Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-07-06
TIE MINISTER'S GUESTS.


were married.
Mr.. Granger lived in the country,
and if you want to know what kind OF
life his was just you go and change
your elf into d minister, and settle
somewhere just out Of city, with all
the inhabitants Of which you are more
or less acquainted-eat h and evey one
of whom will consider it an especial
duty TO come out and take dinner or
tea with you n half dozen times a
year, and all Of whom will consider it
an insult if your wife don't lave three
kinds Of cake, and fresh milk, eggs and
honey on the table. OF course, people
who live in the country are expected
to have all these in great abundance.
Mr.. Granger was II very pleasant,
agreeable woman, and tried to have
everything smooth and she was over
run with company.
A minister. among other things, is
expected to keep Il hotel and keep 1t
in n way our modern landlords don't
very well uDd erstand without money
and without price.
1t must b. open night and dav, and
hot meals served at all hours. Nobody
must be refused admittanCc. People
who are too low to stop ~ the tavern,
are sent to the minister $. Tract ped
dIcrs. book peddlers, agents, women's
rights !ecturers-evcrybody in fact,
must go to the minister's.
And then, if the poor clergyman
thinking Of his overWoIACd wife, and
the consumptive state of his lar der.
ventures to hint that his salary is q
email one, he is piously reminded that
St. Paul and St. Peter, and those other
fine fellows Of that epoch, did not
dream Of receiving any salary at all.
But whether they kept tavern and en-
tcrlainod all creation upon free cost does
not appear.
Mrs. Granger wGs not strong woman,
and having been brought up dclicately,
her burden fell heavily. They were too
poor to employ help. and she did all her
work except her washing.
The people who came visiting her
never volunteered their assistance about
anything. or course not. 1t would have
been too vulgar Aud most Of the ladies
were invalids- lid you ever notice that
those people VINO go visiting most are
usually out OF hoaIIh?)
But we on the pres MT occasion have
only To do with the Rev. Asa Dtowne
aud wife, and their four children; Abel,
Priscilla, Rachel Ann and Abasuerus
Nlcodemus. Oar Story is about them,
and the host of other people who visit
cd Mr.. Il Mrs. Granger shall rest i'll oh.
security.
The Droxues arrived late one Satur-
day evening, when Mrs. Granger was
almost dead with the headache, having
just got rid of three ministers and col
porteur. Mr.. Granger had just iinishcd
his sermon for the morrow-the doors
were locked and the family about ret r
ing for the night.
A ring ut the door. Mrs. Changers
heart sank-Mr. Granger drew Sigh
aud went To the door.
On the steps were two trunks, as many
boxes, several huudles-A poodle dog, n
fat red-laced nsn, woman of the same
style, and four children.
my dear brother Granger ?" cried
the man seizHg Mr.. Changers hand,
and giving it heart reuding wiring 81
am the Il V. Asa Demonstrating il
ineraut-aud this il my wife and these
are my children. We came ut once to
your house, because we knew you
would be MORALLY offended if we did
not My wife il ~ great invalid
dreadful snllererl Been sick for sever
ri years! Aud | will speak IF il now
IN the beginning, we must sleep where
there is Il Grel | would not have Eliza
Jane sleep away from the fire for
thousand dollars; and | want your wife
to see that the sheets are well aired be-
fore IN open fire, very tinel My wife is
nervous - exceedingly nervous - she
could not sleep wink in coarse sheets.
Linen is best ii you have them"
81 should die before morning if had
to sleep in coarse sheets " cried Mrs.
Drowuo--a stout, fat faced woman Of
forty-hve or fifty" came very near
going to Iay last home about week
ago from sleeping ON an unbleached
pillow case. Tney thought | was dead
for over two houreI"
"Havo Won n stuffed chairl" exclaim.
cd Mrs. browne, 81 can not 81. mo-
ment III an uncushioned chair! And
will take little tea, and bowl Of oy-
sters, or piece Of minco pie; | feel 30
mut.'
"And l will trouble you for a cup of
coffee said MIR. Dcowne-'it will be
sort OF stay to my stomach till supper
is ready. What time will you have
supper"
Mrs. Granger retired &. the heat of
n stOve--her temples throhbinp To
bursting-aud her heart the least Bit
rebelliug NJ the influx of these exact
ing visitors.
Il want some gingerbread and some
milk yelled Abel, the eldest boy
I'm half starved Where's the cup
boa,dH I'll heln myself"
Il want doughnut," yelled Priscil-
Ia, "and ii | can't have that rocking
chair that Mr.. Changers sitting in,
don't stay SO there"
"What n little mean room 7" said
Nicodomus-"by ctackee what's that
there on the table," and he flew at
ststuette of rsyche-presented TO Mr..
Granger by dear friend, who was then
dead, and which was very highly val
ued on that account.
AhCAA' : NAAti 4NiC6NOuus, 1T SllD-
perry, hsin't it?' aud down went Psyche
on the tinor-csving in the forehead.
and splitting oti the larges! part of the
nose.
Mr.. Granger sprang up with an ex-
clsmaion ofdismsy.
Oh! It's no matter - said Mrs.
browne, you Can mend il again With
some of Spaulding's Glue. | mended
mug With it the other day. | hate
them things a standing round on tab
les. They look like dead folks; Mrs
Granger, seems to me you dress little
too stylish for the wife of munster of
the gospel You've got red ribhon on
your hair, | observe. Now | never al
low myself to wear red ribbons. | try
to make myself as plain MS possible"
You needn't try very hard ~ said
Mrs. Granger TO herself.
my wife is a model for minister's
wife," said Mr.. Drswne-''would there
were more like her. Eliza Jane, my
love, you ought to have a bath. Mrs.
G.anger will see to it at once"
After while the Brownies were got
of to bed. Such supper as they had
eaten Mrs. Granger drew long breath
in thinking of it. She had never dream