The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-02
SUNDAY AT ELDER JONES. .
BY an Old Fogy.

BY an Old Fogy.
went over to Mason last week to see
about selling my wheat, and Elder Jones,
who is in the commission business, asked
me to spend the Sabbath with him and hear
the new preacher. Maybe he remembered
what the Bible says about entertaining
strangers, and maybe he wanted to make
sure of getting my wheat. But, thinking
it would be great privilege to visit at the
house of 80 good man, and that l could
learn something about the best way of max
ing the Sabbath pleasant and profitable at
home, very gladly accepted his invitation.
Now, Mason is a railroad town on the
Great Western, and trains are running
through it all the time, day and night, and
Sundays too. 1t is what we call down here
very small town, and, of course, it must
have small preacher. l will perhaps tell
you about the sermon heard there some
other time. But now want to write about
the Sabbath at Elder Jones'.
We sat talking pretty late Saturday night
for the Elder seemed to want tell me a
great deal about the cropszin England
how much better they are than usual, and
to prove that it was wiser to sell wheat at
the present low figures than to lold it; that
the price was more likely to 20 down than
" ~ OcClhk ludt iOOhCu u httio
sleepy, he said: We don't 20 to bed very
early Saturday nights, for Sunday is day
of rest, and we have breakfast late. You
needn't get up, until you hear the rising
bell. We have it rung half an hour before
breakfast"
went to bed, and slept we'll When
woke up in the morning the sun was more
than an hour high. Thinks I, that rising
bell must have rung So got up, dressed
myself, and went down stairs. But the
house was as still as grave. There was
no smoke coming out Of the kitchen Chin
ney. didn't want to go back to bed, so
/ went out and took a long walk. / was
busy reading the inscriptions in the grave
yard when heard the town clock strike
eight. thought, surely shall be late to
breakfast, so l hurried back. As | went
into the yard saw the hired man coming
out rubbing his eyes, to feed the horses.
/ sat on the steps half an hour, and then
heard the rising bell, and knew by the sound
in the kitchen that somebody was getting
breakfast. AT half-ps nine the breakfast
bell rang, and the Elder and his wife came.
A blessing was asked, and we began to eat
The young folks came in one by one, until
nearly ten o'clock. Breakfast over, there
was general hurry and hustle about get
ting ready for church. We started as the
last bell was ringing, and goti in just as they
were singing the first hymn. The Elder
said that he could never get his folks to
church in time, but that u good many were
later than they were, and that was some
consolation. 1 didn't sec why, but said
nothing.
After church, the Elder said. "Let u,
60 around by the post-ofice. The Chicago
mail gets in at half-past ten" Well, VIC
found that nearly all the congregation knew
about the Chicago mail. They formed o
procession from the church to the post
office, and the clerks, who had been dis
tributing the letters while we were listening
to DR.. KS sermon, had a lively time fol
half an hour giving out letters. The Ell
der had lock-box, so be did not have I,
wait. Ne got half dozen letters and sew
eral papers, and Sunday morning dali!
from Chicago. We went home. He hand
ed me some of the papers, while he glance
over the letters. He said, "rhere nigh
be something in them very important, yol
know" The letters having been "glancet
over" pretty carefully, the Elder took a
the papers and read them, and commente,
upon their contents until dinner time.
The dinner was not such a lunch of coli
meat, pie and cheese, as we used to get be
tween the meetings when Twas boy, blu
consisted of roast beef, broiled chickens
vegetables of four or Ave kiads, hot pud
ding, variety of pastry, and hot coffee
Mrs. Jones remarked that her husband wa
80 hurried week days he could not enjo,
his dinner, so she tried to have good on
on Sunday, when he had plenty of time t
eat it. She went on 20 discuss that them
of unfailing interest to 2house-keepers
"help." She had tried all sorts, and ha
come back to the Irish Catholics as tn
best on the whole. Protestant girls wsnte,
to go to church just when the fsmil
went, and just when the dinner ought 4
be attended to; but the Catholics woul
run over and hear the morning mass Will
the family were at breakfast, and then com
and get the dinner. And she would u
with the general remark that it was nc
best for mistresses and servants to belsn
to the same church. 1t made the servant
too forward and familiar. 81 don't object,
she said, ''to the priest making pastors
visits in my kitchen; but 1t would be en-
barassing to have DR.. X. do so, or have I
invite my help into the parlor to see him.
Dinner over at last-and it lasted flu
hour-we went into the parlor. Soon til
door bell rang, aBd Elder Jenkins wa
shown in. He was introduced to me, an
remarked that he did not believe in SUI
day visiting, but dropped in sometimes
talk over church matters with brother j.
ders. The church matters that we're N
spiritual, but financial. They did not %
each other, what can we do to make h
prayer-meeting more interesting; to y
more people to come to church; to secpi
a revival of religion; but how can we rail-
DIR. KS. salary, and pay our organist a
soprano, and other expenses of the FIR
class church, without putting our hapt
deeper into our own pockets2 The ablii
of A. b. and G. to pay more rent was Oil
cussed. "What do you know about I'll
new business that A. is engaged inp 10
going to payf" said Elder jenkins, I
length.
81 don't know" was the reply.
"He has been to me several times to q
me to invest in 1t, and hesitate to do 81
don't feel quite sure about it. How doe
it strike your s
On this tangent they went of from til
church and its affairs and spent an hour
canvassing the propriety of taking stock
Mr.. AS. factory. With pencil and pap'