The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-09-03
"The a.aAs EEnir.''

The life of preacher inanew country, from
a peculiar point of view is hardly as smootl
and free from difficulty as Il position i'll more
cultivated and populous communities usually
appears to be The people are tIhnly scatter
! ed here and there, engaged in different pnr-
suits, though chiefly agricultural. Being col
lected from all parts of older states, and gath
cred from every class Of society, they meet up
on terms Of easy familiarity, and restrained
/ by no irksome conveutiouaIitics. People i'll a
new country generally have a pretty hard
time of it. They live q sort Of rough-and-
tumble" life, wearing out their best efforts IL
struggle for existence. Under these cir
cunstances the material sometimes absorbs
completely the spiritual and the people not
INDEPENDENTLY get so far behind with the
/ preacher that they have frequently to be pow
erfully stripped up from the pulpit.
! On one occasion we had a visit from the pre-
siding elder of our district at one Of our quar-
terly meetings We had not paid our circuit
preacher ''ary dime, as the boys say, and We
expected a scoring from the elder.
| Well we We're not disappointed The ell
der breaches us a moving discourse from the
text owe no man anything" At the close
of his sermon he came at once to the subject
in hand.
Brethren" said he, ''have you paid broth
er -- anything this year? Nothing at all,
understand Well now your preacher can't
live on air, and you must pay, that's the idea.
lie needs twenty five dollars now, and must
have it Steward, we'll take up collection
now"
Here some of the audience near the door be
gan to slide out.
II
ard, lock that door and fetch me the key!
he continued, coming down out Of the pulpit
and taking his seat by the stand table in front.
The steward locked the door, and then de
posted the key on the table by the side OF the
elder.
''Now steward" said he, ''go round with
the hat. | must have twenty dollars out
of this crowd before one Of you shall leave this
house"
Here was fix The congregation was
taken all aback. The old folks looked aston
ished; the young folks Uttered The steward
gravely proceeded in the discharge Of his off
cia duties The hat was passed around and
at length poured 'the funds" on the table and
counted the amount.
"Three dollars and half A slow start,
brethren. Go round again, Steward. We
must pull a heap stronger
Around went the Steward with his hat
again, and finally pulled up at the stand OF
the elder.
mine dollars and three quarters-not
enough yet. Go round again, Steward"
Around goes the Steward the third time!
'Twelve dollars and a half Mighty slow,
brethren. Fraid your dinners will all get cold
before you get home to 'cm. Go round again,
Steward :"
BY this time the audience began to get
! fidgety. They evidently thought the joke was
| getting serious But the elder was relentless
| 4 gain and again circulated the indefatigable
hat, and slowly, but surely thepile on the ta-
BILE swelled to the required amount.
'Twenty- four dollars and haIf-only lacks
half doller. Go round again"
Just then there was a tap on the window
from the outside; hand was thrust in hold
ling a half dollar between the thumb and
finger, and young fellow outside exclaimed
-.'Here parson, here is your money! Let my
gal out O there, | am tired o Warrington
| her"
It was the last hair that broke the camel''
back, " and the preacher could say in the Ian
guage Of like Turtle" ''Thist ere neetint
busted up"
The total valuation Of real estate in Boston
is set at $3.50, $50, 300 and the total persona
at 1892, 867, 7O0-inaking the grand tota
1902, 527, 600, or $26'569,70 more than las
| 49, ,.oo,. 10 I 50 IN th