Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-05-18
THE MINISTER AT sCRAGG END.


-Al--
THE MINISTER AT SCRAGG END.
Scragg End Suddenly awoke to the
knowledge that it was village. Hith-
erto it had clung to the skirts of Ponk-
apawket, and had never thought of the
possibility of a 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 n 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 propri
ETY. in retaining it, now that the Scragg
family, for. whom it was named, and
who were the first settlers, had all died
off, except i"Beuny Yisty," the sea-
Captains daughter, who was married
out of the name. But still the name
clung to the place. Although several
romantic names were suggested, such
as Laurel Bank 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
Ponkapawket built them school-house,
and appropriated to their use a certain
part OF the school money, but they did
all their shopping in Ponkapawket, and
relied upon that village for those serv-
ants of society generally regarded rs in
dispensable, the doctor. the lawyer and
the minister. Rather strangely, it was
the want of the last-mentioned of these
servants that awoke Scragg End to n
sense of its rights.
Old Mis- Crichett, who had been in
i'll health for several months, suddenly
discovered 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 the minister of Ponkapawket, de-
clared 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. Sim
mons, who walked all the way to Ponk-
apawket to church every pleasant Sun
day, said she had always known that
until it was watered by the droppings
of the sanctuary, Scragg End would not
prosper"
And Scragg End suddenly decided
that instead of occasional preaching by
the Ponkapawket minister, it was en-
titled to :" stated supply" No longer
would it go without regular Gospel
privileges"
Adoniram Hewitt, whose father had
been a deacon. was deputed to make
application to the proper authorities in
that denomination to which Scragg End
almost universally belonged for Mir
lister 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
seminary, would at once be sent to
Scragg End.
Some of the older people demurred
little; they "didn't think much of'pren-
tice hands," but the people generally
thought young minister was much
more interesting.
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. Innum-
cradle guesses had been made among
the younger 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, a melodious
voice, and very white hands, and they
embroidered several very handsome
book-marks for the Bible and hymn
book which were purchased 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 Ado
hiram Hewitt's, the Hewitt's being we'll
to-do beyond the majority of Scragg
End people, and being regarded as pos
sessing book-learning, which would
make them congenial companions for a
minister, for Adoniram 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 been prevented from working
his way through by the illness of his
father, which made 1t necessary for him
to remain on the farm. Moreover, the
Hewitts's kept a 'hired girl'-a very
unusual luxury at Scragg End; and
both 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-
ferences, had observed that "the piouser
they were the more they ate" But
this was generally regarded as sacriie-
gious, and 1t 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
holiday appearance on that summer
afternoon 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