The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-10-04
nlisfellaneous.
Deacon stokes.

Ono Of those men whom everything provokes,
A suhy-tempef'd, evil-minded, bearish,
Ill-nstpesd sort of being;
Had been, sometime, the Deacon ofthe parish,
And had the overseeing
OF certain weighty matters, such as ringing
Ofthe church bel, land took the lead In singing
Well Deacon Stokes had gone to bed one night
About eleven;
Twas in December, IL my memorys right,
In '9T; .....r. 7
Twas cold enough to make Russian SILVER
think never
Knew ones%s
Colder than this; in faith, it was blue one.
As by the Almanac foretold, it was
Keenest Of n, my stars! how cold it was i
There was chap about there named Ezekiel!
OF whom the Deacon often used TO speak ILL.,, !
For he was fond of cracking jokes
On Deacon Stokes, go g.
What terms he stood among the women folks
And so on.
Il happened 80, that on the night speak OF,
Ezekiel left the tavern bar-room, where
He'd spent the evening previous for the sake OF
Drowning his care
BY partaking
In the merry -making
OF some rude fellows there,
Whose sole employment
And enjoyment,
Was to get togerher
In all kinds Of weather.
On every night
BY candle-lght,
Playing at all. fours, smoking and chewing,
Telling long yarns and pouring down "the ruin"
Pretty well "corned," and up to anything,
Drunk a. a lord and happy as king;
With light heart, much lighter than feather,
With . light sole that spurn'd the freezing
weather,
And with head ten times as light as either,
And purse perhaps as light as all together,
On went Ezekiel with great expansion
OF thought,
Until he brought
Up, 70 post before the Deason's mansion.
With one arm round the post, awhile he stood
In thoughtful mood,
His right eye upward turn'd
Towards window, where,
With feeble glare,
A candle burned.
Then with serious
Look, and grave mysterious
Shake Of the head,
Ezekiel said,
(His eye once more directed towards the beacon
That from the window shone,) "Fll start the
Deacon"
Rsp,, rap, rap, rap, rap,-went Deacon Stokes
But no one stirred Rap, rap, it went again
"DO tell--it must be after ten o'clock, or
They take an early hour for turning in"
Rap, rap, rap. rap, rap, rap;--.' Why, how they
keep fc.' -as
4 fellow vaiting!"-"Jings. how sound they
sleep!"
The Deacon, thus from slumber rudely wakened,
In wild amazement,
Threw up the easement,
And with cap on head
Of fiery red,
Demanded what the cause Vas Of the riot
Which thus disturbed his quiet!
"Very cola weather, Daacon Stokes, to-night!'
Replied voice below;
/" Begone you vile
lnsolent dog, or Ill
Give you warming"
"why, Deacon, don't for PHYS sake, be cross,
Since I've come here
In this severe
Cold night, enough to freeze wooden horse,
To ask your sage advice
Upon very nice
Case so, Deacon, bless you,
Do make haste and dress you'll"
"Begone, say, you wretch! or III come down
And put the lash on"
"Why, Deacon, do not getin such a passion
Twas all in vain
To speak again,
For, with the Deacon's threat about the lash,
Down went the sash.
Rap, rap, rap, rap, the knocker went again,
And neither of them was very light rap,
Thump, thump, against the door went ZekieTs
cane,
And this once more brought Deacon Stokes
nightcap;
"What MEANS" he cried, "this everlasting
clatter ?"
every cold weather, Deacon Stokes, tonight,
Tn sure 'tis;-why how your teeth do chatter!"
well, ifyou've any business, be about it,
For am very cold"
Why, Deacon, done doubtit
In o few words the matter may be told
Deacon, I'm sorry I've disturbed you so,
The case is simply this: / want to know,
If this cold weather lasts all summer here,
What time green peas will be along next year,"