The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-01-16

~
was in days Of old, and whose slow chan
ges are still in the unfolding Of His will
The Priest and the Peas. .ei
| There was once cure for st. Oppor
tune, who was very different from tho con
ventional idea of a priest, being tall, thin
and delicate looking !, man with stoop
though he was young, and much given "a
awful study Ike lived in aa age which
has long passed away, yet he was, behind
it, tor he held the most a:.tiqnstel opn-
ions upon the obeaienca which is due
from wives 70 their husbands. and seemed
50 consider that what Paul had said upon
the subject was to be taken in its strictest
sense, that no allowance could he made for
the changes which had taken place in the
manners and customs Of different nations.
but that all Infringement OF the rules laid
down by the apostle for the guidance Of
those in the holy state was sin.nl..a6
He found his cAhortation treated with
unbecoming leyity, and thegeupon became.
of course, more and more earnest upon
the subject, till at last he laid rather too
much stress upon this one offence, to the
| overlooking OF others Bat he did not
become unpopular upon this account, rath-
| the reverse; Tor the men naturally felt
great respect for a pastor who pleaded their
cause 50 eloquently, and impressed upon
their wives that submission TO their will
was the first and most. solemn duty while
the women Of his congregation were glad
to have slight attention paid to the con-
iession Of other sins Of which they were
ashamed, and the full pitfalls Of clerical
wrath poured out upon ole which they had
the c9asolation OF feeling assured was
shared by their entirassx
But that which most yexed the good
cure was the Joa7os,sie with which SOME Of
the husbands amongst his parishioners.sub-
mitted to the rule Of their wives, and the
bliad infatuation which caused others who
were equally tame to fancy that their viii
was law, aud that. the very women who
led them BY their noses were their devoted
slaves.
Provoked BY the last especially, he one
day addressed his congregation, after the
sermon, thus: My garden has been re-
markably fruitful this year, especially in
peas. Magnificent peas they are--the
best have yet seen, and here offer a
prize Of as many peas as he can carry
away with him to any married man amongst
you who can make it clear to NE, that he
is not under subsection to his wife"
Peas were valuable, the rarishioners Of
st. OpportGIle were poor, aud, as a rule
confident IN their material supremacy, 50
that there were many applicants for the
prize. But the cure, trained by the du-
ties Of the confessional, was keen hand
at cross examination, and under his home
thrusts and pertinent questions, claim after
claial WAS upset aud the candidates sent
away abashed and discomitted.
Atlast came a porter, an obstinate, star-
dy fellow, who was confident chat he at
least had the whip hand Of his wife. The
cure questioned him closely, but all his
answers were straightforward and salts
factory. Even upon the ROCK which had
upset the pretentions Of many who seemed
in . fair way to land safely-the cabaret
he did not split. No. be went to the
wine-shop or stopped at home. cot drunk
or kept sober, just as he pleased. His
wife had not a word to saw to it.
ssWella said the cure, Il am glad that
T have one man in my parish who knows
how to be master in his own home. Come
tomorrow morning. and get your peas
So the next div the porter came to the
cures house With small sack. which he
began to I'll. -
.-You should have BROUGHT a. larger
one, . said the cure.
aWell now replied the porter naus;ug
in his task. II should have done So only
NV wife would not lei me- -
..IIals cried the cure let nv peas alone
NV ma, y
-, :. 90 .. -.--- - 20
Ex-CoSrEDERA TEs.- The New York
Of KentncIv j pres;5ant Ganta;n g1Lam'
as Il. Sharp, late chef Of transportation
IN Generalsuperintendent; and as agents,
General Johnston, Beapresard, Buckner,
Lowell Kirby Smith, Gustayus Y Smith,
Hardee, Hood, and l4ong5ssraet, are all IN
tel ested in the Hicks Steam Engine Com
pany, at Newcastle, Delaware, and are in