Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-03-06

| con, l9okiup naStlIy ABOUT TUG iooIi, dIt
delightedly determining, from the patien
face of sadeyed Mrs. Hay and the scant.,
furnishing of the yet uncleared breakfast
table, that he had been providentiall,
guided to the right spot. 'HoW's time
with YEP"
"Not very good, Deac'n," replied Hay
"Nothin' much doin' in town"
Moneys awful skeerce, groaned thu
Deacon.
Dreadful" responded George, devout
ly thanking the Lord that he owed tn
Deacon nothing.
s'Got much to do this winter?" asked
the Deacon.
"Not d-day's job-not single day,
sorrowfully replied Hay.
The Deacon's pious ear had beer
shocked by the young mans imperfectly
concealed profanity, and for an instan
he thought of administering a rebuke
but the charms of prospective cheap labo,
lured the good man from the path O
rectitude.
"I'm tixin' my cow-shed-might p'rap
give We job ont. S'pose ye'd do i
cheap, SEEM how dull ev'rythin' is?''
The sad eyes of Mrs. Hay grew brigh
in an instant. Her husbands heart jumped
up but he knew to whom he was talking
so said, as calmly as possible:
"Three dollars is regular pay"
The Deacon Immediately Strengthened
up as if to go.
"Too much" said he; II guess I'd bet
ter hire common lab'rer at dollar n {
half, an boss him myself. It's only 8
cow-shed, We know"
Guess, though, We won't want the nails
druv no less p'tickler, will ye, Deac'n?'
inquired Hay. "But tell yer what II
DOLL throw off fifty cents day."
1.-TWO dollars ort to be enough, George
reasoned the Deacon "Carpenterin's
pooty work, an takes a sight of head
piece, sometimes; but there's no intellec
required to work ON a cow-shed. Say two
dollars, an come along"
The carpenter thought bitterly Of wha
little way the usual three dollars went
and Of how much would have to be done
with what he could get out of the COW
shed, but the idea of losing even that was
too horrible to be endured, so he hastily
replied:
1.-TWO an quarter, an Pm you
man"
WELL" said the Deacon, "it's a power
full price to pay for work On cow-shed
but s'pose I mus STAN it. Hurry up
thar's the mill-whistle blowin' seven"
Hay snatched his tools, kissed couple
of thankful tears out of his wife's eyes
and was soon busy on the cow-shed, with
the Deacon looking on.
George" said the Deacon suddenly
causing the carpenter to stop his hammer
in midair, "think it over agen, an say
two dollars"
Hay gave the good Deacon a wither
ing glance, and for few moments the
force of suppressed profanity caused his
hammer to bang with unusual vigor
while the owner of the COW shed rubbed
his hands in ecstacy at the industry Of his
empEoye.
The air was bracing, the winter sun
shone brilliantly, the Deacon's breakfast
was digesting fairly, and his mind had
not yet freed itself from the influences OF
the Sabbath. Besides, he had secured a
good workman at low price, and all
these influences combined to put the
Deacon in a pleasant frame of mind.
He rambled through his mind for a text
which would piously express his condi-
ton, and texts brought back Sunday, and
Sunday reminded him of the meeting of
the night before And here was one of
those very men before him-a good man
in many respects, though he aoas higher
priced than he should be. How was the
cause of the Master to be prospered if
His servants made no effort? Then there
came to the Deacon's mind the passage,
. he which cOnverteth the sinner
from the error of his way shall save a
soul from death, and shall hide multi
tude of sins" What particular sins of
his own needed hiding the Deacon did
not find it convenient to remember Just
then, but he meekly admitted to himself
and the Lord that he had them, in a gen
eral way. Then, with that directness and
grace which were characteristic Of him,
the Deacon solemnly said:
George, what is to be the sinner
doom %
II dunno" replied George, his wrath
still warm; "'pears to me you've left that
biz'ness till pretty late in life, Deac'n 90
Don't tritle with sacrid subiec's,
George" said the Deacon, still very sol
emn, and with a suspicion Of ANNOYANCE
in his voice, 1.-THE wicked shall be cast
into hell, with"
They can't kerry their cow-sheds
with 'em, neither" interrupted George,
consolingly.
Come, George" said the good Deacon,
in an appealing tone, remember the
Apostle says, Suffer the word of exhorta-
ton"
"Ncuse me. Deac'n, but one sufferin'
at time I; | amt through sufferin at bein'
beaten down yet How about Deac'ns
not being given to filthy lucre p
The good Deacon was panied, and he
was almost out of patience with the
Apostle for writing things which came so
handy to the lips of the unregenerate. He
commenced an industrious search Tor q
text which should completely annihilate
the lmpious carpenter, when that indl-
vldual interrupted him with
''Out with it, Deac' n-ye had meetin'
las night to see what was to be done with
the impenitent. [ was there-that is,
sot on a stool jest outside the door, an
heerd all twas said. Ye didn't agree on
nothin'-mebbe you've fixed it up sence
Any how, ye'v sot me down fur one of
the impenitent, an yer goin' fur me.
Well-'
600 on nailin'," interrupted the econom-
ical Deacon, little testify; ''the noise
don't disturb me; can hear ye"
"Well, what way am | so much wick
eder n you be-you an t'other folks at
the meetin'- house?' asked Hay.
George, l never saw We in Gods house
in my life," replied the Deacon.
We'll, s'pose ye hevnt-is God so
small He can't be nowheres kept in your
little meetin house? How bout His see
in folks in their closets"
George" said the Deacon, "ef yer a
prayin' man, why don't ye jine yerself
r ID. la