The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-10-07
How a Deacon broke tho Sabbath

A curious incident OF Sabbath break
ing occurred in the parish of Hampton,
Conn, in the good old time. a certain
jolly farmer, who lived several miles
from the meeting house, was astonishod
to observe one Sunday morning his near
neighbor, 4 pious deacon, hard at work
in his hay field, with his sons and his
"hired man, But the truth was soon
div.aed tho deacon, who took no daily
paper ana owned no almanac, was, in
short, not a literary man, had mistaken
the day of the week, and his wcll-ordct-
ed family had adopted his error am
sorry to add that, being more of wag
than saint, our farmer declined to en-
tighten the innocent Sabbath breaker,
but drove on, churklinS, toward the
sanctuary. The deacon looked after
him, and, pausing in the midst of the
broad swath he was cutting, exclaimed
EFF thare amt neighbor Doolittle and
all the children, dressed up and goin
visitin' Saturday morning in the midst
of hayin' time. That beats ALL"
The next morning the deacon and the
deacon's wife, his sons and daughters,
his hired man, the hired girl, and the
"bound boy,' all arrayed in their Sum
day best, set out for meeting, in good
order---tho eldest son OH horseback, with
the eldest daughter mounted behind on
| n million: tho d...un. with the rest or
.ho lanily, in the big farm wagon drawn
by pair Of stout roans, who logged
soberly along with their meekest Sun
day look on. The family delusion ex-
tended even to tho yellow dog, who
| trotted in tho rear OF the decorous turn
out without secular frisk, or bark, or
gambol.
On the way to the village tho deacon
was surprised and shocked to see several
of his fellow -townsmen at work III their
fields. He invariably stopped to reprove
them; but the joke of his own Sunday
work had spread through the neighbor-
hood, and was so much relished that no
one cared to undeceive him. Each
farmers excuse for his impiety was the
necessity of getting in his hay before a
shower, which he pretended was imml-
nent, though the sky was cloud!ess.-
Expostulations and replies We're some
thing after this sort:
"Why, Uucle Zebulon! this here is 4
fine day, with no appearance of raih.'
"Jes' so, Deacon; but the winds
little unstiddy, and believe in takin'
time by the forelock."
"But, Uncle, it is the Lords time.
"Ies, Deacon; but intend to send
load of this here hay to Parson Mosely
and that'll make it all square, | guess
"Why, ncighbor Barlow, where un'
der the canopy do you tind signs OF rain
to-day ?"
"In the corns, Deacon. When they
begin to shoot | look out for damn
: spell; and it always comes, sooner o!
later"
"Why, Ephraim pettingill; an
beat! You horsc-sloeing on Sunday !.
"Why, you know Deacon, "A nIarciiu
man is nlafclruI 10 Ills beast.
t After each specious response the dea
t con shook his head mourntully,' am
drove on. He reached the village, drov'
up to the meeting house steps, where IN
, and his hired man handed out tn
"women foksT and chidrcn-his sol
and daughter had already disnounte'
at the horse block and together the.
marve.ed much Mt the closed meeting
house doors and the vacant wagon shed
There they waited, more and NOR
amazed, till several loungers from th'
'. village store gathered around them
;, laughing and quizzing, till Il terrible
:. small boy called out, "Nhat are yo'
4 ,oin' here Monday mornin'? Dia yo
a sleep over Sunday, or did you forget t
! put yoar beans into the oven Saturda
- night"'
g Upon that hint they went riding an
driving homeward at quite festive rat
% of speed, albeit in a deeply mortiiie
;, and pcnitential state Of mlnd.-N. J
G Iadcpcndent.
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