St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-06-12
WHEN WE WERE BOYS.

u CONGREGATION III WdSnlnSLOu
county have got themselves into law suit
over their property, the members having di-
vided upon some questions of doctrine.
When the case was called the other day at
Saltwater before Judge Williston, one of the
attorneys asked the judge to adjourn court
for couple of hours to give the contending
parties all opportunity to arrange the dispute
between themselves, if possible. The Judge
granted the request with evident pleasure
and as he stepped from the bench and lit a
cigar preparatory to finishing the morning
paper, Congressman j. N. Castle sauntered
into the court room. Castle despite his pain
ful accident Of few weeks ago, when he
was thrown from spirited horse he was rid
ing, and broke his eollarsbone, has a more
Jaunty military air than ever. His disabled
arm compels him to wear short semi-mil-
itary cloak, and this with his arm in a sling
completes the picture of the brave sabreur
home upon a furlough
"Well. judge, got nothing to do?" queried
Castle as he nodded to the clerk of court
and one or Two attorneys present
Why. yes, replied the judge" got too
much to do trying to get rid of it. Got
church fight on hand
Church fight, ehl'' said Castle, they're
bad ones tell you. Remember case of that
sort had once. Took years to try. 1t seemed
hard at first, but 1 afterwards got so that
liked 1t. Great fun. l almost regretted when
l won it"
That was an acquired taste though" said
the judge. II have not got as far as that
dread the plunge. feel little rusty on
theology, and at my age one does not feel
like taking up the study Of canon law. But
II duty calls, no matter how unpleasant, it
must be obeyed. 1 shall probably have to
burn all the nGrfipg n pithar or
the other Of this controversy for heresy.
This cannot help shrinking from. as they
all live in my district and many Of them
know personally. you'll have to take Cas-
tie in, too. guess" said the clerk. 81 think
his views are peculiar on religion"
Now, look here, Bennettr' said the gall
liant congressman. slightly knitting his brows
and brushing his mustache, which made
him look more like paroled veteran than
ever. that amt fair; l don't deserve it.
think I'm pretty correct in my daily walk
and conversation. You're Que OF these new
tangled fellows who would like to be over
hauling mans belief every spring-a kind
OF spiritual housekeeping like the old
slmplicities better
''Ah, the old days were good in many
ways, said the judge, gazing into cloud of
cigar smoke that was fast blurring the out
lines OF his face from the observer, as though
he could see some pictures of bygone time.
line old Puritans raised good, strong
men and women. Where was raised, in the
western reserve, they may not have been
considered advanced think ers;' but like the
father OF Little Beecher,' they had a mighty
tight grip OH the handful of things they
knew. They were mostly Presbyterians and
Wings, strong in both, and they understood
religion and politics from their standpoint
fully The circumstances surrounding them
were calculated to develop strong individual
lty. My father brought up his VIII ole family
on farm of forty acres People here woul
laugh at that. But he would laugh at our
style of farming here"
Worked for all it was worth. I bet" said
Castle
II should say So replied the judge.
Each of us boys had our stint to do. and if
we wanted to go fshiug or hunting this task
had 10 be finished first. Then the whole
community was self-reliant. 1t did not make
much difference if there was nobody else in
the world, as far as living went. We raised
our own provisions, our own wool and fax,
and made our own CLOTH
1--WE didn't need much money in those
days. said Castle.
We'll, we wouldn't have had it if we did,"
said the judge. Even rich people didn't
have money 1t used to be a struggle for
those who were counted well off to get money
enough to pay their taxes and school fees"
Il remember WE'LL said Castle, that when
was boy my ammunition used to cost me
about 81 year. The first 81 1 ever earned 1
invested in rifle that would shoot one buck
shot. With this used to spend all my spare
time hunting cartridges squirrels and other
small game in the Green mountains"
You must have been pretty good shot to
kill partridges with rifle said Bennett
somewhat incredulously
Why" said the judge, IA boy who couldn't
shoot his game in the head with a rifle was
considered no count at all in my time.
NO. indeed" said Castle. Just then the
contending parties filed into court with
flushed and angry faces, betokenng CLEARLY
the failure of the attempted reconciliation
The judge threw away his cigar with sigh.
and YEARLY said: open court, Mr.. Sheriff.