Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-08-01


ed home by Aunt Lois, as a convicted
criminal. What especially moved her
indignation was, the II ore she rebuked
; and upbraided, the more | laughed,
till the tears rolled down my cheeks,
which Annt Lois construed into .willful
disrespect to her authority, and resent
Ell accordingly.
By Sunday evening, as we gathered
around the fire, the reaction from I'M
due gayety to sobriety had taken place,
and we were in pensive and penitent
state. Grandmother was gracious and
forgiven, but Aunt Lois still preserved
that frosty air of reprobation which
she held to be q salutary means of
uuickening our consciences for the
future. 1t was, therefore, with unusual
delight that we saw our friend Sam
come in and sit himself quietly down
on the block in the chimney corner.
With Sam we felt assured OF indulgence
and patronage, for though always rig
idly moral and instructive in his turn
of mind, he had that iellow-felling for
transgressors which is Characteristic of
the loosejointed, easygoing style of
his individuality.
"Lordy massy 5oys-yis, y said Sam,
virtuously in view Of some of Aunt
! Lois thrusts, eye ought never to laugh
nor cut up in meetin', that ares so, but
| then there is times when the best on
us gets took down. We get took uu-
| awares, we see-even ministers does.
Yis, natur' will git the upper hand
afore they know it.
"Why, Sam, ministers don't ever
laugh in meetin', do they :"
We put the question with wide eyes.
Such Il supposition bordered on pro-
family, we thought it was approaching
the sin Of Uzzah, who unwarily touch
ed the ark Of the Lord.
Laws, yes. Why haven't you never
heard how there was "A council held to
try Parson Morrel for laughing out in
prayer timeW
Laughing in prayer time !" we both
repeated, with uplifted handsan eyes
Ny grandfather's mild face became
luminous with suppressed smile, which
frightened it az the noon does a cloud, /
but he said nothing.
Yes, yes" said my grandmother, /
that affair did make a dreadful scan
dad in the time ont But Parson Nor /
rel was good man, and I'm glad the
council wasn't hard on him"
4" Wall" said Sam Lawson, "after |
all, it was more Ike Rabbits fault than !
twas auybody's. Ye see, Ike he was
alters for gettin' what he could ont /
o. the town, aud he would feed his
sheep ON the meetin' house green.
Somehow or other Ike's lenses alters .
contrived to give ont, come Sunday,
and up would come his sheep, and Ike
was too pious to drive 'em back Sun
day, and so there they was. He wa
talked to enough about it, cause US
see, TO have sheep and lambs ba-ain
and hlatiu' all prayer and sermon
time, wasn't the thing. Member that
are old mcetin' house up TO the noe h .
end, down under Blucberry Hill, the .
land sort o sloped down, SO as Il body .
he'd to come into the meetin' house .
steppin' down instead % mp.
Fact was, they SAID twas but
there cause the land want good for
uothin' else and the folks thought put
tim IA meetin' house ont would be Il
clear sayin'-but Parson Morrel he
didn't like it-and was tree to tell em
his mind ont, That twas like briugiu'
the lame and the blind to the Lords
saryice-but there twas.
"There waru't a better minister nor
no one more SET by all in all the state
tban Parson MorreL His doctrines was
ripbt nm and down Good and sborD and
he give saints and sinners their meat in
dine season and for cOnSOlin' and COM
fortin' widders and orphans Parson
Norrel hadn't his match The women
sot lots hv him and he was aims, ready .
to take tea round, aud make things .
pleasant aud comfortable, and he had /
good story for every one aud a word for .