The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-04-12
THE MINISTER'S GUESTS.
From the Providence Journal.

From the Providence Journal
Eillinor Blake was deeply in love with
the Rev. Allston Granger, and her affec-
ton was reciprocated. SO they were mar
ried
Mr. Granger lived in the country, and
if you want to know what kind of life his
was, just you 60 and change yourself into
a minister, and settle somew here just out of
a city, with all the inhabitants of which
you are more or less quainted-each and
every one of whom will consider it an es-
pecial duty to come out and take dinner or
tea with you half dozen times a year, and
all of whom will consider it an insult if your
wife don't have three kinds OF cake, and
fresh milk, eggs and honey on the table -
OF course, people who live in the country
are expected to have all these in great
abundance.
Mrs Granger was a very pleasant,
agreeable woman, and tried to have every
thing smooth and she was overrun with
company.
A minister, among other things, is ex-
pected to keep hotel, and keep it in a
way our modern landlords don very well
understand-without money and without
price.
1t must be open night and day, and hot
meals served at all hours. Nobody must
be refused admittance. People who are
too low to stop at the tavern, are sent to
the minister's Tract peddlers, book
peddlers, agents, women S rights lecturers
everybody, in fact, must 60 to tie minis
ter's
And then, if the poor clergyman, think
ing of his overworked wife, and the con-
sumptive state of his larder, ventures to
hint that his salary is small one, he is
piously reminded that ST. Paul and St.
Peter, and those other fine fellows of that
epoch, did not dream of receiving any sal
airy at all.
But whether they kept tavern and enter
tanned all creation upon free cost does not
appear.
Mrs Granger was not strong woman,
and having been brought up delicately, her
burden fell heavily. They were too poor
to employ help, aud she did all the work
except her washing.
The people who came visiting her never
volunteered their assistance about any
thing. Ofcourse not. 1t would have been
too vulgar And most of the ladies were
invalids-(d you ever notice that those
people who 60 visiting most are usually out
of health p
But we on the present occasion have
only to do with the Rev. Asa browne, and
wife, and their four children: Abel, Pris-
ella, Rachel Ann, and Ahasureus Nicode-
mus. Our story is about them, and the
host of other people who visited Mr. and
Mrs. Granger shall rest in obscurity.
The Brownies arrived late one Saturday
evening, when Mrs. Granger was almost
dead with the headache, having just got
rid Of three ministers and colporteur
Mr.. Granger had Just finished his sermon
for the mUrrow--the doors were locked and
the family were about retiring for the
night.
A ring at the door. Mrs Granger s
heart sank-Mr. Granger drew a sigh and
went to the door,
On the steps were two trunks, as many
boxes, several bundles-a poodle dog, fat,
redfaced man. woman Of the same style,
and four children.
''My dear brother Granger!" cried the
man, Selling Mr.. Granger hand, and Civ
ing it a heart -reuding wiring. L am the
Rev. Asa Demonstrating itinerant-
and this is my wife, and these are my chill
dren. We came at once to your house, be-
cause we knew you would be niortally Of
Tended if we did not My wife is a great
several years! And | will speak Of it now
in the beginning, we must sleep where
there is fire | would not have Eliza
Jane sleep away from the fire for 4 thous
and dollars and | want your wife to see
that the sheets are we'll aired before an
open FIRE, very fine! My wife is nervous
exceedingly nervous-she could not sleep a
wink in coarse sheets. Linen is best If you
have them"
IL should die before morning if | had to
"a stout, fat faced woman of forty five or
fifty came very near going to my last
home abort week ago from sleeping on an
unbeavhed pillow case. They thought l
was dead for over two hours
Mrs. browne, Il cannot sit moment III
little tea, and bowl Of oysters, or i piece
OF mince pie feel SO faint y
And | will trouble you for a cup of
coffee" said Mr.. Drowne--'it Will be il
sort of stay to my stomach till supper is
ready What time viii you have sup
per?'
Mrs Granger retired to the heat of a
stove-her temples throbbing t. bursting
anu UCT HeaTt TUG lciSI DiL tiiC
influx Of these exactlng visitors.
Il want some gingerbread, and some
milk" yelled Abel, the eldest boy m
half starved Where's the cupboard? I'll
help myself
Il want a doughnut,' yelled Priscilla
''and if cant have that rocking chair
that Mr.. Granger sitting in, | don stay!
so there"
"What little mean room - said Nico-
demus-''by crackee what's that there on
the table p and he few at statuette OF
Psyche-presented to Mr.. Granger by a
dear friend, who was then dead, and
which was very highly valued on that ac-
court.
Hello |" cried Nicodemus, 'it's slip.
perry, haint it? 2" and down went the Psy-
che on the foor~-caying in the forehead,
and splitting off the largest part Of the
nose.
Mr.. Granger sprang up with an excla-
nation Of dismay.
ooh! it's no matter' said Mrs. browne,
You can mend it again with some of Spauld-
ing's Glue / mended mug with it the
other day. | hate them things standing
round on tables They look like dead
folks; Mrs. Granger, seems to me you
dress little too stylish for the wife of a
minister Of the gospel You've got red