The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-06-22
SELECT STORY.
THE MINISTER AT sORAGG END.

of the possibility of separate exist
ence. The soil was poor in that part
of the town, and it had been a hard
struggle to wiring n living from it ;
the place was unhealthy, too, and "as
spindlin' as Scragg Ender' was a
household saying at Ponkapawket.
They hal 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 Ponka-
pawket and relied upon that village
for those servants of society generally
regarded as indispensable, 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 a sense of its
rights.
Old Miss Critchett, who had been
in i'll health for several months, sud
denly discovered that she had spine
in her back, and was not long for
this world, and wanted Gospel privi-
leges before she died. Miss Angela
Lawton, who was held in high esteem
because her father had been the minis
ter Of Ponkapawket, declared that she
didn't think Mr.. Ericsson, the present
minister of Ponkapawket, who low
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. Aud good old Mrs. Simmons,
who walked all the way to Ponkapaw-
ket 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 Scragg End suddenly decided
that instead of occasional preaching by
the Ponkapawket minister it was en-
titled to "a stated supply" No longer
would it go without regular Gospel
privileges. Adouiram Hewitt, whose
father had been deacon, was de-
puted to make application to the
proper authorities in that denomina-
ton to which Scragg End almost uni
versally belonged for minister to
supply the Scragg End pulpit, or
rather school desk, until church
should be built.
Adoniram Hewitt received an en-
couraging answer to his application.
A very earnest and talented young
preacher, lately graduated from a
theological seminary, would at once
be sent to Scragg End Some of the
older people demurred little they
"didn't think much of prentice hands,
but the people generally thought a
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 1nnu-
merable 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 Adon-
IRAN Hewiit's, the Hewitts being we'll
to-do beyond the majority of Scragg
End people, and being regarded as
possessing book learning, which would
make them congenial companions for
minister, for Adoniram in his youth
full days had been sent to an academy
where Latin was taught, and Lysander,
his son, had fitted himself for college
aud only been prevented from working
his way through by the illness of his
fathe~, which made it necessary fol
him to remain on the farm. More
over, the Hewitts kept ''hired girl
a very useful luxury at Scragg End
and both Mrs. Hewitt and Roxy, the
girl, were famous cooks. and minister,
were but men in the matter of eating
however spiritually minded they might
be; indeed, Miss Hepsy Jackson, who
was greatly given to attending county
conferences, had observed that ''th,
piouser they were the more they ate.
But this was generally regarded a,
saclilegious, and it was remembered
that Miss Hepsy was not a professor,
though she had such zeal in the matte
of county conferences.
Adoniram Hewitt's house presented
a holiday appearance on that summe
afternoon when Lysander drove owe
TO Ponkapawket Station to bring bacl
the minister, The best room wa
thrown open, there We're flowers every
where, Mrs. Hewitt had on her bes
cap, and the pantry shelves were line
with good things to eat, in such quan
titles as to lead one to the belief tina
Mrs. Hepsy Jackson's words had ha
their weight. All Scragg End wa
at its windows and doors. NIri
Hewitt stood on her door steps, he
cap strings huttering in the breeze.
IL do hope Lysander hasn't forgo
ten to get new box of Dlacking. O
course the minister will want his boot
Do very shiny" she said to herself.
just at that moment Lysander droy
up with only girl beside him. Wh'
= could be the reason that the minist,
I had not come! The young lady was
stranger She had probably come I
visit some one at Scragg End, and {
there was nobody to meet her at IL
/ station Lysander had brought her owe
But he was helping her 10 alight
Il their own gate. She was walking U
I the path. Mrs. Hewitt adjusted h.
II glasses and satisfied herself that Il
J. face was unfamiliar. She was a gra,
y and dignifed young woman, with
II self-possessed manner, but with
II bright flush on her face, Why didl
1 Lysander come up and introduce h
instead of attending to the horse !
Il 81 suppose you were expecting mt
said the young lady, extending
hand in friendly way. Il am the nt