St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-12-31
Must Have a Hen for His shattucks ?

The current discussion about the
New Version Bible, in which "sheOl''
and it's various interpretations have a
prominent place, and the recent Ell
largement and general improvement OF
the Universalist church edifice in this
village and the marked vigor and pros
perity of the society under the faithful
ministratiOn of it's present earnest and
much esteemed pastor, give pertinence
to the subjoined narrative and anec-
dOte.
For forty years preceding 1860, or
thereabouts, Eliphaz Jollnson-'EOld
blind Johnson" as he was commonly
called-was familiar figure in this
locality. He was queer compound
of sense and nonsense, of shrewd Gun
ming and half idiOcy, in about -edual
proportions. Those of our citizens
whose memories go back to any part
of the period named will readily recall
his tall, thin, bent form and stumbling
gait as, half blind, he went peering
about our streets and by-ways, staff in
hand, repeating from door to door his
rhymes and jingles, some of which had
both pith and sharp application, in re-
turn for which small donations in food,
expected. In this way he picked up
the scaaty pittance on which he sub
sisted, always sturdily, and even an
grily, resisting all suggestions that he
should become permanent guest of
the town. In the main, when not pro-
vOked, he was harmless and inOffen-
sive, tho an irascible and unwashed
old mendicant, with exceedingly Wig
Orous personal likes and dislikes. His
unbOunded admiration for and conf
dence in the Hon. James Elliot,
esquire Ellet," as he called him. who
was, or recently had been, a member
of Congress from this district, whose
lightest word was both law and gospel
to Johnson, was an instance of the
former; while the latter found ener-
getic expression in his utter detesta-
ton of 1.-THE Shattuck >" IL large family
of boys and girls then living on High
street, who, in spirit of frOlic and
mischief, were accustomed to poke fun
at and annoy him beyond his powers
of endurance, insomuch that he finally
came To hate each particular hair ON
their several heads with an intensity
that knew no limits. So much by way
of preface.
When the Universalists first began
to hold meetings in this village and to
discuss plans for erecting a house
of worship, Johnson, who had been
brought up rigid Presby terrain, was
greatly wrought up about it. For
weeks and months it was the daily, al
most hourly, theme of his discourse
nd denunciatiOn. He maintained Wig
OrOusly that the civil authorities ought
to take the matter in hand and crush
out the pestilent movement by the
strong arm of law, and not permit these
false teachers to lead the unwary astray
and SO to perditiOn. On one occasion
after giving utterance to his customary
denunciatiOns, in his quaint manner
and language, he seemed to soften
somewhat, saying in a sOlilOquizing
tone: ''But Squire Jim Ellet, he's a
Univarseler, and if Squire Ellet is a
Univarseler, there must be suthen tew
it; therc-must -be-suthen-teW it"
Instantly another thought appeared to
strike him, when, stretching his tall
form to its utmost height, ungOvern-
able wrath shooting from every fea-
ture and angularity of his quivering
face and frame, he shouted: But If
Uniuarsalism is true, then there amt no
hell for them Shattucks ?"
1t is needless to add that hencefOr-
ward, even unto the day of his death,
his loyalty to the faith of his fathers
never faltered. And herein poor old
blear-eyed, half-witted johnson typi-
fies the human race. All men have
their Shattucks and every unregener-
ate son of Adam, however little use he
may have for a "sheol" for himself and
friends, takes solid comfort i'm the
thought that place has been provid-
ed where his own particular "Shat-
tucks" will find it hOt.-[B d. HI. in
BrattlebOrO PheniX