The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-01-02
WHAT SHALL THE HARVEST BE.


A Minister'S Boy Has an IFea-
The funny man of the New York Times
relates the adventures of Mr.. and Mrs. Saw
yer, Methodist minister and his wife, and
Master Sawyer, in West BroOkville, VT: I'm
northern Vermont" he says, that peculiar
form of social outrage known as a surprise
party, but of late called Bulgarian atrocity,
Is still lamentably frequent. On cold even
ing of the present month, Mr.. Sawyer and
his family we're seated quietly by their social
hearth enjoying one anOther's society. The
clergyman Was reading aloud the bishops
pastoral letter; his wife was busily calculat.
ing how to cut up her husbands old over
coat, so as to supply him with a new waist
coat, herself with a new Overskirt and
Master Sawyer with new pair of trousers,
while that excellent small boy was
reading the improving adventures OF an
eminent pirate, and wondering whether he
would ever be able to emulate them. Not
one of the family was prepared to receive
visitors. Mr. Sawyer had on his dressing
gown and slippers, Mrs. Sawyer had let
down her back hair TO give freedom TO her
mental processes, and Master Sawyer had
porarily slipped off mis- trowsers to supply
his mother with pattern, while he wrapped
the hearth rug about him. Suddenly, and
without the least warning, more than four
dozen people of all kinds and sexes, includ-
ing men, women, reformers, and theological
ana devastation with them. The marau-
ders conducted themselves after the usual
custom of their kind. They c0nversed with
one another with great hilarity, ignoring
the sufferings of the clergyman and his wife.
They spread their cake upon the table, and,
devouring it without plates, scattered the
crumbs over the new carpet. One young
man, having laid a large piece of jelly cake
on the sofa, subsequently sat down on it,
and Mrs. Sawyer felt that she would gladly
iOin the church of Rome on condition that
the medieval tortures of the inquisition
should be revived, and she herself delegated
to apply them to that particular young man.
After having reduced the furniture to that
state of grease that it was no longer safe to
sit down, the miscreants gathered around
the piano and sung What Shall the Har-
vest Be- until Mr.. Sawyer, mild as he was,
regretted he could not take sharp
scythe and reap an immediate and bloody
harvest. While these blood curdling
outrages were in progress in the parlOr, the
good small boy kept himself carefully out of
the room. He was not, however, wasting
his time in idle rage. He, too. heard the
melodious inquiries as to the harvest, and
remarked to himself that they would find
out all about the harvest if they would only
wait q few minutes Meanwhile he was
busIly engaged in carrying pals of water and
emptyiug them on the front step and along
the walk leading from the front door 10 the
gate. The night was cold and the water
frOze rapidly. Under his admirable manage
ment the ice acquired an unusually smooth
and slippery character, and when the wOrl,
was thoroughly done the small boy retired
to the second story front window and waited
for the surprise party 10 break up. The
moon was at It's full and shone brightly
when the first PAIR Of miscreants-the young
man who sas on the jelly cake and heavy
young lady to whom he was engaged
issued from the front door anu sat
behind Them came the rest of the
raiders, who with one accord strewed
themselves over the ground, until in some
places they were collected three or four
deep. The shrieks OF the ladies and the
stronger remarks of the men filled the air.
No sooner would a struggling wretch regain
his feet than he would sit down with re-
newed violence. The a1fdghted clergyman
and his wife gazed with wonder at the APP
palling spectacle, and the good small boy
never ceased 10 sing What Shall the Harvest
Be at the very top Of his lungs, interpreting
that stirring hymn with a wild 'whOop'
whenever a particularly brilliant pair of
stockings waved in the air. Although only
three persons sustained fatal injuries there
was scarcely member of the party who
escaped without more or less serious
wounds. either of body or clothing.
Seventeen legs, two RIBS. SIX arms and a
nose were broken; five ankles and six wrists
were sprained, aud one shoulder was dislO.
Gated. The icy pavement was strewed with
fragments OF teeth, spectacles, coats, trousers
and skirts, and Master Sawyer picked up
enough copper and silver Change the next
morning to enable him to buy y tickets to a
raiiia for broken shotgun and 70 subscribe
handsomely 10 the missionary fund. 1t is
generally believed that there will never be
another surprise party in BrOokfield. and it
is under contemplation among middle aged
householders 10 present Master Sawyer with
a service OF marbles and life membership
in the foreign missionary society az a
testimony Of their s'eem and gratitude"