Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-25

an immaculate POCKET nanQkerCnlet on the
dirty floor whereon to kneel at prayers.
The fact is, that Clifton had been bred iu
ease and had the outside OF = gentleman,
which is disadvantage sometimes partCu-
larlY if the inside does not correspond. He
had young mans natural longing to go out
in the world, and see a little of the rough side
of ito try his own wings, which he had now
for some years been impatien:ly fluttering on
the edges of the paternal nest. Add 20 this
the honest enthusiasm OF young fellow who
believes himself called to show the heavenly
road mot as finger post, as Jean Paul sug-
gests, which only points the way, but does not
move itself) And this tempered, perhaps, by
the modest thought that it wonld be easier,
for him, young and inexperienced man, to
lead rough Hoosiers up this steep and mar
row path than the more refined and intellect.
ual congregations of the East-a little mis-
take | have known wiser men than the rever-
end Paul to make-as though the widest
horses did not need the hest drivers Put
these together, and you have, | suppose, near
y the mixture of motives which brought him
to avoid the soft ease Of :" first class city
appointment" and join himself to this unknown
future OF the backwoods.
The bishop regarded him with mild pity as
he read him his fate. A set custom could not
be violated on his account nor, indeed, did
the venerable man believe that this trial had
best be spared the young preacher. When
the last hymn was sung, and the prayer and
benedicton had dismissed the members to
their homes he walked over to where Clifton
sat and shaking his haud encouragingly, said,
Keep up your spirits, Brother Paul ! the
ord of ha ic cir
sword Of the Lord and of Gideon"
"Yes, yes" remarked an old fellow who
overheard these words Il wish there was
little more Gideon though"-while a hard
featured circuitrider growled to himself
places with him he looks like good young
fellow"
" You let him alone" interrupted old Faith
erSawyer probable the bishop knows what
he's about Let the young mau take bis
chance The Lord will provide"
d" | don't believe the Lord knows anything
about Shottover," retorted the circuit rider,
who had enough of Gideon about him, at any
rate and who probably wonld have rather
enjoyed q tussle with that devil of mischief,
who was said to be so strongly entrenched in
Paul CIifton's new station.
In which regard he differed much from
Paul, who was not what you call a muscular
CurStan forcing people hCavenward by the
fear of the Lord and big fist but eminent
ly a mild hammered man, slender, and more
given to his Greek Testament than to his
dumbbeis. Old Peter Cartwright would
have counted him but small potatoes. Bat then,
even Peter is mortal In fact, | find nothing
so very mortal as muscle.
That he might properly prepare himself for
personal contest with the sons Of Belial who
made Shottover by word and a reproach in
the mouths of the brethren, these took care
fully to inform brother Panl Of the various
disagreeables and trials he might expect in his
new station. dust in this way my grand.
mother used to describe to me beforehand, and
with great minutcneSS and conScientousneSS,
the nauSeous horrors of that inimitable flavor
of disgust, an impending dose of castor,oil as
of grandmotherS. and particularly those of
the male sex Thus advised and in no very
sanguire temper, Paul rode into ShottOver on
the top Of the stage, on a Saturday morning
and after refreshing his inner and outer man
at the hotel, he proceeded to view his church
Now, to an earnest and unsophiSticated
Christian like the Reverend Paul Clifton, u.s.
ed all his life to the comfortably cushioned
pewS, carpeted aiseS, sofa'd pulpitS, and scru-
puIouS cleanliness Of our city churches the
little meeting house at Shottover was like to
he shock. A shock certainly, to his sense
Of comfort and decency perhaps (who
knows p to his faith in the Christian doctrine
1t is unpleasantly situated in the extreme
edge Of bare and sterile clay bank-down
which, | verify believe, it will tumble some
rainy day Its low roof its mud bespattered
walls, once painted dirty white its narrow
door way, making no allowance for sinners in
crinoline its ragged wagonshed, like Jack
Straw'S house, neither wind tight nor water
tight, and through whose board-sides several
generations of horses had gnawed sundry
holes, which gave their successors occasional
privileged squints into cool meadow beyond
thus pointing Sunday lesson even to OBJ
Stinate horse aesh by this pleasant vision of
heavenly grass-felds aad this flanked by an
appalling architectural noveIty-a beltower,
or embryo steepIe, standing on its own base,
and giving the impression to an unfamiliar eye
that it had teen lifted down by some light
handed giant-all this does not promise well
to a man who holds bis faith by the ties of
mere use and comfort.
Within, the narrow aislcs are covered with
fine coating of rich Indiana mud. The hard
straight-backed, pncushioncd pcws afford no
rest for the wicked nor to<the pions neither,
unless as is some times the case, piety and
adipose tissue are found in the same body
The preaching stand has at least the merit of
consistency, being neither cleaner nor more
ornamental than the rest of the church,
Rain. stained windows bare, white washed,
and partly peeled walls white where no
stains of tobacco betoken the resting place of
some saint who chews the cud of Virginia con
font hnnenth the shndnw of the nreacher'S !