Smyrna times., 1875-12-01
NESDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER / 1915
Laughin' in Meetin'.
BY MRS. II. b. STOWE.


tuously, in view of some of Aunt Lois
thrusts, eye ought never to laugh in meet
ln-that ere's so; but then there is time,
when the best on us gets took down. We
gets unawares, ye see-even minister's does
Y IS natur' will get the upper hand afore
they know it."
Why, Sam, ministers don't ever laugh in
meetin', do they?''
We put the question with wide ewes.
Such supposition bordered on profanity.
we thought; it was approaching the sin of
Uzzah, who unwarily touched the ark of
the Lord
Laws, yes! Why haven't you never
heard how there was council held to trv
Parson Morrel for laughin' out in PRAYER
time ?"
Laughing in prayer timer we both re-
peated, with uplifted hands and eyes.
My grandfathers mild face became lumi-
nous with a suppressed smile which
frightened it as the moon does a cloud
but he said nothing.
Yes, yes!' said my grandmother; that
affair did make dreadful scandal in the
time ont. But Parson Morrel was a good
man, and I'm glad the council wasn't hard
on him."
wall" said Sam Lawson. "after ALL il
was more Ike Babbitt's fault than twas
anybody's. Ye see, Ike he was alters for
gettin' what he could out O. the town. and
he would feed his sheep on the meetin'
house green. Somehow or other U,o.s
fences alters contrived to get out of order
come Sunday, and up would come his sheen,
ana Ike was too pious to drive EN- back ON
sunday, and so there they was. lie was
talked to enough about it; cause We see 70
have sheep and lambs a ba-a,in' and =
blatln all prayer and sermon time warn't
the thing. Member that ere old mcctin'
house up to the end, down under Blucbcrrv
hlll' the land sort O. sloped down. so a
body he'd to come into the meetin' house
stepprn' down instead O up.
Fact was. they said, twas nut There
cause the land want good for nothin' else
and the folks thought putin mectin
house on it would be a clear sayin.. bpt
Parson Morrel he didn't like it. and was
free to tell 'em his mind on't-Iikc that +
twas like bringin' the lame an the blind to
the Lords sarvice. But there twas.
There warn't better minister nor no
one more set in all the State than Parson
Morrcl. His doctrine was right up and
down, good and sharp, and he rive saints
and sinners their meat in due season. and
for oonsolin' and comfortn' widers and or.
phans Parson Morrel hadn't his match
The woman sot lots by him, and he was
aIlus ready to take tea round, and mako
things pleasant and comfortable; and bo
had good story for every one and word
Ior the children and maybe an apple in
MS pocket for 'em. Wal, you know there
unit no pleasin' everybody; and ef Gabriel
right down out o. heaven. was to
come and be minister expect there'd be
pickln at his wings, and sort O fault find
N. Now, Aunt Jerushy Scran and Aunt ;
Holly Hokum they sed Parson Morrel
Yarnt solemn enough. Ye see there's !
mem that thinks that minister ought to 5
'e Just like the town hearse-so that We :
hlnk OF death, judgmentand eternity. and 7
lotlHn else, when ye see him round: and I
+ they see man rosy and clipper. and /
lavrn pretty nice sociable sort of time. t
Why they say he amt spiritooal minded. |
5ut IN my times I've seen ministers that
we're the most awakenin' in the pulpit was q
he liveliest when they was out ont There v
time to laugh, scripture says, tho some j
olks never seem to remember that ere" l.
But Sam, how came you to say it was t
Ike Babbitt's fault2 What was it about t
he sheep?" c
Oh! wal, yes-Im a comm to that ere.
was all about them sheep. | expect they 7
7as the instrument of the devil soft To vori, h
tempt Parson Morrel to laugh in prayer
ime.
" Ye see, there was old Dck-Ike's bell II
ether was the fighten'est critter that ever
er see. Why, Dick would but at his own A
lader, and everybody said it was shame a
ne old critter should be let to run loose. 1t
ecause he run at the children and scared a
ne women half out o. their wits. Wall, d
sed to live out in that parish them days, k
nd Lem Sudoc and used to go out spark al
Sunday nights, to see the Larkin gals, al
nd we had to go across the lot where Dick 50
as. So we used to go and stand at the NJ
nee and call, and Dick would soon see us n
nd put down his head, and run at us full al
lisel, and come butt again the fence, and m
zen Fd ketch him by the horns and hold a
I'm While Lem run and got over the fence
other side of the lot and then I'd let 90, it
nd Lem would heller and shake stick at Ia
i'm, and away he'd go full at Lem, and ki
EN- would ketch his horns and hold him ne
Il came over. That was the way we ev
anaged Dick. But ef he come sudden up
'hind a fellow, he'd give hima butt in the co
n a4h hfa L. n. Al 4.