The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-11-23
The Tythingman.

keeper. His house was just opposite to, and
within lew yards Of, the church and his
Sign, which bore on one side the device of
punch-bowl, and on the other the eligy OF
Old Nicholas himself, with his horns and
tail, might be heard creaking from morning
till night, and ftom night till morning, to the
great annoyance of his guests.
During fair weather the Deacon farmed
during foul, he made and mended wagons,
wheel.barrows, and other vehicles and on
Sundays he made money by taking dp trav-
slers and exacting hne. He also derived
further profit by detaining, as long as pos
sible, those thus arrested, and charging very
considerably for meat, drink and lodging for
themselves, and ptovehder and stabling for
their horses.
He wus accounted an exceedingly devout
man. regular attendant at chtirch, and
strict observer of family worship. But, sooth
to say, there was degree Of worldly pru-
dence at the bottom, which operated effect.
ually to preve Mt his spiritual concerns from
ever becoming detrimental to his carnal in.
tefests. Though he usually performed his
family devotions in a front room, and with
the windows open, so that his pious example
might be duly noticed by his neighbors-
there was another motive for this arrange.
ment, namely, the convenience Of keeping
on eye upon the road, TO see if any travellers
were passing on Sunday, and if any were
driving up to his tavern on a week day. But
sometimes his devotions were entirely omit.
ted of morning, when his worldly business
drove him ; but these omissions were sup
piled, with interest, on the succeeding even.
ing, the first runy day, or, at al! events, as
soon 90 business began to slacken q little !;
so that, to use phrase of his own, though
he borrowed great muny spare hours OF the
Lord, he was careful to square uD o. accounts
in the course Of The yeuT.
At church, instead Of sitting with his bro.
tber dencons in the ftioial seat beneath the
pulpit, he constantly took his station in
pew on the front side Of the meeting house,
looking out upon the main road, and upon
his t1vern opposite, and also so near the
the door that he could slip out in moment
of time, Dnd without much disturbing the
congregation. Here with his two-fold pru'
dente, which at the same time looked heav-
onward and earthward, he could listen to
the preaching with his eurs, while he kept
his eyes devou,ly fixed on the road, TO see if
any traveller had tie impety to attempt pass
ing by-in which case he Immediately sal
lied forth and arrested him.
or all his various duties, there was none
which he discharged with SO much zeal as
this. Indeed, he had a three.fold motive
he executed law of the State in his Office
of tythingni1n he showed his religious hor
ror of Sabbath. breakers and, what wus
mere important still, as we hinted nboae, he
secured guest for the benefit of his tavern
for, though it vexed his soul beyond en-
durance to see people disregarding the Sab
bath, it did not 60 against his conscience ir
the leest to make pretty penny out of these
vile lransgressors. Indeed, Il was princ
pie OF his, as prudent as it was pious, tina
the saints have perfect right to prey de-
voutly on the substance Of the sinners.
But the office Of tythingman, however i'm
, portant to religion and morals, is USUALLY
subject to no small degree of popular odum
and this always increased exactly in proper
tion to the zeal and vigilance with which th
Office is discharged. 1t is not every travele
chat takes his arrest and detention in goo
= part and sor1e, with thost unaccountable in
- gratitude, instead of thanking the devou
-, tyhingmun for ar+esling them in the "broa
road" would as likely as not meet his kin
. offices by calling him meddling bypocrite
:, and by Knocking him down.
Such misfortunes had not trnrequentl
happened to Deacon Standfast Holdfast.-
~ But he bore them all with Christian patienc
l. and fortitude- considering hat on the whole
he made money, discharged his duty to tn
Stste and the congregation, and finally pu
chased for himself an enviabe rank anon
40 the saints. Re set down these insults an
" oppositions as the buffetings of Satan, an
): only grew the more jealous in the executio
of his office, the more he was ihshlted an
=, - opposed.
~ 1t is true, there were some travellers VII
- submitted peacefully to the arrest, and, witt
out opposition, discharged their fines, rath
" than make any disturbance, or, by opposir
~ the execution Of the law, subject themselv
to It's further exactions. But there were ce
10 tain fellows who took the liberty of travelir
'y on Sunday, who proved themselves eth
- too turbulent or too cunning for the tythin
:" mans management. Among these may
parttcuiarly mentioned the New York Dutc
len, and the Yankee pedlars of tin'ware al
~ II. other notions. We will give an instance
1t. two by way OF illustration {:
'o AS Deacon Stundfast Holdfast was sitti
w in his pew one winter Sunday looking out
" usual on the high-road, he deserted a'sto'
~ looking man, in fur cap and gloves, Will
sleigh and pair of fine horses. The &c
eral aspect Of the man and of his equipa
in was rather forbidding. But the devout {
ZEN sire of discharging his ddty,. and the temp
skl tion withal Of making money, promptly {