Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1867-09-20
A Laughing Deacon.


Bcccher. IN bis new novel thus dcIincatc.
the Character OF a laughing deacon. som,
genuine model dosbtle.s sits for the por
traif.
How they ever made deacon out of Jcr
~ Marble. ] never coald imagine, III
Was ihe kindcsi heart thar ever babblci
and run over. lie was tough. elastic. in
cessantiy active. and prodigious worker
ilc seemed never 90 tire but after the long
est days toii be sPrang up the moment BE-
bad done With work a. if De- had been a
fine steel spring. \ lev hours sleep suf.
fccl hir. and be saw the morning stars tie
year round. His weszencI face was
leather color. bot forever dimpling and
changing 20 keep some sort Of congruity
between itseii and his eyes. that winksd ard
biintei and spiit al over with merry good
nature lie always seemed Afflicted uhen
obliged % keep sober. He had been
known 20 laugh IN meeting. although De-
ran hi. face behind his Handkerchief and
eoughcd a. u that was the matter. vet no.
body believed it. Once on bot summer
day. b. saw Deacon Trowbridgc-a sobe-
and TAT man q grrat sobricfy-gradually
ascending from the bodily state into that
spir.tual coalition entitled sleep. tie vas
blamicss Of the aci. lie lad struggled
against the temptation nth the virtue Of a
deacon. lie had stirred himself up and
fixed h.. cyes GA thc minister with intense
irmncss. only % hsve them gro- gradually
narroser and miider II De- held his head
up frm'y. it would vith a sudden lapse IAN
away over backvaris n be iearei it a
huic forward it ~ould drop suIdenly on
hi- bosom. At each nod. recovering BIN.
seH. be would nod again. vifh Lis eyes
-isie open 20 impress tbe boys fhaf b. did
80 on purpose at both times.
j. What other painful events q life has
good man 90 ltiic sympathy 81 when over
come wifa sleep in meeting timcf Against
thc insiiuous .eduction BE- arravs every
ccucciva rcsistancc lie stands up a
While he pinchcs himself or prieks him.elf
Wi'h r'nf o. looks heipicssly o. tbc pull
pii as o. slocor might possibly come from
firr.c. ile crosses bis legs urcouforiable.
an attempts to recte caiccism CT the mul-
tip..caiion table He scixes q lsnguid ian.
Which treacherously lrarcs hin in a calm.
IT, trIes t3 reason. o. notice the picnom-
era. Oh shat one coud carry lis rev o.
BED with h.m, What tossiu- va, falnes.i 2
rh.f frrr chase after somnoicnrvt 10 his
.ar.al bcl man cannot sleep. ani IN hi.
pou Del cannot keep awake Happy man
sho does noi sleep ia eLarch, Deacon
Tf.air.lg- aas noi Ga, maa. Dea.aa
Marble uas.
Ieacoa Maroie Witnessed u.e conGrf
Ee lave tketchcl above. and ud.n rr.!
Nr. Ir1vonice gave his next lurrh. r.-
covering himself uitb a ,uort. aaI firr
dre- aat RI hanlsercb,ef and blew bis
nose Glib l1ud inratioa asff. Ia tb.
t.fs know fhnt he hal not been asi.sp.
poor neacon marble vas brourtt to a sore
s,rar Blt have reas1a 10 tbink fhst h.
soaid have ueathcrcd the stress frbsI
not hrtn ior e sseet iated Iftie hsv rn
i-ort oi the gallery Tie iad bsI been is-
noecni.y watching the sane scene and az
Ifs ciimax laughed oct iouI. irank anI
rlsi.ai iaugh, tben DISAPPEARED IN tis
uo'her's lap. That hugh rss iust TOO
r-.h. ari Dcacon Ma-tle co1id no uore
heip laughing than couid Deacon Trov-
bridge hciP sleeping. Nor couid D. con-
ceai Be- Though b. coughei and Pat BE
hanlkerchicf ani hcmmed. BE- vas laugh.
deacon. and everybody 10 the house knew
'i and liked yos better tor ii-so incIyo-
rcnccd we're hey.