The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-10-12

felt 1t my duty to stop and learn the ter
rible uproar within. | found the wretch
beating his wife, and her screams, and
his horried oaths made my blood run cold
l knocked the rascal down, t'servcd him
right said the Deacon and think be will
be quiet until morning; but do 90 as ear
ly as you can.' 'Od rabbit the. varmint, ;
said Deacon Goodman, 'and cd rabbit e.
tarnal blasted rum shop That was the
nearest to swearing that the Deacon was
ever known to come.
Put old Mag in the wagon said he to
his son. Deacon, don't 20 to night said
Mrs. Goodman. DO wait till morning.
said bis daughters. Let me CO. said his
son. Mind your own business said the
Deacon to all of them, shall 90 tonight
When it came to that they knew there
was no more to be said He was dread
fully setin his way He took bag and
basket, and went into the cellar. He
filed the bag with potatoes. He took
piece ofpork from one barriel and piece
of beef from another, and put them in the
basket. He went to the closet and took
a brown loaf and a white one. He went
to the wood pile and took an armful of
wood, and told his son to take another.
All was put in the wagon; he not forget
ting six candles aud paper of matches.
Deacon Goodman needed no secondary
motive to Christian duty; yet historical
truth demands the concession, that the
wife of the poor drunkard was his first
love. She Tilted him, or as We Yankees
say, gave him the mitten, in favor of the
abiect wretch who has now become her
tyrant. And this was the way be fed
fat the ancient grudge' he owed her! The
truth is, Deacon Goodman knew nothing
about gr9ta,geS ancient or modern. The
old Adam would occasionally fare up,
but he always got him under 6Ct0re SIN
dorm.
All was ready, and in five minutes the
Deacon was exposed to the pelting of the
pitiless storm But what did he care for
the storm? Il am going on Gods errand,
said he to himself; Il am going to visit
the worse than widow and fatherless. -
The next thing he said was, 'Oh, get out. ,
That he meant for the promptings Of his
own proud heart.
Misery, misery, indeed did he fDd in
that most miserable dwelling. The poor
wretch himself was dead drunk on the
floor. The poor pale woman was sobbing
her very heart out; the children were
clamorous, and but few were the words
of their clamor. 4 am cold, 4 am hung
ry,' and that was all The Deacon brot
in the wood made up fire; lighted
candle; and emptied the bag and basket,
The poor pale woman wept and sobbed
her thanks. 'Oh, you varmint,' said the
Deacon, as be looked at the husband and
father; and broke off piece of bread for
each of the children. The general COM
motion aroused the poor wretch from his
drunken stupor. lie looked up and re-
cognized the Deacon.
Halo, old music said he, are you
here? give US a stave, old nightingale
Sing as you DO in meeting Sing and
scare the rats away why, what on
earth does the critter meant said the
Deacon. The poor, pale grateful woman
smiled through her tears She could not
help it. She had bee n singer in her
better days; she had also heard the Dea-
con sing.
do not record these incidents merely
because they are honorable to Deacon
Goodman, but because they are particu-
larly connected with my story. In this
errand of mercy the Good Deacon caught
a very serious cold; it affected his throat.
and his nose, and even his lungs; and
gave to his voice a tone not unlike to that
of the lowest note of cracked bass-viol
alternating with the shrek of clarionet
powerfully but unskillfully blown. On
Saturday exening he soaked his feet in
hot water; drank copiously Of hot balm
tea; went to bed and said he felt comfor-
table. Now Deacon said Mrs. Good
man, you are dreadful hoarse; you won't
sing tomorrow, will your Singing is
praying-and-' -he dropped asleep
And sure enough he did sing tomorrow,
and it surpassed all that had gone before.
) This is the last of it, said the choir lead
er, Il have done In the afternoon the
choir was vacant, some of the singers alb
sent and others scattered about in the
, pews. The minister read three verses OF
a psalm; and then observed, 'the choir
being absent, singing must necessarily be
omitted But Deacon Goodman saw nc
such necessity. He arose and sung the
three verses himself! lie stopped six
times to snceze; and blew his nose between
f the verses by way of symphony The
next day he was sick abed. A parish
meeting was hastily called, and a resolu-
! ton unanimously passed that, 'Wherea;
| the solemuity and deeorum of public
) worship depend much on the character O.
I the music: resolved, that hereafter nc
' person shall sing iH meeting, in this pa
rish without the appreciation of the choir.
S Rather a stringent measure; but wha
could they DO? The minister called OF
n Deacon Goodman, and handed him tht
e resolution. He read it over three times
y He then calmly folded up the paper, anc
e handed it back to the minister. This i
!. a free country yet, | hope. shat san: