Windham County Democrat. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1836-1853, 1851-08-27
The Spoiled Pic.

A young minister, recently married, had Just
been settled over a iourishing church. The long
years of study and preparatory toll had ended, the
ordeal of ecclesiastical examination was passed,
the vows of ordination imposed, and, full of san
guine hope, with bright prospects Of usefulness,
the youthful ambassador had entered on his peril
Gus charge. The young partner bride had come
from the altar in the fulness of joy yet unbghted,
to share with him in the responsibility of the new
vocation. But the roughness, the cares, the
shocks of professional life were as yet untried.-
They had not known the rudeness.of vulgar minds,
nor the strife of plebean tongues. Happy in
themselves, and in the favor Of the people re-
fined. intelligent, pious, beloved, they enjoyed for
a brief day the purest sunshine of felicity. Even
the ignorance and errors of the mistress in her
domestic empire, served but as amusements and
lessons of experience.
In such family, if anywhere is found the truth
of the great poet Domestic bliss the only good
of paradise that has survived the fall. But no
earthly Eden can long be safe from the tempter
and the fall. A sudden calamity overwhelmed
the happy pair in their innocence a calamity the
more affective from its trivial nature and unan-
ticipated source. But it withered joy, blighted
every bud of promise. The people, in the exu-
berance of their kindness, had furnished a supply
for their wants beyond the demands of a small
family. They had poured in upon them every
variety of food burdening their hearts with graft
tude and gadness.
But amid this profuson of good things, arriv-
ing in the sultry summer season, and requiring q
rapid consumption beyond the power of appetite
one gift had remained too long untasted. 1t was
a pie 1t had become spoiled. 1t was the first
evil omen that had appeared, and it startled the
happy pair with apprehension. What shall we
do? In whispers passed the long and anxious
consultation. The subject called for wisdom
beyond their experience. AT length they decd
ed to regale the pig with it, and keep the dspo
sal of the Inflated pie between themselves pro-
, found secret. But they had a servant girl tha
necessary but often most troublesome appendagt
7 TO domestic life, and bane of domestic peace
She learned the secret, but would not keep it,
Soon the news spread abroad that pie sent from
one of the best families was not good enough fo
so dainty minister, but was only fit for til,
1 swine!
Distressed and agitated by the rising tempest
the young pastor and his wife explained tn
cause, and over and over again protested their in
nocepee and their deep regret. But the angry
family and their partizans would receive no ex
PLANTATION, nor credit the true assertion. Thei
wounded pride demanded sacrifice. And the,
: waged the war till the young minister was driveI
i from the field, and the church was rent asunde
by the contending parties.
+ Behold how great matter little fire kindleth
: On what trifing grounds is the pastoral relation
G often dissolved, the solemn ordination VOWS bro
ken, and the church doomed to long wears of spir
!" itual death. What is the cause of all this miser
n and havoc of the souls of men? In this instanc
e it was spoiled pie ! And when the records q
e eternity unrolled, it will be seen that many
s faithful shepherd has been expelled from hi
/ flock for the merest trihe, expanded, magniied
r and enveloped in mist of prejudice But VIII
\ shall answer for this? Who shall meet the re
sponsibility before God, at the eternal judgment
> M y Observer.