The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-08-22

SlOlHpeu at MN sort O threatenln NAL
ly the deacon he gave great bow and
brought his head right down at him, and
old Dick he sot out full tilt and come
down on him ker chunk, and knocked him
head over heels into the broad aisle, and
his wig flew one way and he t'other. and
Dick made a lunge at it as it flew, and
carried it off on his horns''
Wal, you may believe that broke up
the meetin' tor one while. for Parson Nor
rel laughed out, and all the girls and boys
they stomped and roared. and the old
deacon he got up and began rubbn' his
shins-cause he didn't see the Joke ont
You don't orter laugh says he. its
no laughing matter-it's a solemn thing,
says he. Il might have been sent into
'tarnity by that darned crtter,' says he.
Then they all roared and haw -hawcd the
more to see the deacon dancin' round
with his little shiny head. so smooth fly
would trip up ont. Il believe my soul.
you'd laugh to see me IN my grave SAYS
he
Wal, the truth ont was, twas lest one
OF them Dustin up times that natur has,
when there ant nothin' for il but to give
in, twas Jest like the ice breakin' up in
| the Charles river--it all comes at once
and no whoa tot. Sunday or no Sunday,
sin or no sin. the most of 'em laughed till
they cried, and couldn't help it,
But the deacon he went home feelin'
pretty sore about it. Lem Sndoc he pick
ed up his wig and handed it to him Saws
he, Old Dick was playing tithing man,
want he. deacon? Teach you to make
allowance for other folks that get sleepy
Then Mrs. Titkins she went over to
Aunt .Jerushy Scran's and Aunt Polly
Hokum's and they he'd a pot of tea over
it, and greed it was awful of Parson Nor
rel to set sich an example, ard suthin'
had got to be done about it, Miss Hokum
said she alters knew that Parson Morrcl
hadn't no spiritooality, and now ii had
broke out into open sin, and ted all the
rest of 'em into it, and Mrs Ttkins she
said such man want fit to preach, and
Miss fiokum said she could never hear him
again and the next Sunday the deacon
and his wife they hitchpd and drive eight
miles over to Parson Aothrop's and took
Aunt Polly on the back seat
Wal, the thing growed and growed
till it seemed As If there warn't nothin'
else talked about, cause Aunt Polly and
Mrs. Titkins and Jerushy Scran they
do nothing but talk about it, and that sot
everybody else Il tdlkln.
Finally, it was greed they must hey a
council TO settle the hash So all the vim
men they went to chopping minre, and
making up pumkin pies and cranberry
tarts, and b'ilin' doughnuts, grttin' ready
tor the ministers and delegates -'canse
counsels always eat powerful they
had quite a stir, like ginera! trainin
The hosses. they was hitched all up and
down the stalls, astompin' and switchen'
their tails, and all the women was a-takin,
and they he'd up everybody round for
witnesses, and finally Parson Morrel he
said: 'Brethren,' says he, Just let me
tell you the story Jest az it happened, and
if you don't every one of YOU laugh as
hard as ! did, why, then, III give up
The ptrspn was 4 m tster hand III set
tim off a story and afore he'd done, he
got 'em all in sich a roar they didn't know
where to leave off Finally, they give
sentence that there hadn't no temptation
took him but such AS is common to man;
but they advised him afterward alters to
pray with his eyes shet, and the parson he
confessed he orter n done it, and meant
to do better in future, and so they s. tiled
it.
$50, boys" said Sam. who always
drew a moral, eye see ii Farms yon You
must take care what We look ut. eff We
want to keep from llughin' in meetin'"
The Postoffice and the Express Com
panies.
BY the new postal law which came into
operation on the lst of July, great bene-
tit has been conferred upon the general
public and a severe blow struck at the
monopoly OF the express companies.
According to the new regulations pack
ages OF dry goods, hardware, drugs (ex-
ctpt liquid drugs) and other merchandise
not exceeding twelve ounces in weight
can be mailed to any part OF the United
States at a charge of two cents for each
two ounces or fraction of two ounces
Much time and money will be saved by
this arrangement, The express compan-
les demand at least forty cents for the
transportation OF package, however
small for any distance. The Postofice
authorities, on the other hand, will for
ward twelve ounce package to San
Francisco tor twelve cents. For instance,
q pair of boots, if neither boot weighs
more than twelve ounces, may be wrapped
up III two separate parcels, and sent
across the continent for twenty four cents
whereas, under the OLD plan, the trans
portaton of goods this desert ton would
have cost almost more money than they
are worth.
Up to the present time the Postoflice
has lost money by the new system. sim
ply owing to the fact that the general pub
lie has not taken advantage of it to such
an extent as will make it remuneratiVe
But it is confidently expected that when
the advantages Of the system are thor
oughly appreciated, the scheme will prove
as profitable to the government as il is
beneficial to the public.
It's in fact nothing more nor less than an
adaptation of the English parcel post, and
although the charges in England are
somewhot less than the rate adopted here,
yet when it ls remembered that the dis
tances are as nothing when compared
with those in this country, it will be
seen that there is no cause for dssatistac-
ton.