The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-27
For the Sunday Crescen j
THANKS, But POOR PAY.

In one OF your papers OF last week. you nave
good snecdote about minister and his marriage
fees. He having been tainted by man with
the amount he made ia marriage fees, proposed to
give one bali of his next fee to the man for q
bushel of potatoes. His proposal was accepted,
and the very next day on marrying couple he
was offered nice young terrier pup as fee.
That there is a good deal of truth in the idea
meant to be conveyed by the anecdote, any one
| who has been brought into close acquaintance
with the ministers of the Gospel, and the Metho.
dist church in particular, certify to its truth
struck me, and brought up some things wot
of and here give them to you.
Why people should think they have any more
right to tax the time, health, and labor of min
| lister without paying for it than of q doctor or
lawyer cannot tell, but that does seem to be
the idea, and should he rectifed. They and their
families have to live, to eat and be clothed as
well as any one else, but many folks seem blind
| on that point.
When was young girl the country town in
which lived could not boast regular parsonage
| OF any kind, and nearly every house in it was
| owned by the occupants. Though the Methodsts
were wealthy aud influential demon nation there,
| there never was any certainty that the new
| preacher would have a settled home. when the
| conference changed the circuit rider, which it
| I'D sometimes every year. and certainly every
| two years. My mother-who was strict mem
Der of that church, and almost Quaker like in
| dress ard appearance, living up to the closest
rules of the founder of it-had large, old
fashioned, rambling house, with far more room
than needed for her family. So one year When
| the church had been informed that a married
man with family had been sent them that
| year, and were in qusndary what to do about
house large enough flor him, she profered
part of hers for their use, and it accepted.
| We youngsters when talking it over among our.
selves did not relish the idea Of the preacher liv
| ing exactly in the same house with u.s. as we
| feared the strictness would be little more than
| we could bear with comfort, but our house was
one where the parents ruled, not the children, aud
| there was no thought of entering protest even
| among those most rebellious. So, for few days
| we occupied ourselves with making such changes
SIS were necessary in the furpiture and rooms, and
then awaited the arrival of our new inmates.
| Well to make my story short, they came, Mr.. A.
| and wife and four children, the eldest a son of
fourteen, the brightest, happiest boy IsVer knew;
i and so fer from there being any undue severity,
the light genial rule Of that father and mother over
| their children was the means after time Of mod
living somewhat the ultra strictness in our own,
( and we soon learned to say uncle and aunt A. and
| become as fond Of them and the children though
| really relatives.
| II was very severe winter; the snow and ice
| were heavy on the ground the roads, fire. sziug
| sf-er a steady rsn-were frozen in great ruts-and
| travelling anything but pleasant, especially on
horseback. the usual mode of the Inherent preach
| er. One day uncle A. came In and said to his
| wife, my dear, get my leggings, overcoat gloves
and muffiers ready, for have to go up to brother
ii. this evening to marry Miss sally to Mr.. s."
| "Oh my dear husband, what terrible trip for
| you to take and you just home from that long
round of forty mies-don't CO." 81 must. Han
| nah, so ne mind, I'll bring you and the little
chicks some wedding cake, and shan't mind the
| r de-"
After uncle A. had started, ma remarked to
aunt A: swell, sister A., as brother Il. Is wealthy
| man. and Salle is about to make wealthy match,
l No A. a
| cold, tiresome ride and that will help out 70 make
the children warm and comfortable this winter"
We chiloren at once commenced specializing on
what Mr.. II. OF Mr. 5. would give uncle A. for his
trouble and laid it out in more ways than hun.
J dred -dollare would have covered, IL he had re-
ceived that much. When uncle A. came home,
shout ten that night, after ride of eleven miles
in all, we elder ones who had coaxed to be
SLOWED to stay up for his return, could not help
asking him TO tell US all about the wedding. aud
waited TO hear if Mr.. s. had given him something
and tell us all about IT," Never shall forget the
twinkle of humor in his eye "a he replied: Here's
your cake" handing small paper parcel to his
wife. she opened it, and - Oh, such cake! Oh,
do lock a. i'll" were the EXPLANATIONS that
greeted small hunk Of black-loOking stuff, that
looked more like mud cakes children make from
the gutter than anything else. Here, Hannah,
is your SHARE" thrusting his fingers into his vest
1 pockets he handed her single coin, pretending
TO hide il from our sight as he did SO. " What Is
| il: twenty dollars p" asked the most sangune /;
ten dollars 4" frcm those not 30 hopeful. "Show
il 10 us, sunty," " show rs, mama" Opening
her hand, there iD her palm, gracefully resting,
was a silver fifty cents
Just think of that now. Uncle A. had Just got
ten home after a weeks absence on his circuit,
had only that day and night TO spend with his
| family, and had 10 start next morning by day
break TO an appointment fifteen miles of, aud
would be three days away then, heavy black
freeze on the ground. But 10 matter rain or
: sbine warm or cold, be had to go, and here were
| wealthy people who could take him out fror,
, | home on such an evening to ride eleven miles,
and then have the face TO offer him a ffty-cent
piece, and not blush at it. | know you will
scarcely credit that there could be such complete
| meanness in the world. but il is q positive fact
and could give you the real names Of the parties
in il.
:, On another occasion knew the minister to be
J, | sent fer quite q journey. over hundred miles
He paid his own exp ensee on the trip and he wal
| not even reQuited with as mnch as the ffty-cen
;, piece for even the expenses Of his trip were moi
i refunded, much less anything given as fee. Nov
i is il not mean beyond describing to take such al
advantage Of the fact that it Is not customary Il
ssk lee for performing the marriage service
= Still there are men who are just that meau, and
q if possible to be 30, are even little meaner.
Ioss