Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-02-20
Going Around i'm a Half
Bushel.

that there was imminent danger of
the top of his head breaking out into
a nest of active bumblebees.
He cou'd neither read, write nor
visit, and was very much tried that
he should be obliged to lie quietly in
hammock, wrapped in blanket,
when there were so many things to
do.
On Saturday morning he found
himself so much better that he said
to his wife as he nibbled his toast
and slipped his coffee =
"Pm going into the study immedi-
ately, and you must remember that |
am not to be disturbed; that pecu-
liar buzzing in my head has develop
ed a somewhat remarkable train 81
thought | havs tried all the week
to get hold of it by the right thread,
and this morning / seem to have it
where it will reel off like one of the
skeins of worsted | used to hold for
you to wind that winter of our first
acquaintance. Eh, my dear?'
Before the pink glow that had
famed up in the young wife's cheeks
had quite died out under her hus-
bands admiring glance, neighbor
came who for some time had been de-
string speech with the parson. Be-
fore he could he dismissed, second
caller divided the poor minister's at
tention, and soon third parishioner
drove up with the request for him to
attend a funeral that afternoon in a
remote corner of the town.
Of course he could not refuse to
90, but his habitual cheerfulness
seemed to have taken leave of him,
and he said almost fretfully as he
harnessed the horse -
"Well, Lord, there is just this one
thing about it. If you don't want
me to make preparations for Sunday,
L will do the very best [ can without
preparation, that is all.
On Sunday morning he picked up
the heads of a sermon he had noted
down some weeks before, and went
to church. 1t was suggestive sub
ject, and firstly and secondly went
off very well, but on thirdly he stuck
fast, and although he took up the
usual time, he had never been so ut
terly dissatisfied with himself.
81 never in my life made such
work of preaching" he said to his
wife, who had remained at home
with the baby. ''It was like going
around and around in a half bushel.
| couldn't get off from thirdly. l
tried. l struck off upon fourthly,
and skipped over into filthy and
sixthly, but it was of no use; l
found myself back hammering away
at thirdly. l must admit that | have
made fool of myself in the Lords
house, and | am ashamed. | felt
more chagrined because Neighbor
Walker was there; and he so seldom
attends any church, that when he
comes to hear me, want to have him
feel paid"
Monday morning Parson Clark
really felt as if he didn't care to meet
any one who heard him preach the
day before, so wandered off by him
self out back of the barn to the fur
ther garden. While he was engaged
in examining potato tops to see if
further application of Paris green was
in order, his neighbor, Mr.. Walker,
who was at work in the next field,
came up to the high rail fence, and
leaning upon the top, said =
81 felt as though | wanted to tell
you about my yesterdays expert
ence."
"Oh, dear! Yes, he was disgusted,
of course groaned the minister in
spirit. But Mr.. Walker went on :
"You know | am not much of a
meetin' goer, but somehow | have
been good deal worked up over
your sickness. 1t set me thinking if
YOU should die, or have to go away
from here on account of sickness, the
neighborhood would be quite differ
ent place to live in. You have
had a good influence on the commun-
ity, and if you can stay your term
out, will do a great deal of good.
Then 1 thought your sickness might
be partly due to encouragement be-
cause the men did not turn in to help
YOU, and | never felt so self-con-
demned in my life, and | resolved if
you were able to preach on Sunday,
i WOultl ~ duu dCoi yOQ' Si hos'o
you noticed that 1 was there, and l
must say L was surprised at your
preaching"
s'Poor mani" groaned the parson
inwardly. 81 think he ought to have
been surprised" But Mr.. Walker
continued =
81 don't suppose you meant to
preach to me exactly, but you made
it so plain to me that it was the duty
of every citizen and head of fami-
ly to attend divine worship and to
support it by his money and his pres
ence and his example, that l am re-
solved to start out anew and to lead
a different life. ] was always a be-
lever, but | never understood, until
yesterday, that by not confessing
Christ l was denying Him. l don't
know whether | am what you call
converted or not, but you showed me
n,vColf ac Cod muSt look unOn me-