Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-01-17
A MIDNIGHT MEETING.


1 always did think my brother Solo.
mon a little hard upon me, though 1
confess that there was reason for it.
Mine were not exactly his ways, you
see.
But could help it that I was not
born parson, like Solomon? Every.
body isn't born parson. A long while
ago, when we were boys together in
tight blue jackets, with gilt buttons
and deep frilled collars, I used te try
with all my might and main to initiate
Solomon, and when we were exhibited
in society, always echoed verbatim
every remark heard him make, so that
l might share his fame. But that was,
as L said, long ago, and gradually such
close following in Solomon's steps grew
tedious, so chose wider way. was
warned a great deal against this wider
Way, bnt somehow lounged easily into
it when I found how difficult it was to
be always as good as Solomon.
AS I SAID, to begin with, I always did
think Solomon little hard upon me.
If [ used language a little stronger
than Quaker's, he would maintain a
marked and impressive silence himself;
if took anything stronger than lemon
ade, he would ask meaningly for water,
to my intense discontinue and if
after we had grown up, and were living
each of us alone in his own house,
took part in the harmless recreations of
the age, would for the next few days
live in mortal terror of Solomon's ap-
pearance at the gate, with his book of
sermons under his arm, and the odor of
outraged sanctity pe1vad1ng him. His
figure, coming through the gate, even
without that brown book under his
arm, would have been impressive
enough, but never did appear so. He
was curious in appearance, was Solo,
mon, being emphatically long in every
way. His legs and feet were long his
arms and hands were long his hair
was long his nose was long; and his
sermons were long. His coat-tails were
uncommonly long, too and, indeed, I
think the only things that were not long
about him were his sleeves.
After any particular iovial evening at
the Squire's or at 10 Fleming at Blagly
(the Squire bred the best fighting
cocks in the country except JOS, and
JOS whisky was the primest that ever
escaped duty, you may guess that my
heart didn't bound with Joy at the sight
of Solomon's long figure and long face :
still, on ordinary occasions, Solomon
and were good friends, and I looked
forward to the day when he should con-
vert me to his own ways, and we should
read the book of sermons aloud by
turns through our old age. But then l
knew there was plenty OF time for that.
Well, we had marked the fight of the
season, and I had backed JOS bird
heavily. The affair was to come off on
the Sunday afternoon, and for all the
week before we were so excited DO and
/ and our chums, and the Squire and
his chums) that we spent every evening
together, discussing our birds and our
bets not to mention the dispatching
of good deal of the Squire's home
brewed, and of my old port, and of JOS
Scotch. You see we didn't tread so much
in those days as you do now, and so
spent more time over these lighter du-
ties. We didn't talk very much either
one of Solomons sermons divided
among us would have lasted us all for a
week; but we smoked-well, pretty
steadily.
The Sunday came at last, and in the
morning | sat in the corner of Solomon's
pew, paying the greatest attention to
him; for wouldn't for the world he
should suspect where L was going in
the afternoon, or that had the slight.
est interest in either JOS bird or the
Squire's. What was my horror, then,
when Solomon, in the very middle of
his discourse q always knew it was the
middle when he began to say "lastly"),
alluded darkly to besetting sin Of
the age" as q sport at which only Satin
could laugh. "And he," concluded
Solomon-and felt his eyes upon me
-"chuckles with glee to see men so
degrade themselves. l broke out into
damp heat. Could any one have
turned traitor and told Solomon I
kept my eyes down upon the carpet,
and tried to make a resolution that this
should be my last cock-fght but
somehow the resolution iumbled itself
up with speculations as to how the
Squire would feel tonight when he was
beaten, and how I should feel when I
pocketed my G100 winnings.
"I shall certainly buy that colt of
JOS and now / think of it, I may as
well get Solomon new umbrella. I
dare say he didn't mean anything about
cock-fghting after all. He always had
whims for attacking our sports, and of
course that innocent diversion must
take its turn, like bowls and billiards. +"
had forgiven Solomon by the time
he had doffed his long gown and joined
me in the churchyard, and l only said,
amiably, You were rather hard upon
us all to-day, as usual, SOL"
"Was / ?" he questioned, in his slow
way. I" Hard or soft, it does but little
coed, Jacob"
| turned the conversation gingerly. I
could not easily prove his words to be
untrue, and it wouldn't be polite if I
did--so / didn't.
"Good-bye, SOL" T said, with greet