The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-09-16

| the djscordancc of bis sea-cracked voice,
| IL was q doubtful matter TO Parsnn
Pitcher whether he shonld laugh or cry
ard he was forced 70 compromise with a
hystetical snort, just a. Josh brought
out the last word Of the verse on power.
ful figure,
''Cro.0-0-o.op"
So earnest aud honest was he. that, for
whole week after he hnl been examin.
ed aud approved by the church commit.
tee probatiouer. he never once thought
of Miss Eunicc when, suddenly, as he
was reading his Bible and came across
the honorable mention Of her name BY
the apostle. be recollected with sort of
share.faced delight. that now perhaps,
she would have him so, with 10 further
ceremony than reducing his gustv fax
colored hair to order hy means of pock
ct ccmb, and washing his hands at the
pump away be strobe to the school house
where it was Miss Eunice's custom TO
linger after school till her ire was burnt
low enough to rake up
josh looked in at the window as
drought to" in his own phrase along
side the shool' US" and thero sat the lady
Of his love, knitting blue stocking. with
an empty chair most rropiticusly placed
beside her in front Of the fire place -
Jcsh's heart rose up nightly. but he
knocked as little knock as his great
knuckles cou effect, was bidden in, and
sat himself down on the chair in par
oxism Of bashfulness. uowise helped by
Miss Eunice's dropped eyes and persis
tent knitting. So be sat full fifteen min.
utes, every now and then clearing bis
throat in vain attempt to introduce
the point till at length desperate enough,
he made o dash in TO the middle Of
things, aud bubblod over with Miss
Eunice, I've got religion | I'm sot ont
for to BE real pious man can't you
feel TO have me now ?"
What Miss Eunice's little trembling
lips answered I cannot say, but know
il YVES satisfactory to Josh, for his first
revcrent impulse, after be gathered up
her low words was to clasp lis hands and
say Amen" a. if somebody had asked
a blessing perhaps he hal received one
in Miss Eunice
When sprisg came they were married,
and were happy Yankee fashi q, without
comment or demonstration but very hap.
py Uncle Josh united with the church,
and was 10 Disgrace to his profession.
save and except in one thing-he would
swear Vaiuly did deacons, and treth.
reD assail him with exhcrtatiou. remon
STRANGE and advice; vainiy cid his meek
wife look at him with pleading eyes
vaioly did he hins If repent. and strive
and va ch, SHE STUMP of Dsgon remain.
ed" and was no. to be easily uprooted
At length Parson Pitcher. being great
ly .candalized at JosL's exple.ives, used
unluckily in somewhat excited meeting
on churca business, (for in prayer meet
ings be never answered any calls to rise.
lest habit should ge the better Of m
and shock the very sinners be might ex
horO Parson Pitcher himself made a
pastoral call at the firm, and found it's
master in the garden hoeng corn man.
fully.
Good day, Mr.. Crane /" said the old
gentleman.
Good day, Parson Pitcher, good day
d--hot day sir" answered the uncou
sci9us Josh.
mot so hot as hell for swearers |"
steruly respol ded the Parscn who being
Of family renowned iu New England
for noway miucing matters, sometimes
verged upon profanity himself, though
uuawarcs Josh threw down bis hoe in
despair.
"Oh Lord |" sid he, there i. goes
again | swear the d--doQs take
il If | don, keep goin' Oh Parsou
Pitcher, what shall | dew ? it swears Of
itself. | am clean beat tryu' to head it
off, con----no mem confuse it all /
Pm such an old hand a, the wheel,
sir !"
Luckily tor Josh the Parsons risibles
were hardly better in hand than his own
profanity, aud it took him now long
time to pick up his cane, which be had
dropped in the currant bushes while j 20
stood among the cornhils wipipg The
sweat off his brow, in an abject state oe
penitence and humility aud as the Par
son emerged like full moon from the
leafy currants, he fe.t more charitably
disposed towards Josh than be had be.
fore, 1t is very bad thing, Mr.
Crane" said he mildly Not merely
for yourself but its candalizes the chul ch
members, and think you ould take
severe measures to break up tho habi t."
What upon arth shall / 30, sir 3'
piteously asked Josh. 'it is the d-dest
plague oh swan to man I've done it
again u
And here, with a long howl, Josh threw
himself down in the weeds, and kicked
out like half-broken colt, wishing in
his soul the earth would hide him, and
trying to feel as bad as he ought to, for
his honest conscience stufdily refused TO
convict him in this matter, faithful as it
was in less sounding sins.
grieye to say that Parson Pitcher
got behind en- apple tree, and there
cried perhaps for be was wiping bis
eyes and shaking all over wn he walk
ed of, and Josh, getting up considerably
in state Of dusr, if not ashes and sack
cloth, looked sh epishly about for bis
reprover but be was gone.