The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-04-28
THE MINISTER AT SCRAGG END
BY SOPHIE SW EFT.

BY SOPHIE SWEET.
Scragg End suddenly awoke to the
knowledge that it was village. Hither-
to it had chung to the skirts of Ponka-
pawket, and had never thought of the
possibility of separate existence. The
soil was poor in that part of the town.
and it had been hard struggle to wiring
living from it the place was unhealthy,
too, and "as pindlin' as Scragg- Ender'
was household saying in Ponkapawket.
Nobody had seemed to prosper Or to have
much ambition. They were not accused
of being slack" or shiftless-they were
Woodworking people-but they never
seemed to get ahead" Some people
thought there was depressing influence
in the name, and had made move to
change it there seemed to be no especial
propriety in having t,now that the Scragg
family, for whom it was named, and who
were the first settlers, had all died off,
except "Bueny Nisty," the sea captains
daughter, who was married out of the
name. But still the name chung to the
place. Although several romantic names
were suggested, such as Laurel Band and
Primrose Plain, the inhabitants would
call it nothing but Scragg End, and
Scragg End it seemed likely to remain
until the end of time.
They had school at Scragg End at
certain seasons of the year, because
Ponk apawket built them a school-house,
and appropriated to their use a certain
pars of the school money, but they did
all their shopping in Ponkapawket, and
relied upon that village for those servants
of society generally regarded as indis-
pensable, the doctor, the lawyer, and the
minister. Rather strangely, it was the
want of the aforementioned of these SER
wants that awoke Scragg End to a sense
of its rights.
Old MIS- Crichett, who had been in i'll
health for several months, suddenly dis
covered that she had spine in her back,
and was not long for this world, and
wanted Gospel privileges before she died.
Miss ANGELA Lawton, who was held in
high esteem because her father had been
tho minister of Ponkapawket, declared
that she didn't think Mr.. Ericsson, the
present minister OF Ponkapawket, who
now and then preached in the Scragg
End school house on Sunday afternoon
or evening, was "spiritual," because he
wore ring on his finger, and she didn't
feel to sit under" him any more. And
good old Mrs. Simmons, who walked all
the way to Ponkapawket to church every
pleasant Sunday, said she had always
known that "until it was watered by the
droppings of the sanctuary, Scragg End
would not prosper"
And Soragg End suddenly decided that
instead of occasional preaching by the
Ponkapawket minister, it was entitled to
"a stated supply" No longer would it
60 without regular Gospel privileges
Adoniram Hewitt, whose father had
been a deacon, was deputed to make ap
plication to the proper authorities in that
d. nomination to which Seragg End al
most universally belonged for a minister
to supply the Scragg End pulpit, or
rather the school desk until church
should be built.
Adoniram Hewitt received an encour-
aging answer to his application. A very
earnest and talented young preacher,
lately graduated from theological semi
nary, would at once be sent to Scragg
End.
Some of the old people demurred lit
tie; they didn't think much of prentice
hands, but the people generally thought
young minister was much more inter
esting.
Interest and curiosity were at their
height in Scragg End on the day when
Lysander Hewitt, Adoniram' s son, drove
over to Ponkapawket station to bring
back the new minister. Innumerable
guesses had been made among the young
er portion OF the community concerning
the appearance of the new parson. 1t
was generally agreed upon by the young
ladies that he would be slender, with
dark eyes, melodious voice, and very
white hands, and they embroidered sew
eral very handsome book marks for the
Bible and hymn book which were pur-
chased for the desk-Mr. Ericsson had
been obliged to bring his own-and an
elegant satin cushion to rest them on.
The minister was to board at Adoniram
Hewitt's, the Hewitts being well-to do
beyond the majority of Scragg End peo-
pie, and being regarded as possessing
book learning, which would make them
congenial companions for minister, for
Adoni-am had in his youthful days been
sent to An academy where Latin was
taught, and Lysander, his son, had fitted
himself for college, and only prevented
from working his way through by the
illness of his father, which made it ne
cessary for him to remain on the farm.
Moreover, the Iewitts kept hired
girr'-a very unusual luxury at Scragg
End and Mrs. Hewitt and Roxy, the girl, |
were famous cooks, and ministers were
but men in the matter of eating, how
ever spiritually minded they might be:
indeed, Miss Hepsy Jackson, who was
greatly given to attending county CON
fereuceS had observed that tho piouSa,
they were the more they ate But this
was generally regarded as sacrilegious,
and it was remembered that Miss Hepsy
was not ga professor, though she had
such zeal in the matter of county confer
ences.
Adoniram Hewitt's house presented
holiday appearance on that summer af-
ternoon when Lysander drove over to
Ponkapawket station to bring back the
minister. The best room was thrown
open. there were flowers everywhere
Mrs Hewitt had on her best cap, and
the pantry shelves were lined with good
things to eat, in such quantities as to
lead one to the belief that Miss Hepsy
Jackson's words had had their weight |
Mrs Hewitt stood on her door-steps, her
cap strings fiutterng in the breeze.
q do hope Lysander hasn't forgotten
to get new box of backing. OF course
the minister will wish his boots very
shiny" she said to herself