Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-02-04

house for nothin', and [ amt a-goin to
have the minister spend any OF my
money in dom it nutbtr.
These ere ministers have got to be
kept down, or they'll get high minded.
They are the sarvants of the people,
and for one think they oughter be re-
minded of it from time to time. Human
natur' is very frail, even in the best of
us, and although our Mr.. Nicodemus is
most always subdued sort of man,
We mustn't let him get too independent
P'r'aps sumbody may think that L m
sayin' too much about the minister and
too little about the skool-house, but [
amt forgot my subject by no means.
Just because Square Jones-who has
been off travelin' this fall, and has seed
a whole lot of new things in the way of
edication-thinks that the deestrict
oughter hev a new skool-house, the
whole naburhood has got crazy over it.
| don't know rs [ can purvent it, but |
am a-goin' TO raise my voice and use
my influence agin it. I've been a
deekin nigh on to forty year, and I've
passed through moro seems aud unseens
/ lluu any DOu1 C1St III lllG
These ere new-fangled notions that
Square Jones has been a-talkin' about
such as skools, skool-buks, and imple-
ments-oughter be put down the only
implements we need are agricultooral
implements, and as for skool- -buks, the
old ones are good enuf. Talk about
advanced idees, objek teaching and new
methods it's all contrived plan to
take the money out of our pockets.
Mebbe you don't know how savin' am
about things. Let me relate an inser-
dent, which although it failed of its pur-
pus, my will was all rite.
Last fail sum time | heerd old Mis-
Jones say that Mis- Brown told her dar-
ter Melindy that Gloryanna Perkins
said that the last time she went down
to the city to put some money III the
bank that she d had left her, who should
walk in but our Mr.. Nicodemus (The
idee of minister's havin' anything to
do with a bank | guess the 'Possel
Paul never went into bank, and didn't
know much about such insitootions.) He
went up to the cashier with q piece of
paper, and he paid him sum money.
Miss Perkins see the bills, but
couldn't t. II how much he got, although
she tried to but she heerd the cashier
say, eve always ike TO cash Mr.. Dun
cans checks +; he knows how to do good
with his money"
Now Mr.. Duncan's folks wuz here in
our village all last summer, and went to
our meetin', and / noticed that Mr..
Nicodemus alwuz paid 'em a good deal
Dc ~
thought. We hire him to look after our
spiritooaI interests, and not them of
rich folks who don't live here.
Putin this and that together, it
Cured to me that 'twould pay to go
down to the city, see Mr.. Duncan, and
find ont how much that check wuz. so
that we could take it out of the salary.
mentioned The matter to few of our
members, and they thought we'll of it.
| So after I'd got through gettin' in the
sovsI / went down to the city, and
after good deal of trouble / found out
where Mr.. Duncan's store wuZ. SO [
went in, and seq l to a dapper -lookin'
feller who stood behind the counter,
"Is Mr.. Duncan in o.
eyes" sez he, "he's in the offs, aud
is very busy, as this is shippin' day." l
didn't see no ships round nowhere. and
thought he meant to chaff me little.
seems as / WIZ from what they call the
rooral deestricts ; so sez 1 F: "Young
man, don't you insult me, man old
enuf to be your grandfather. You just
tell me where that offs is, for I've got
important business on hand" He larfed
right out, and then p'inted me to a glass
door, which [ opened, and there was
Mr.. Duncan settin' by desk 'ritin'. He
looked up, and sez he, What can do
for you, my friend ?" Sez I, "Didn't
you have your family down to our vii
lage of Slowtown last summer? and
didn't sum of your folks go to our
meetin' 2" He thot a mint, and then
sed, Yes-what of it?" Sez I,
Didn't you make our minister pres.
ent and if so, how much was it ?" /
never seed man get so mad in a mint
as he did. "You pryin' old scoun-
drel," sez he. (l'm most ashamed to
use his language, only I want the dee
strict to know how much abused I've
Seen for tryin' to save our folks in pay
- the minister.)
y leave this room," sez he. "You
doLt deserve to have n minister, or to
enjoy the blessings of the Gospel. You
remind me of the man whose yearly
contribution was peck of green peas. I"
didn't stay long after that, cause it
kinder seemed as if nv kumpany wasn't
appreciated When I got hum. told
the committy of the way / was ,ceived,
and they agreed to pay my expenses out
of the salary, and deduct twenty re
dollars that year. / thot we'd better
take ont fifty dollars, and risk it; but
Deekin Cautious said that the minister
might say sumthin' about it, and make
fuss. SO we didn't do it. / haven {
passed through such an experience since
the time when we painted the outside OF
our old meetin' house, twenty-five years
ago, and tux it ont of old Mr.. Hard
times. who used to do the preechin
afore Mr.. Nicodemns was hired. There
was good meny then who said | was
mean about it, but we must expect to
he ill-ireated when we make such sacri-
fees for the sake of religion. l could
say more, but won't now, 'cept that /
shall continue to raise my voice agin
havin' new skool- house built in this
deestrict f.; ourn's good enuf. -Hdrper's 5
Bdzdr.
Mr. MANYAMAN arrives at the pearly
gate. st. Peter :" Well. Mr.. Manya-
man, you're here at last. | suppose
that during the summer you shaded
vour sidewalk and in fha vintor snraad