Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-03-29
SPEAKING HIS MIMI:

Old Deacon Hobhouse had habit of
frequently thinking aloud Especially
if any matter troubled him, he had to
talk it over with himself before his
peace of mind could be restored. One
day he was alone in his barn, pitching
hay from the scaffold to the NOW, when
his neighbor Stevens went to find him.
Stevens heard voice and listened. Il
was the deacon talking to himself. He
was condemning in the strongest terms
the extravaganza of the minister's wife.
"She sets worse example than Satanp'
exclaimed the deacon, by way of climax.
And having freed his mind, he was
preparing to come down from the loft,
when Stevens glided out of the barn,
and came In again jnst as the deacon
landed on the floor.
stHow de do, deacoD2'' cried Stevens.
"Iwant to borrow your half bushel an
hour or two
go, sartin, sartia" said the deacon.
The measure was put into the neighbor's
hand, and he departed.
1t was peaceful communicable
minister's wife was an excellent woman,
notwithstanding her love of fnery, and
Deacon Hobhouse was of all men the
least disposed to make trouble in the
society. Hence the sensation which was
produced when the report circulated
that he had used almost blasphemous
language in speaking of that amiable
lady. The sweetest tempered woman
would not go to hear of grave and in
fuential deacon declaring that "she sets
a worse example than Satan!'' The
minister 5 wife, whose ear was in due
time reached by the report, felt in high
degree incensed, and sent her husband
to deal with the honest old man.
The latter was astonished when told
of the charge against him.
Il never said so!' he solemnly averred.
"You are quite positive that you
never did?' said he minister.
"Heayen knows! It's false as false can
bs!' exclaimed the deacon. "Whatever
thoughts | may have had about your
wife's extravagance-and am now free
to say do think she has our wives and
daughters running after new bonnets
and such vanities = whatever thoughts
I've had, though I've kept 'em to my
self; 1 never mentioned EN- to living
soul, never!'
The good mans earnestness quite
convinced the minister that he had
been falsely reported. II was therefore
necessary to dig to the root of the scan
dal. Mrs. Brown, who told the minis
ters wife, had heard Mrs Jones say
that Deacon Hobhouse said so, and Mr..
Adams, being applied to, stated that he
had the report from Stevens, who said
that he had heard the deacon say So
Stevens was accordingly brought up for
examination, and confronted with the
deacon.
"It's an outrageous falsahood!" said
the deacon. You know, Stevens, I
never opened my lips to you on the sub
ject. nor to any other man"
81 heard you say" remarked Stevens,
coolly, that the minister's wife sets a
worse example than Satan; and I can
take my oath of it.
'When? where?' demanded the ex-
cited deacon.
"In your barn." replied Stevens,
when I went to borrow your half
bushel."
',There neveI was such a lie! Ste
vens-Stevens," said the quivering
deacon, 'you know
"Wait till 1 explain" " Interrupted
Stevens "I was on the barn floor, you
was up on the scafold pitching hay, and
talking to yourself. I tho't it too good
to keep; so, just for the joke, l told what
1 heard you say"
The deacon scratched his head, looked
humble, and admitted that he might, IN
that way, have used the language at
tributed to him. To avoid trouble in
the society, he afterwards went to apollo
gise to the minister's wife.
"You must consider," said he, s'that
I was talking to myself; and when I
talk to myself, l am apt to speak my
mind ree!y."-True Flag.