The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1877-02-08
A Revival Incident.

Simon Stringer was a bluff old farmer,
who prided himself upon being a plain,
er-of fact man. about whom there was
no foolishness or sentiment On more than
one occasion he had mortified his wife and
daughters by hustling them out of religious
meetings when they had begun to show
signs Of emotion. He said he didn't be-
ieve in 'mirakerlus conversions" and ii at
people who cried and yelped over getting
religion wasn't gettin' it by burned
sight" He believed that the genuine
article was soothing and calming, and not
exciting in it influence.
Once the--held a protracted meet
ing in his neigborhood, and as it was carried
on without sudden outbursts of feeling,
Simon too kindly to it, and attended re-
gularly. On Sunday morning he proceeded
to lay him out two suits of clothes.
"Why, Simon exclaimed his wife in
her shriIl tone, "whatever do you want of
too suits of clothes ~
That's my business, not yours" he re-
piled gruffly. You lay out my black suit
for me to put on, and wrap up the brown
one i'll a bundle, and don't ask any foolish
questions
His wife wonderingly, silently complied,
and Simon donned one suit, with the other
under his arm, and mounted his horse and
went away, followed by the anxious eyes of
the big and little Stringers, who marveled
greatly, and said one to another: "What's
dad going to do with his other clothes ?"
Simon didn't return till supper time. He
took his place at the supper table, which
was the usual signal for the family to begin
an onslaught upon the victuals, but on this
occasion his voice arrested every arm in its
descent, and for the second time that day,
astOnished the Stringers Glancing around
the startled circle, he thus delivered him
self:
Il want it understood that the head of
this household has this day'been baptized
He is follower Of the meek and lowly
Jesus, and the first critter at this table
that dips into anything before a blessin' is
asked will get snatched baldheaded Drop
your eyes, We heathens -
The blessing was asked, and the meal
was eaten IN silence.
After the chores were done, the String
ers were stringing off to bed, when the
stern voice of the old man again arrested
them, and filled their minds with grave
forebodings as to what was coming next.
He addressed them as follows:
"Come into this room every devil ofyou,
and flop down on your knees. 1t is my
duty as a devout Christian to have family
worship, and I'll have it too, and have re-
spectful attention, or I'll bust some domes
tic ties assunder This mansion must re-
sound with praises to the Most High, or it
will resound with some one gettin a-of
a thrashin i mean bein severly chastised.
The first one who snickers or makes any
onseemly noise, I'll get up and throw "a
cheer through him or her. as the case may
be. Let us pray.
The prayer was prayed, and never was
there a more attentive audience.
This sort of thing continued about two
weeks, and the Stringer family was kept in
a state Of extreme misery. The younger
members had been several times severely
whipped for conduct unbecoming the child
ren of a tree believer, and the older ones
had received such harsh reprimands for
falling to fall into the order of things and
themselves with true dignity.
Then one morning Simon came III with
a bad limp, battered milk pail and the
knees of his pants torn.
Dropping into chair at the table, he |
plunged his fork into the nearest dish. The
children looked up from the backs of their
plates, questioningly, and their mother
calculated
"Wy, Simon r
"Shut up, and eat T. he growled, and
then in few moments added:
"This blessin' and prayin business is sus-
pended for while. | don't forget my OBJ
legations and duties as Christian, and III