Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-03-19
THE sELF.D1sPARAGING SISTER


In one of the Eastern States, there is set
tlement, which has long been celebrated as
a stronghold of Mcthodism. 1t is an out-ot-the
way neighborhood, yet no place in the whole
c. untry is better known, or more highly es-
teemed. In the centre of the settlement, just
where two roads cut each other at right an
giles, making g four corners,'' is the school
house, painted red, and long familiar as the
only place Of public wOship in the settlement.
The people are well-off now, and have built a
nice and commodious church on the opposite
corner. A few rods up the road from the
school-house, lived Squire Scrubb. You could
tell, at first sight, that the esquire " was well
to do in this world: for every thing about him
denoted it. There was his picket-fencc all
around his garden, painted red, and the top
tipped with white; there was his house, q mo-
dest one story and a half, with n leaning to in
the rear, painted white all over; there was the
barn, large, well-filled barn it wasi there was
the farm, choice lot OF one hundred acres,
we'll cultivated; and, besides all this, there
were the honors and emoluments of the lm-
portant officer Of justice Of the peace. Inc
g Squire y was, of course, Il man OF note IN ms
town. lie had been justice several terms IN
succession. He was trustee of the school dis-
trict, and he was both cass-leader ana stewart
in the Methodist Church. have no doubt he.
would have received other honOrs at the hands
4
been eligible. Still he was quiet, unasstm-
| ing man, and verify believe he thought more
of his religion than Of all his ecclesiastical and
civil honars. His house was the itnerant S
home; and right sweet, pleasant home II
would have been, but for certain unfortunate
weakness Of the every other way erceHcnf eis-
ter Scrub. The weakness | allude TO was, qr
at least it Gas suspected to be, the love pI
praise Now, the good sister was well worthy
bfh iuh
she had way of disparaging herself and her
performances, which some people thought WPs
intended to invite praise. No houSvwiie KEPT
her floors looking SO clear and her walls so
well white-washed as she. Every board was
scrubbed and secured till further scrubbing and
securing would have been labor wasted. No
one could look on the white-ash floor, and not
admire the polish her industry gave il. The
Squire" " was good proyider, and Sister
Scrub was an excellent cook; and so therIta-
| bic groaned under a burden of good things on
all occasions when good cheer was demanded.
And You could never enter the house and sit
half an hour without being reslinded that
Husband held court yesterday, and sle
| couldn't keep the house decent" If YOU sal
down to eat with them, she was sorry she
" hadn't anything fit to eat.'' She had beer
/ scrubblng, or washing, or ironing, or she had
1 been half sick, and she hadn't such and sucl
1 things that she ought to have. Nor did i
matter how bountitul or how well prepared
the repast really was, there was alway.
| something deficient, the want ofwhich furnish
ed text for disparaging discourse on the oc
casion. l remember once, that we sat down t.
table that king might have been happy Il
enjoy There was the light, snow-white broad
/ there were the potatoes reeking in butter
there were the chickens swimming in gravy
there were the onions and the turnips anC
was sure Sister Scrub had gratifed her am
bition once. We sat down, and a blessing
] was asked. Instantly the good sister began