Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-06-15
From Scribners Monthly.l
MR.. NEELUS PEELER'S CON
DITIONS.
"And those that are fools, let them use their
talents. .''-Tire!hh Night.

talents. Ttcelth Night.
CHAPTER II.
In spite of Mr.. Peeler's entire neg
lect of all sublunary pursuits for his
public work, both stated and missiona
ary, his professional reputation kept on
the wane. The country communities
of those times were not very exacting,
provided their preachers insisted upon
being sure in their own minds of hav-
ing been called, and provided that they
/ led moderately pious lives, and kept
good, sound doctrine. Mr. Peelrr
could not but be aware of some declen-
sion in his influence. His afflicted con-
! ditions had been worn and worn, until
| they seemed as if they were going to
be threadbare, and that at no distant
date. The main complaint was that,
no matter what was the text, he preach
ed the same-or pretty much the same
sermon, at all times and places.
I'm nobody but a female, and | ac-
knowledge it, said Mrs. Peacock one
day, when her husband and another Of
the deacons were discussing at dinner
Mr. Peeler's merits. She had been one
of the last to give up. And I've al
ways looked upon Brother Peeler as a
acceptable minister of the gospel-that
is, considerin his chances. But some
how Brother Peeler, he preach better
at first than he preach at the present
time, aud he don't come out enough on
doctring lately
'Ah!' answered Brother Billiard,
Sister Peacock, you hit the nail when
you said that word; you hit the nail
right spang on the head, jest as if You
had 'a'' had hammer. A few more of
them greens, Sister Peacock
Sister Peacock helped to the green's
and wanted to fill Brother Billiards.
plate with contributions from every
dish at her end of the table
No, no plenty-plenty,' he remon-
strated, just before it was beginning to
run over; 'plenty-plenty. But you
jest as we'll "a had hammer when
you said that word.'
Brother Peeler is very good in a
funiI Sermon acknowledged Mrs. Pea
cock.
That be is Jabez Marshall, nor
neither can Silas Mercer, beat him very
fur thar
And then he's very able in pra'rp
Powerful = said Mr. Bullard
But yit, Brother Bullard, we must
have-we do want-we can't get along
all the time without some doctring, if
it's only of Saturday meetin like, or
of Conference day, with little final
perseverance, and not q bit of falln'
from grace, and - Well, you know
Brother Bullard, | never was nothin'
but female, and | was always willin'
to acknowledge
But Brother Billiard made Sister
Peacock hush up right there, under.
rating herself in that kind of style.
They all agreed, even away down
there, hard on the Ohoopees. that there
were no limits to human griefs and
sympathies and that even the saddest
and most sympathetic of mankind liked
occasionally, at least-to be pointed
to a more hopeful prospect, both of this
present mortal and the future eternal
life. And then, some doctring was
actually needed sometimes. Sister
Peacock might be female; but she
stoutly denied being babe, to be fed
on milk. The other sisters, following
the lead of the great pillar of Harmony
Church, took up this idea, and said
they wanted something hard and solid,
too; and the way they talked about
Brother Peeler would have led one to
suppose that Brother Peeler regarded
all the women, in all the borders of
Buffalo, Williamson's Swamp, and both
Ohoopees, whatever their ages, as so
many infants The fact was, Mr.. Peel
er had to make a new strike. Sam
Wiggins had improved every way un-
der the sweet influences of his sister.
Mr.. Peeler ought to be more cheerful.
Although the last to see, he did see at
last that, even if in humility, he must
go himself, and lead his focks to feed,
in more pleasing pastures.
One day he returned from an uncom-
monty extended tower and looked
cheerful. Old Sam suspected that he
had made fee of five dollars for mar
rying some couple but Sam was mis-
taken. 'Lijay, and only 'Lijay, knew
the cause. Oh, how he bad praised
'Lijay and Dragged about, and was SO
thankful for what he and 'Lijay were
doing for the regulation of poor Sam
my Virgins!
'"Liiay,' he said, Il believe I've jest
found out the real true idee of preach
in. It's to take big tex and then
charge. | done that ON Little Hoopee
last Sunday week. I took big tex
and charged and | tell you, my son,
everything fewed before me like ducks
when Len Peek is arfter 'em on Rudi-
SLIPS mill-pond, ] am goin' to fetch up
that sermon here the first chance | git,
and then, you listen.'
Shortly afterward, when the pastor
! of Elm Church, not far distant, was
somewhat i'll, Mr.. Peeler limited will
lingness to occupy his pulpit one Sun
day morning. 1t was the best that
could be done ia the circumstances.
Here was large congregation. 1t was
remarked that Mr. Peeler gave out
more cheerful hymn. and spoke a more
hopeful prayer than usual. He took
for his subject the triumphant entry of
our Lord into Jerusalem. He apollo
gizen for taking so vast subject for
his text but on such q subject as this,
yeerses ought to be no object. | could
not dwell (without the appearance of
levity) as be did. upon the wildness of
colts in general, and mule-colts in par
ticular; on the temerity of an unprac-
ticed rider undertaking to travel on
one of the latter for the first time Gin
all human probability without any Sad
die, and a mere rope for bridle) into
great city. and among vast noisy