The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-09-17
RAIN, OR NO RAIN.

't The little parish of Yellowdale farm
e ers had long been without q minister
/ One day Rev. Mr.. Surely visited the
J. village, and was asked to stay over Sum-
$ day and preach to them. The people
S were pleased with his sermon, and some
were anxious to have him stop. A meet
e ing was called to know the mind of the
parish. Il don't see any use in having
minister said Sharp, rich old farm
er, a parson can't learn me anything :;
) if we've any money to spare, we better
lay it out in something that will bring
fairer return The Sabbath loving part
of the people argued strongly against
him. Well, answered Sharp, not
choosing to show himself convinced,
I've heard tell of ministers that could
pray for rain, and bring it; if we could
hit on one of that sort, I'd go in for
hirin' him.
Mr.. Sharp was a man of consequence,
and the younger and less knowing of his
neighbors were taken with the idea.
THAT would be minister worth hav-
ing They would hire Mr.. Surely up
on this condition-that he would give
them rain, or fair weather, when they |
wanted it; for their farms often suffered
from severe drouths and heavy rains
Mr.. Surely was Immediately waited up
on by committee of the parish, who
soon came back bringing the minister
with them. will accept your terms
upon one condition, said he, { that you
must agree upon what sort of weather
you want This appeared reasonable,
and matters were arranged for years
stay at Yellowdale.
Weeks passed on, bringing midsum-
mer heats. For three weeks it had not
rained, and the young corn was begin
ming to curl with drought. Now for the
minister's promise. 'Come, said Sharp,
with one or two others whose hilly farms
were suffering, we need rain you re-
member your promise Certainly
the minister, call meeting
A meeting was called. Now my friends
said the pastor, what Ia it you want !
Rain, rain,' shouted half dozen J
voices. i
Very well, when will you have itg' t
This very night, all night long, said c
Sharp, to which several assented.
'No, no; not tonight cried Mr.. v
Smith, i've six or seven tons Of we'll v
made hay out; | would not have it wet t
or any thing
So have T. added Mr.. Peck, mo
ain tonight a
Will you take it tomorrow p asked t
he minister. But it will take all day to. C
morrow to get it in. So objection came a
p for the two or three next days. I'm t
our days then p said Mr.. Surely. v
Yes cried Sharp, all the hay will g
re in, and no more be cut till - -. t
Stop stop!' cried Mrs. Sharp, pull P
ng her husband amartly by the sleeve, t
that day we have set out to 60 to Snow q
i'll. It msus'nt rain then.' a
In short, the meeting resulted in just Of
o conclusion at all, for it was found fr
ute impossible to agree. st
Until you make up your minds, said tt
ne pastor on leaving, we must all trust ri
, the Lord lie
Both Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Peck got el
heir hay in, but on the day the Sharps L
ere to go to Snow-hill, it began to rain tt
good earnest. Sharp lost his visit, fir
ut his crops gained. lu
And SO it happened once or twice oil
gain. The year rolled by, and the peo- tn
e could never all agree upon what kind tn
weather they wanted. Mr.. Surely, ty
course, had no accasien to fulfil his OF
lrt of the contract, and the result was
at they began to open their eyes to the
ct that this world would be strange IN
ace if its inhabitants should govern it. wb
1ey saw that natures laws could be vo
fely trusted in the hands of nature's to
M