Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-01-21

victed she " walked the broad alley 80
often that one Of her rustic friends
"guessed Aunt Silla had-a-most sioned
out her seventy times seven.
We remember, too, confession made
in that old church, too solemn for a
smile, too deeply tragic for tears, and
involving consequences to which, even
at this lapse of time, we may not ad
vert. Death has blessed ministry
when its curtain falls over deeds that
have rent hearts and dyed families in
shame But the old Meeting House
had its comic scenes, too, and one so
grotesquely contrasting with its usual
solemnities that one can hardly hope
for full belief in describing them. 1t
was the custom in those old days at the
close Of The term at the Academy, for
the aspirants for future forensic and
classical honors, to recite poetry, speak
speeches, etc. On one occasion, after
tiourishing term under master whose
taste or ambition inclined him to Thes-
plan ccomplishments, play was to be
enacted, which required more extended
scenic facilities than the Academy af-
forded, and the stage was transferred to
the old Meeting House. We rather
suspect that Puritanic rule was already
in abeyance, for no opposition was
made to this extraordinary use of the
sacred purlIeus, and no desecration
seems to have been suspected, certainly
none was intended. The stage, with
the stage properties, occupied about
one-fourth OF the area of the church,
and was erected over the pews and i'm
mediately under the pulpit, and the
drop curtain, notreaching to that height,
we, the younger part of the audience,
who occupied the gallery and the "high
pew" had the advantage of seeing the
practical Jokes and artless preparations
behind the scenes; the transforming of
the fairest boy in the school, with flaxeu
curls, into the heroine of the play, etc.
Before this time our good old DR..
West had gone TO rest, and the then IN
cumbent of the place (who filed it faith
fully was betrayed by some blind and
lucky misconstruction, which we could
never understand, into presiding in his
own place in the pulpit at this jubilee.
The play, of all others, selected for
this occasion was "Kotzebue's Robbers, :"
play prescribed by the potentates of
Europe. rather, however, we believe,
for its tendencies to liberalism, than to
licentiousness. But in my view of it
this was a singular demonstration for
New England rural district. Its ten
dency was somewhat qualified by an
after piece of scriptural character.
We have no precise recollection as to
musical prelude. From the promiscu-
ous nature of the entertainment it may
have been Yankee Doodle" or a
march from "Our Paganni, the
mulatto musician Of the village, or there
may have been an anthem from the
| school; but we are very sure that when
the stage bell was first rung and the
curtain drawn up, we had, instead of
the comical prologue, a prayer, in which
! according to custom) there were few of
the striking exigencies in the history of
the human race that were not remem-
bered. With that all solemnity ended.
The pastor had two or three clerical
brethren in the pulpit with him. Itwas
evidently their first play. and they en-
loved it with the eagerness of novices
and simplicity of children. As it was
enacted, it was in truth pastoral-comi-
cal scene, indivisible and tragical COM
ical: and our clergyman, whom some of
the audience thought incapable of the
indecorum of laughing, laughed like
merry boy. Indeed he seemed COM
pletely, as the French might say,
Musione," for, after the play was
finished and the after piece, "Daniel in
the Lions Den" was to begin he made
another predatory prayer, in which he
seemed to see in vision the miracle
wrought, and the Prophet in whom "no
manner of hurt was found issue from
the lions den."
To our open disenckanted eyes, the
boy, who personated the Prophet. and
restlessly awaited his cue in our cousins
square corner-pew (for the nonce the
lions DEM, seemed quite safe, and the
lion an innocent beast, and ''of good
conscience" But all this was long ago.
The tragedy and comedy of real life
have filled great space between then
and now. Not one board remains upon
another not shinele is left of our
cold Meeting House." The hill ide
road is grass-grown. Aunt Silla is safe
from temptation and small lapses,
and alas her foaming beer cup and
delicate herbs have fallen into disuse.
A new church is erected on the site of
that where the missionary Brainard and
the great metophysician Jonathan Ed
wards ministered to the Stockbridge
Indians.