The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-03-13
The Deacons Indian Summer.

DEACON JAHIEL BRADEN WAS
IL solemn, Industrious, uprigh tman,
but was as kind as one well could be who
had lived SO far apart from his fellows as
he had.
In his youth he had been one of the
rural dandies of the region and the chief
beau of his native town, driving the
fastest horses and leading off at the viii
lage sports; whether balls, quiltings,
weddings or sleigh-rides.
When about twenty-five years old,
however, sudden blight had fallen ON
his spirits for which no one could ae-
count.
He had danced half the night in wild
glee at q wedding, played games of all
sorts, helped serve the guests from
bountifully-laden tables, kissed the bride
gave her as wedding present his best
COW, with a white heart shaped spot on
her forehead, and then went home full
of glec. Next morning he looked as if
fifty years had been added to his age.
He now put himself to work earnestly
laying out cranberry meadows and rails
ing live stock, He withdrew from his
old companions as If the sight of them
burnt his eyes, unless he could help one
Dof thems then he came out of his shell,
but returned to it as soon as the emer-
gency was over.
Some of the neighbors thought his
mind affected; some said he had repent
ed giving Matilda Day the COW he was
so proud of, and others decided that he
meant to turn over a new leaf, having
sown all his wild oats, and become
sober, settled man. Still more were the
towns people surprised when, some
months, after, he joined the church, and
''' took up" as he said, san orderly
walk"
IT the sanity old Motherly Braden
knew the spring of these actions she kept
it to herself When questioned she only
replied in her quiet way;
Rejoice with me that this my son
who was lost is found: who was dead is
alive again
Thus Jahiel moved on, cherishing and
blessing his mother, and clearing and
eultivating the hitherto useless lands on
the farm, till death left him and Ketury
Perkins, his mothers lifelong helper,
alone in the great, broad farmhouse.
His brother had married, gone West,
made great flourish in some patent
businessand failed. He came back after
this and set up store, and failed again.
Then he went back to honest farming,
twenty miles away. Here he wearied
for lack of the excitement of g failing" !"
and died, leaving very helpless family.
Jahiel Braden was man of very few
words, and was slow in uttering those
few, but when action was needed he was
as prompt as any one. He went to the
funeral in the blue swalow-tailed coat,
with gilt buttons, and the same buff
vest he had on at his last dance. They
were still his best.
As soon as the funeral was over, he
said to his sister-in-law:
g l fear you have nothing to live on
come to the homestead as If it were your
own, and bring up your girls to be use
full women. I'll send Timothy over
next week with Star and Buck for your
goods. I'll come in the covered wagon
for you all, and if there are any bills at
the store I'll pay them. I'll see to the
doctor and funeral; SO drop all cares
from your mind and try to be happy"
Jahiel Braden had grown to be very
careless man, in Il certain sense of the
word. Although neat and orderly in his
person, in his house and on the farm, he
had laid aside all the restraints of soci-
ETY. He came to the table in his shirt
sleeves, and sometimes in his stocking
feet. He went uptown and even to
church with his pants tucked in his cow
hide boots.
Once he so far forgot himself as to put
on a clean farm-frock on Sunday instead
of Monday, laid good coat of mutton.
tallow on his boots, tucked his butter
nut-colored pants into them, and in this
plight took up the collection, for by this
time he was deacon. This was to ne
small delight of the boys in the gallery
who were always glad for some ortho
dox subject for laughter during the tim,
of service.
Ketura Perkins was just as independ
ent of the worlds opinion as was hel
master, and did as many odd things 10y
way of shocking its sense of proprietN
as he did through observation-disclosures