Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-05-25


THE MINISTER At sCRAGG END.
Ncragg End suddruly awoke to the
knoW lcdgc that IL was village. Hith-
rrto u hod chung 10 the skirts uf Ponk-
Apawkrt and had never thought Of the
possibility uf n separate cxistcnur The
.Oil was por in that part of the town,
and IL Ind been hard struggle to
wiring living from IT, the place was
unhealthy. too, aud ''as pindlin' rs a
Scragg- Endcr' was household saving
. in fuLlapawkct. Nobody had seemed
~ prosper or to have much ambition.
They were not accused Of being slack"
or shiftles~ they were Woodworking
people but they "ncvcr seemed to get
ahead. " some people thought there
was n depressing Influence in the name.
and had made move tn change H.;
thcrc seemed 10 be- mo- especial prOpri-
riyiu retaining w. now that the Scragg
family. for whom. II WIS named, and
who were the first settlers. had all died
of, except "Beuuy Nisty," the SEA-
Captains daughter. who was married
out 1T thenamc. But still the name
chung to the place Although several
romantic names were suggested. such
~ Laurel Bank and Primrose Plain. the
inhabitants would call il nothing but
Ncragg End. and Scragg End il seemed
likely to remain until the end of time.
They had school nj Scragg End at
certain seasons 'If the year. because
Ionkapawkct built them n school-hou~c.
and appropriated To their use certain
part ot the school money. but they did
MI their shopping IN Ponkapawket. and
relied upon that village for those serv-
uuts ~ society generally rrgp Wied as in
p dispcnsahle. thu doctor. the LAWYER and
the minister. Rather strangely. il was
the want of the aforementioned of these
servants that awokc Scragg End 20 n
sense ~ It's rights.
Old Mis- Crichctt. who had been I'm
ill health for several months. suddenly
discovered that she had n spine i'm 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 the minister Of POnkapawket, de-
clartd that che didn't think Mr. Ericsson.
the present minister II Ponkapawket.
Who nov and then preached in the
Scragg End sChoOl-hOusc on a Sunday
afternoon or evening. was spiritual, Z"
because he wore ring ON his finger.
md she didn't feel tu sit underm him
my more. And good old Mrs. Sim
mons, who walked all the way to Ponk-
apawkct tu church every pleasant Sun
day, said she had always known that
until u was watcred by the drOppinps
oi the sanctuary. Scragg End would not
prosper.
And Scragg End suddenly decided
That instead ~ occasional preaching by
the Ponkapawket minister. Il was en-
titled To "a stated supply" No longer
would u 60 without regular Gospel
privileges"
Adoiiram Hewitt. whose father had
been deacon, was deputed tn make
application to the proper authorities in
That denomination 20 which Scraep End
almost universally belonged for a min
isier To supply the Scragg End pulpit.
~ rather the school desk until church
should be built. .'f''
Adoniram Hewitt received an cncour-
aging answer to his application. A very
earnest and talented young preacher.
lately graduated from n thcoIovical
seminary. would nj once be sent TO
Scragg End.
some Of the older people demurrcd n
little; they "didn't think much of 'prcn-
ticc hands, but the people generally
thought = young minister was much
more interesting.
Interest and curiosity were at their
height IN Soragg End on the day when
Lysander Hewitt, Adoniram'si son.
drove over To Ponkapawket station to
bring back the new minister. Innum-
1erable guesses had boon male among
the younger portion OF the community
concerning the appearance of the new
parson. 10 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 several very handsome
bVok-marks for the Bible and HYMN
hook which were purchased for the
dcsk-Mr Ericsson had been OBLIGED 10
bring his own-aud an elegant satin
cushion 10 rest them on.
The minister was to board at Ado
niram Hcwitt's, the Hewitt being we'll
eo-do beyond NE majority Of Seragg
Endpcople, and being regarded as pos
scssing boOk-lcarning. . which would
make them cougeniat companions for a
minister. for AdOniram had in his
youthful days been sent To- an academy
where Latin was taught. and Lysander,
his son. bad fitted himself for college,
and only been prevented from working
his way through by the illness of his
father. which made II necessary for him
TO remain on the farm. Moreover, the
Hewitts'S kept 'hircd girl''-a very
unusual luxury at -Scragg End; and
both Mrs. Hewitt and Roxy, the girl.
we're 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
ferences, had observed that '.the piouser
they were the more they ate" But
this was generally regarded as sacrfe-
gious, and II was remembered that
Miss Hepsy was not "a professor
though she had such zeal in the matter
Of county conferences.
Adoniram Hewitt's house presented n
holiday appearance on that summer
nftemoon when Lysander drove over TO
Pohkapawket 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 cat, In such quantities as TO