Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-02-09
DEACON JAHIEL.

DEACON JAHIEL.
Deacon Jahiel Braden was a solemn,
industrious, upright man, but was as
kind as one we'll could be who had
lived so far apart from his fellows as he
had.
In his youth he had been one of the
vdral dandies of the region and the chief
beau of his native town, driving the
fastest horses and leading off all the vii
lage sports, whether balls, cuttings,
weddings or sleigh-rides.
When about twenty-five years old,
however, a sudden blight had fallen on
his spirits for which no one could ac-
count.
He had danced half the night in wild
glee at a 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 white heart-shaped spot
on her forehead, and then went home
fun of glee. Next morning he locked as
if fifty years had been added TO his age.
lie 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
of them; then he came out of his shell,
but returned to it as soon as the emer-
gency was over.
Some of the Deighbors thought his
mind affected; some said he had repent
cd 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 a
sober, settled man. Still more were the
townspeople surprised when, some
months after, he joined the church, and
"tock up" as he said, "an orderly
walk >"
If the sanity old Mother Braden knew
the spring of these actions she kept it to
herself. When questioned she only re-
piled in her quiet way:
"Rejoice with me that this my son
who was lost is found; who was dead,
and is alive again"
Thus Jahiel moved on, cherishing and
blessing his mother, and clearing and
cultivating the hitherto useless land on
the farm, till death left him and Ketury
Perkins, his mothers lifelong helper,
alone in the great broad farm house.
His brother had married, gone West,
made q great flourish in some patent
business and 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 "fail-
ing" and died, leaving very helpless
family.
Jahiel Braden was a man of very few
words, and was slow in uttering those
few, but when action was needed he was
as prompt as anyone. He went to the
funeral in the blue swallow-tail coat,
with gilt buttons, and the same buff vest
he had on at his last dance. They were
still his best.
said to his sister-in-law:
'eI 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. Eli 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 care from your mind
and try to be happy"
Jahiel Braden had grown to be very
careless man, in a 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 clean farm-frock on Sunday instead
of Monday, laid good coat of mutton
tallOw on his boots, tucked his butternut-
colored pants into them, and in this plight
took up the collection, for by this time he
was a deacon. This was to the no small
delight of the boys in the gallery, who
were always glad for some orthodox sub
ject for laughter during the time of
service.
Ketury Perkins was just as independ.
ent Of the worlds opinion as was her
master, and she did as many odd things
by way of shocking its sense of propri-
ETY. as he did through absent-minded-
ness. She more than once presented
herself at church in a clean sun bonnet
and calico sack, and enjoyed the staring
of the people, because she had black
silk gown, a cashmere shawl, straw
bonnet and a black lace veil at home,
"as good as Miss Deacon Jones', any
day" --....
You may be sure she did not particu-
larly like the idea of lady coming to
take her place, with three citifed girls
full Of airs" However, she was not
consulted In the matter, and had too
muclrgood sense TO throw herself out of
home. SO she made the best of the in
Deacon Jahiel had a great respect for
good women, and from the hour that his
brothers family came under his roof he
donned his coat before coming to the
table, and even went so far as TO buy a
pair OF slippers. He threw open the
long unused parlor, and said to the
girls, Make yourselves at home there. I"
He soon found there was great lack
in his establishment, by overhearing his
nieces lament the piano they had out
West. He never spoke oft, but engaged
the minister's wife 70 go TO town and
select one for him. The first the music
hungry children knew, it was brought
into the house; and still he never spoke
of it. Indeed, he rarely spoke Of any
thing at al. - cs er
The family lived on thus very happily
for several years, when all at once they
noticed great change in Deacon Jahiel
He began to whistle At his work, and to
sing With tue girls he bought a new
caTriase Ketnry described il as tear
riage like foikses carriages" he even
got Vlolih and checker board from the
garret, and for the first time in twenty
years played on them both with zeal and