarried men, with red ~ag-
ons flaming upon bright yellow wheels, make
great efforts TO drive Off in the van and
they spin lriehIfuly near some Of the fat,
sour-iaced women, who remark in a quiet,
but not very Christian tone, that they fear
TIE elders sermon hasn't done tie young
bucks much good 1t is much to be feared
in ruth. that it has not
In ten minutes the old church is thor
ourhy deserted the nelghbor who keeps
the key has locked up for another week he
crcaking door, and nothing of the service
remains within. except DR.. Dwighls Vcr-
sion. the long music books, crumbs of rim
gcrbread, aud refuse stalks of despoled icn>
mel or caraway.
And yet, under the influence of that old
weather-s'ainei temple. are perhaps growing
up-lhough you do not once fancy it-sonis
possessed of an energy, an industry, and a
respect for virtue, which will make them
stronger for the real work of life han all the
which even the rudest churches Of New Eng
land teach, with all their harshness, and all
their r"pulsive severity of form, is the lesson
OF SEIF-DENIAL. Once armed with that
and manhood is strong. The soul that posY
sesses the consciousness of mastering pas
sion, is endowed with an element of force
! that can never harmonizc with defeat. Diff
culies it wears like summer garment and
filings away AT the first approach of the win
ter NErD.
Let not any one suppose, then, thai in this
detail OF country life | would cast oboquy or
sncer upon its simplicity or upon It's lack
of refinement. Goodness and strength in
This world are quite as apt to wear rough
coats as fine ones and tho words of thor
ough and selfsacriGcins Kindness are far
more often dressed in the uncouih sounds of
retired life than in the polished utierances of
the town. HLAvEN has not made warm
hearts and honest hearts dislinguishabe by
the quality Of the covering