St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-12-17
PARSON PLADLEY.
a Word Picture OF O!d Puritan
Days

Days
1t was "neeting.time" in Hudders.
held. Massachusetts, Bay colony, on q
Sunday morning in June, 1876. The
fifty or sixty log buildings which made
up the settlement stood silent as 50
many tomts among the black stumps
of the haif-clcancd fields, for every
soul in the place. from the old man Of
ninety to .he youngest child. was in
the meeting house on the hill-cvery
soul. that is. except Abner True.
Abncr True, whose father was . den.
con and tithing-man, and counted sec
ond only to the minister himself in
rigid p;cty, was actually playing tru-
ant from meeting; and this in q village
which looked upon Plymouth and Wcy-
mouth as dangerously worldly towns,
relaxed In morals and manners by
Over-much prosperity.
But Abner had worked from sun TO
sun every day of the last week, and
knew he must do the same every das
of the next week and the week after
that: for the corn was to be hoed. the
tasks to be done.
1t seemed to him too hard that, on
this one day of rest, he should be
Obliged to sit upon backlcss plank
bench all the forenoon, II. indeed. he
did not find himself forced to sit there
longer; since Parson Pladiey, who
rarely preached less than three hours.
sometimes preached four, and once
or twice had been known to exceed Eve
hours.
So when Deacon Amos, with his wife
and younger children, were ready for
meeting, no Abner could be found.
rough barn. he saw the family depart
his father marching ahead. equipped
with musket bandolccr and powder
horn; for King Philip and his Indians
were at war against the whites, and TO
man throughout the colony went to
field or church without his arms.
Similar groups, similarly accoutred.
paced solemnly along toward the rude
sanctuary upon the hill, until Abner,
seeing that all Huddcrsficld had passed
felt that he was safc-for the present
and lay down upon the soft hay to pre-
pare for the sound nap he had so longed
for.
The time went on. The old house
was still now; the hens uttered only an
occasional croak. From the far dis
tancc the preachers voice came down
on the warm breeze in = softened MUIR
muir. Abner was doing.
What was that? He heard . sound
that walencd him quite. and hc sprang
up to listen.
Nothing hut slight swishing sound
in the tall grass behind the barn
nothing but that 1t was probably
some fox or polecat on the watch to
snatch q chicken. Abner pcercd out
through a crack to sec If he could dis
cover the animal. for the swishing
sound seemed drawing nearer.
In the meeting house Parson Pladley
had turned his big hour glass twice,
and now the sands Of the third hour
were almost spent Before him rows
Of serious men, women and children
looked up n reverent attention, not
once removing their earnest eyes from
the minister.
shut agsin with loud bang that start
led every member OF the congregation.
A 10y. staggering and screaming with
perspiraticn, ran up the broad aisle
and fell exhausted at the foo: Of the
pulpit
Every man stretched out his hand 10
the nuslet that stood beside him, but
no one rose, no one said . word or us-
tered an exclamation.
Whatever the danger was-and they
knew what it might be-this was Gods
should raise . voice or venture upon
any action unless he permitted
The minister descended from his
place, leaned over the painting Abncr
and caught the few words the boy had
strength to whisper: ''Savages-full
five scorc-stcaling up-to take US un-
awarc!'
The minister returned to the pulpit
sKindlc your matches, brethren"
said he, in voice of perfect tranquil
ity.
The ring of flint and steel sounded
all over the house.
make ready your guns" continued
the minister. taking up = heavy mus
kct. and blowing the match or fuse by
which it was discharged. ''Muskcteers,
to your stations. We that have but
swords or pixies, sit fast"
The congregation obeyed these orders
rs calmly as they had been given.
Twenty-Five men. headed by Deacon
vr-,,~ es,orxlr ~,~,ro,a <h>vreol~,os NJ <I,x,
loopholes which were pierced in the
door and along the walls Each knew
his position. and took it without delay
or hesitation; while the fifteen men
who had no firearms sat stif1y on the
benches with the women and children.
most Of whom had not looked behind
them since Abner rushed in.
Parson Pladley looked ut the hour
glass. which still continued to run, and
quietly resumed his sermon. Around
the Ades Of the room the nusketeers
stopped at the loopholes amid the light
vapor from their ssnoldering matches
On the benches the body OF listeners
kept their composed countenances
turned upon the preacher. Save his
voice, there was NO sou0A bnt an infre-
uuent metallic rattle. as some mus
keteer examined his gun or loosencd his
iron-hilted broadsword in the scabbartl
The words of the preacher sounded
through the house:
"And even as aforctim the heather
did furiously rage, and did compass the
children Of the covenant with spear
and with javeiin round about"
A high pitched. thrilling screech
filed the air without, and now rose