The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-20
Religinns MisreHanw.
We Have No Minister.
GOOD morning, Brother Adams !"
g Mornin'. sir |"

"Seems to me they are looking won.
derfully we'll. Why, haven't seen such
wheat this year."
eyes, wheat is middlin' good"
"Isn't that fine piece Of corn ?"
"Yes, can brag little on my corn ?"
elbow are apples :"
"Think therell be nice crop. Dunno
but there'll be too many"
allows that ?"
so many they won't be worth nuthin'."
"Oh, no That is a strange way to
put it. If there were none, folks would
worry, and now they worry because there
are too many"
ats bout So"
DWELL, Pm glad to see you prospecting.
Were you at church yesterday ?"
Eyes. was there"
elbow did you like the new minister ?"
"First-rate. Gave us raal good prac.
tical sermon. Reckon he's an honest,
common-sense sort of preacher. told
Betsey we'd better keep him, as we rode
home from meeting"
"Glsd you think so. Pm out on Just
this business. Want to see if we like
him we'll enough to keep him"
els that 80 ?"
Yes. l thought I'd come to you first
and get you to head the subscription with
a good sum-"
"Oh-no-no- can't. Times is
hard"
by the looks of your fields and or
chards they can't be hard long. Come, give
me a good start. We must all give a
little more if we are to keep this man, or
| any one else worth having"
Can't do it. Can't give any more
than last year. Been buildn' new barn
and paintin' my house; then I've bought
that medder lot-and fact is, I'm hard
pressed"
"Hard pressed with riches, are you not,
brother ?"
"My son Samuel gives handsome
sum, and that's all in the family. I'll
give what give last year. Hope you'll
git enough to keep the man, for l like
him, and 30 does Betsey."
"Sorry you can't give us little more.
It's going to be hard work. Good morn.
ing"
So Brother Adams and l talked last
week. As l turned away from him l said
to myself, "There's the richest and
stingiest man in the church. If he won't
give more, who will I'll call on Widow
Brown"
"Good morning, Mrs. Brown" l said,
as l entered her uncovered door.
"Glsd to see you |" she exclaimed, Civ.
ing me hearty hand.shake. Expected
you'd be round this morning"
"Did you like the new minister :" be-
gan, without waiting for preliminaries.
eyes," she said, 81 liked him well.
think he's spiritual and instructive. |
liked him in the prayer-meeting, too.
Think he is as good as, and better than
we pray for or ought to expect. Will he
stay ?"
"Yes, if we can support him."
elbow much can he live on, or rather
how little ?"
"He will try and get along with $780,
DWELL, we can raise that if we'll al
give little more"
eyes, if we will"
al thought gave all l could last year
but I've got little saved up to buy
new shawl, and I've been looking at my
old one, and it is very respectable afte
all, and I've concluded I'd rather go with
out new shawl than a minister. So 20,
may put my name down for s. more thar
gave last year."
"Thank you, Mrs. Brown. You'll ge
some warmth inside if you don't outside
shall feel better courage to keep on
There's Squire Reynolds passing. Pll So
him. Good day."
"Good morning, squire, l saw you a
church Sunday. Hope you liked the nev
preacher"
eyes, liked him tip-top."
"Glad of it. No use wasting words
Please put your name to my subscription
paper. You know he must be paid, AM
it is more than we've been giving, so W
shall all have to increase little"
"Don't know about that. Have 20,
seen Colonel Smith How much will h
give?"
Scarcely anything"
81 don't think it's right. I'll give 50
if he will. I've paid for his preachin
long enough"
And so passed on to the colonel
mansion, and this is what We said:
"Good morning, colonel. I'm out wit
a subscription paper for the minister"
: "Ah How do you succeed ?"
Z" Not very well. The last man Gale
on was Squire Reynolds. He said he'
pay $25 if you would"
"Can't do it. My wife is the religion
part of our firm. She pays what SD
pleases. l reckon she does more for tn
society than any man in it."
"Your wife's all right, colonel. Wis
you'd work at it yourself. Your wife
religion can't be credited to you, even
her subscription can"
sob Pm all right, deacon. Tell tn
squire when make money as easy as h
does, charging five dollars for a littl
worthless law advice, then I'll pay for m
preaching and his too. Hope you'll max
up the salary, though. My wife is Away
like fish out of water if she don't hav
a minister. Feels as though she had tn
whole church on her shoulders. I'd lik
10 have you lift it off as soon as CONVEX
lent. Good day, deacon"
"Here comes Brother Hall. Wonde
what he'll have to say"
"Glad to see you, deacon, with tina
= book Want to put my name down. Il
give more than did last year because W
need it. believe in paying on principl
and not going by feeling. Success to YOU
If you're hard pushed perhaps can Civ
little more by pinching. Didn't "
have a good prayer'meeting last night ?
"Yes. | wish some of the rest hs
been there and had their hearts an
= purses touched"