The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-03-07
From the y. Y. Times.
The Worst Small Boy.
Very truly yours,
f. V. SMALLEY.

For long time it has been the boast Of
the First Congregational Society Of Birch
Vile Ohio, that they possessed a minis
ter who, in point OF lungs and legs, was
fully equal, and in some respects superior.
to Mr.. Talmage. There is no doubt that
this boast is to a certain extent justifiable
While Rev Mr. Sunbright is admittedly
inferior to Mr. Talmage in the manage
ment OF his left leg. and never attempts
the eloquent feat of throwing both legs
simultaneously over the front Of the pul
pit he can pound the desk or stamp his
right foot with a violence which the
Brooklyn athlete has never yet approach
ed. His voice is simply unequaled in
power, and on calm Sundays has more
than once reached the next village, dis
tant nearly three miles from the meeting.
house and created temporary alarm OF
fire. OF course, these great qualities have
made him exceedingly popular with the
thoughtful members of his congregation,
but they have not secured for him the
respect and admiration of the small boys
His invariable habit of rumpling a small
boys hair the wrong way while pointing
out to him the general sinfulness of his
ways is unquestionably adapted to awak-
en- the baseT passions Of fallen juvenile
human nature. To this Objectionable
habit he also adds the practice of insist
ing upon an unusual amount of catechism,
and total prohibition Of circus and tine
result is that he is hated by the small
boys of his congregation with great una
nimity and bitterness.
Among the small boys in question is
one OF exceptionally studious habits and
mechanical ingenuity. When, one day
early in the Winter, this small boy ap-
I 81 f1 F,u n
loan of a book that would fully explain
to him the elementary principles Of nat
ural philosophy, including the mechan-
ical powers and the strength Of materials,
Mr. Sunbright rumpled. his hair with
real enthusiasm, and, remarking that he
| loved TO see a boy with u mind above
marbles and circuses. promptly lent him
/ the desired book. For some weeks that
| ingenious small boy devoted his whole
| time to study aud to experiments with
| carpenters tools and heavy weights in
| the woodshed and his father and Mr.
Sunbright congratulated one another up
on the extraordinary goodness and in
telligence OF the studious youth.
Ii was on the Saturday afternoon pre-
ceding the fifth Sunday in January that
that ingenious small boy, together with
several OF his juvenile companions. gain
| eu secret dCCtss 10 tue NOnEItEuLlOndA
Meeting house. The pulpit was an old
fashioned affair placed upon high plat
form Underneath this platform was a
dark space to which access was gained
by a movable panel. and in which the
sexton was accustomed to store broken
benches and other ecclesiastical rubbish.
The boys 6rst carefully cut an opening in
the floor Of the pulpit about four feet
square. and then entering into the lum
Der room below worked for hours in com
= parative silence and with the aid of &
lantern The ingenious student OF tn,
= mechanical powers arranged weight anC
a lever in such a way as TO support th'
+. improvised trap-door in the pulpit foo
e until pressure OF $50 pounds should b'
. brought to bear upon it, Without th,
D application of this pressure, the trap doc
D would retain its position. and would b
J. invisible to any but the closest scrutiny
T With such pressure IL would promptl
give way, but would ie.ume its position
@ as soon a. the pressure should be- remo'
Q ed Rev Mr. Sunbriaht weighed PR
D. cisaly lI2 pounds, and it was calculate
4, by the ingenious juvenile miscreant-a