The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-08-02
The New Minister'S First Call and
What of If.

burlington Hawk-Eye.I
Rev. Jerome II. Benson is a young
man, a minister of great promise, and
is greatly beloved by the members of his
flock. But he is a very bashful young
man, and it is quite a cross for him to
make pastoral calls and get acquainted
with the people of the congregation. He
has lived in Burlington only eight weeks
A few days ago he fixed himself up and
went to call at the residence of Mrs.
Jasper L. Blasingby, on West Hill, who
is very stylish, and has four lovely
daughters, and young Mr.. Benson was
accordingly more than usually nervous
and embarrassed, and when he got to the
house and entered the parlor door and
saw company, two young gentlemen
visiting two of the Misses Blasingby,
his wits Immediately went wool gather
ing.
Mrs. Blasingby bowed him into the
parlor, grandly introduced him to the
young men and waved him to-
ward an easy chair. As he moved to-
ward it she made second effort to capture
his hat, and after some feeble resistance
by the young minister she succeeded.
And then that man, thoroughly demoral
lied by the loss of his hat, made way-
ering advance toward the easy chair, and
then, impelled by the thought that he
was selfishly taking the most comfort
able chair in the room, he sweryed
aside and headed for an inviting look
| ing straight-backed chair that stood
against the wall. Mrs. Blasingby, re-
turning from the hat-rack in the hall,
OWNED his attention, and bore down
upon him for the purpose of getting him
anchored in the easy chair. But the young
minister had the weather gauge, and
| the more she bowed and fourished and
said, "Oh, do take this easy chair, Mr..
| Benson" the more steam he put on, and
the nearer he worked to the straight
back chair. He reached it. He caught
hold of the back to lift it from the wall,
and the back came out in his hand like a
loose tooth. For brief second he stood
there, very gracefully holding the chair
back in his hand, listening to Mrs. Bias
ingby's hurried explanations about the
children, and then attempted to put the
chairback where it belonged. He didn't
utcceed very well, for the back weak
ened OF itself as he fumbled with it, and
two or three pieces fell out of it. Mrs.
Blasingby was now begging him to leave
it alone and sit down in the easy chair.
His face was so hot and red he couldn't
hear word she said, and in desperation
he set the back on the chair, leaned it
against the wall, and picked up the chair
bodily and started across the room with
it without any particular intention, and
followed by trail of chairback, legs
and stray springs that dotted the carpet
like the track of tornado. He doesn't
know to this day how Mrs. Blasingby got
the chair away from him. He can only
remember that when he was about two
blocks away from the house he discovered
that he was carrying switch cane with
an ivory head, carved in a very Black
Crook design, evidently the property Of
one of the young men, and that his heac
was covered by jaunty little hat of dove
colored silk and rough straw, turned
up at one side, and decorated with pear
buckle and long dropping plume, al
of which he had often admired on tn,
youngest Miss Blasingby. His peculia
appearance and evident mental distres
, when he was met in this guise by his sen
ior deacon gave rise to the rumors that h
was intoxicated, which were, however, S,
well explained at the church meeting las
evening that Mr.. Benson was unani
. mously requested to withdraw his resig
.. nation. This, we are sorry to learn, h
= steadfastly refused to do, and it is under
! stood that he has accepted a chaplainc,
l at the Black Hills.