Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-09-06
ALAUGnING DEACON.


beeehef, ~ his now novel. thus delineates
she character Of laughing Deacon Some
genuine model doubtless sits for the nor
laiE
How they ever made q Deacon ont 81
Jerry Marble l. never could imaeinei His
was the kindest heart that ever bubbled and
run over. lie was tough, elastic, incess mt
iy active, and a prodigious worker He
seemed not to tire, but after the longest
cay toll be spIsug up the moment he had
done with work, as If he were @ fne steel
spring. A few EOuTssieep sulticel him and
be saw the morning stars the year round?
Ills WeaZencd face was leather color, but for
ever dimpliRg and chc ging 20 keep some
sort OF congTuity between itself and his eyes
that wlnked aud blinked and split all over
with merry good nature. He always seem
ed afflicted when obliged to keep sober He
had been known to laugh in meeting on
several occasions, although he ran his face
between his handkerchief and c0ughed, as
II that was lac matter, yet nobody believed
I. Once, on hot summer day, he saw
Deacon IroWbudge-a sober and fat man Of
great sobrlety- gradually ascending from
the bodily state into thar spiritual condition
entitled sleep lie was blameless OF the
act lie had struggled against the tcmpta-
ton with the whole virtue ola deacon. lie
had stirred himself up and fixed his eyes on
the minister with intense hrmness, Only to
have theH grow gradually narrower and
mi!dcr. II be held his head up firmlv. it
would, with a sudden lapse, fall away over
backward. lf he leaned it little forward;
it would drop suddenly on his bosom. At
each nod, recovering himself, he would nod
again with his eyes wide open to impress,
upon the boys that he did it on purpose at
Dvh times.
In what other painful events Of life has a
good man so little sympathy as when over
come with sleep In meeting time? Against
this lnsldlous seduction be arrays every con
ceiYable resistance. lie stands up while;
he pinches himself or pricks himself with
pins He looks up helplessly 70 the pulpit,
as II succ0T might possibly come from thence.
He crosses his legs unc0mioltably, and at
tempts to rocjte c4techism or the multipGca-
ton table. He seizes a languid fam which
treacherouSly leaves him in calm. He
tries to reason, TO notice the phenomena
Oh. that enc could carry his pew 10 bed
with bimi What tossing wakefuluess. what
Eery chase after s0mnoleucy! In his lawful
bed q man cannot sleep, and in his pew he
cannot keep awake. Happy man who does
not sleep In chuIca Deacon TroWbridge
was not that man. Deacon Marble was!
Deacon Marble witnessed the conflict we
have sketchgd above. aud when good Mr..
Trowbridre gave bis next lurch, recovering
himself with mort, and then drew out a
red handkerchief and blew his nose with a
loud imitation, as if TO let the boys know
that he had not been asleep, poor Deacon
Marble was brought 10 q sore strait But
[ have reason to thiuk that he would have
W-a.hergd the stress If it had not been for a
sweet faced littlc boy 10 front Of the gallery.
The lad had been innooontly watching the
sorls zoauo. aud at its climax laughed out
loud, with 8 frank and musical explosion,
and then suddenly disappeared into his
mother Ian That laugh was Just too
much, and Deacon Marble could no more
help laughing than could Deacon Trowbridge
help sleeping. Nor could be conceal it.
Though he cughed aud put up his hand
seTchigf and hemmcd-it was a laugh, dea-
c9u.-aad every boy IN the house knew it,
and liked you better for it-so inexperienced
were rhrvl