The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-04-05
Misfellaueuas.
A PARISH sOENE.

a fAhlSH SUEN6.
"My tax.bill, Mr.. Earle" said leading
man in the parish, as he entered a boot
shop, to pay his parish assessment.
"Only seventeen dollars" responded
tho collector, as he produced It from hi,
pocket.
"Seven,een dollars enough ! should
think for mo wish those who voted tC
rnise tho minister's salary had 1t to pay.
think that preachers ought to be satisfied te
have their salaries rs much as they have
been, these hard timcs."
1That is the very reason why ] voted tc
raise his salary, ''said one Of the commit
tcc, who was s,nnding by. 'Thcsc hare
times are particularly hard for ministers
1t costs them twice as much to live now a'
Il did two years ago. How much did you
charge him for that load Of wood you drew
him the other day?'
"scven dollars corl, the very best wood
that grows on my fnrm."
"Ycs and two years ago you would moi
have charged more than two-thirls thai
price," said the Committee man, evidently
triumphing oat he had tho close'fis.'
ed farmer in tight place. "Suppose yo!
should apply your own doctrine to praV
,ice, and be satisfied that your wood SHOULD
hiring what il did two years ago. consider
ing tho times are hard You say thai
preachers ought to he satisfied to have n
much salary as heretofore, because thu
times are hard. Why may they not sa,
the same about your wood ?"
Farmer Morris had nothing to respond
lie looked around the shop, and saw qucel
looks among tho hands. Ho was we'll sat
isficd that the discussion was affordinl
pleasure to the young men. at his expense
The truth is, this farmer was well known
for his penurious disposition, and the shol
hands enjoyed to see him exposed.
Look here, Mr.. Norris" continued
Carleton this was the name Of said mem
Der of tho committeeh "le, us put tho boo
OF the other log, and sec how It fits. Yot
charge seven dollars cord for wood, wher
two years ago You charged but five dollnn
and u half Your butter is now thirty cent,
a pound, then it was not moro tllan eigl
teen. You ask seventy.fv cents a bushc
for potatoes, then they were twenty-five
and,so on. You arc charging your pastor
twice as much for produce as you did then
and yet you arc not willing to increase hi
salary by one-quarter. is this doing as yor
would be done by?"
BY this time some Of the hammers in tllt
shop had ceased to pound, and the WELD
ers Of them wero intent upon hearing the
discussion through. Mr.. Carleton was one
Of those thorough, persevcring men, who
do one thing ut time, and do It rcmarka'
bly, well. lle generally 'hocd his owr
row. when he was really enlisted in dis
cussion. and left his antagonist glad cnougl
to escape. 1t was SO at the time OF lhi'
interview with farmer Morris. The farm
er would have given bushel Of rye. tigh
ns he was, to have been o,it Of the shop
but Il was too late. Seeing his inconsist
ency, no endeavorcd to make some kind o
an apology, by finding fault with the amoun
Of the taxes. ut the same timo rcmarkine
that hc "wanted the minister well paid"
"But, my dear SIR" added Mr. c., 81
think You must have paid larger tax ter
years ago, when tho salary Of the pasto'
was only six hundred and ffly dollars, thar
you arc paying now, when It Is one thou
sand dollars" So saying, ho asked the
collector TO produce his tax books for few
years past and not many minutes elapsed
ere they were laid Iaiorc him.
Il was very evident that farmer Morri,
had short memory, or else he felt un.
commonly poor on that day; for Mr.
Carleton opened the books, ono ly one,
and said,- 4..r
.Ilcre 1t is. Your tax, Mr.. Morris, wns
twenty dollars, two years ago. 1t was
twcniy.four dollars four years ago. And
eight years ago, Il was forty dollars. You
can look for yourself You are not paying
half so much tax now, when your pastors
salary is one thousand dollars, as you did
when il was only six hundred and fay."
"How can that he I" inquired farmer
Morris, rather doubtfi'lly. "1'hcrc must bc
something wrong about that"
"Not at all, not at ALL" replied Mr.
Carleton. "l,is very easy to account fol
this change. Within the last five or sia
years this place has been growing npidly
Business has been prosperous, and the
property Of the town has largely increased
Tie largest taxes are now paid by meu
who paid little or nothing eight years ago
Ny own tax At that time was only three
dollars, now Il Is minay. Tho burden o.
supporting the gospel has shifted hands
While II was formerly laid upon you farm
ers, 1t is now laid upon us manufacturer
and merchants and you certainly have nc
reason to complain. You are receiving
twice "a much for your produce, whilt
your parish assessment is not half *
large"
81 do not object, you understand, to vel
paying our minister" said tho farmer in
tcr,,ipting. "Bm ! think tie salary hat
better he small enough to leave a cl,anc,
for making generous presents. Now th,
people will feel tha, he has a largo salary
and win withhold their gifts"
"lf ministers muss live on presents" 70
piled Carleton, they have very uncertain
livelihood. Besides, this making tho pas
tor present, and ut the same time consitl
cring IL payment, in part, of salary, ID