, 1860-11-30
THE DEACON'S DILEMMA i;
OR,
The Use OF the beautiful.
III Mrs. HARRIET pErcuEu srow1


From tho New York Indcpen1ent]
Dcaon Tilden had the squarcst, ncatcstw white
l,,,l,*e that ever showed its keen angles from
the dueky cluinps Of old lilac bushes. Inf ront
of II sloud, on each side Of the doorway, two
thrifty cherry trees, which bore tuslel each
lilac trees, there was not flower or shrub
round tho place. Rose bushes the Deacon
thought rottcd the house, and tho honey
suckic which his wife tried to train over the
porch, was torn down when the painters came
and un tho whole, the Deacon said, what was
The use Of putting il M, SO long as it did not
hear anything:
BY the side Of the house was thrifty, woll-
kept .arlcn, with plenty Of c,lrrant bushes,
::ooerbcrry bushes and ounce trecs-and the
l'cc;$ and carrots and onious were the pride Of
the Dss,ron's heart; but, as he often proudly
said, everything was Tor H~'-therc vas
nothinS f:u,cv about 1t. His wife put in tim
art,l.sly ono season for flowcr-bordcr-Nrs.
.1cnkyns had given her pctuAia, and Mrs.
Sinlklns had brought her a package Of flower
seed, from New York-and SO a bed was laid
out. But the thrifty Dcacon soon found that
tho wedding Of it took time that Mrs. Tildcn
might give to her dairy, or to making shirts
and knitting stockings; and 20 ii really
frs'n',cd his conscience. The next spring lie
turned II into his comfield; and when lis wlfo
,nil'tly intimatcd her disappointment, said,
rlacid]y, !" After all, twas 4 thing Of no use,
u
1ner's woman, and one Of The kind Of saints
VII" always suppose themselves miserable sim
ncrs. specially confessed her Fin Of being ill.,
war,tly tcxcd about the incident in her prayers
that night, and l,raycd that her eyes might BE-
inr1:cd off from bc1lo1diug vanity. and &lat she
might l'c quickcned in tic way Of nlindius !ler
wors.
Tie front parlar Of tho Dcacon's house was
tllc tns'st lrlgid asylum of ncatncss that ever
discouraged the eyes and heart Of visitor.
Ti,r four blank walls were guitiess Of any en-
craving or painting. or Of any adorument but
.'' ordinary wall paper aud 4 framed copy Of
the Declaration Of 1ndependcnce-nn each uf
ilir three sides stood four chairs-under tue
lM'kinG-tt,lass was shining mahogany table
WIN larsc Bible and almanac on it-and
lhir t'1 rld, clustering brass andirons illustr,-
leu !lc nsepEcc: ihc manfcl.shclf above lad
1t sl'iilrrs bctwccn-and that was all. The
N';'ton llkea lit ~hs plain and simplc-no
'ithiscu"e apoat n-eSerythtns for use and
ho''fne@ 1"f si'"w-it suited him. Ills wife
fomet1n'es signed alld locked round it, when
s1n was scwing, as 1t she wanted something,
From vanity turn OF my eyes:
"a. Ct sa,ia' no corrupt detisn
r...,i' ~, usses .'..Irs i'rlt arisf
.. "'."'" 'n'7 ''e"'' ~ nll's.
INC cnrfnpi acslgn 10 which this c*tinlas'lc
niatron had been tempted lad been The pur-
chase ot Il pair OF tariai flower yasrs, whose
t'ranty had struck to her heart when she went
with ner butter ana cs:gs to the ncishbor i'll:
citv--bnt rccollcctinE herself in TING, she had
rcs.'lutc1y shut her cycs to The allurcmcnt,
and spent the money llsefullyin buyinw Loaf:
sugar.
For 1t is 10 lie remembered that the Deacon
was fond Of good eating, and pridcd himself
"n the tountics Of bis wife'r table. Few wo-
1nc1l knew bcttcr how to set unc-arfd the
snowy bread. golden butler, clear preserves
anil je}lics, were themes Of admiration at all
sllc tca-tablcs in tue laiil: Tic Deacon didn't
mind Il few cents In Il pound more fora nicer
l.a'n, aud would now and then bring in Il treat
Of @ysicrs from the city when they were dear
stretch point for the comforts Of life.
The Deacon must not be mistaken fur r..