Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-10-17
The DeacOn's Meeting.

Ihere, there! somebody's Knock
IN, lothian. Do you hear? There's
somebody acomin' in.''
e'Let'em come, blast it ALL Don't
you suppose I've got ears as well as
you?"
There was a heavy foot on the scra-
per, then a vigorous rustling of the
braided husk door-mat and Reny's
second appeal was in a whisper.
~'.Mind your business growled the
man addressed, and he drew up still
chaser around his shoulders the faded
print bed-quilt in which he had
wrapped himself, and tucked the buff
faio robe tighter still into the arms of
his rocking chair and about his knees.
son, lothian! Don't! I'll have it
put back; I'll do anything, if you'll
take that thing off and not make
yourself ridiculous
There were only two seasons in Mrs
Deacon Crabb's household. The tran
sition from spring to winter was mark
ed by domestic rather than solar
movements. On the first day of May,
unless that fell upon Sunday, the
good woman's kitchen stove was NOV
ed out into the shed, the rag carpet,
which had hung suspended on pole
in the attic all winter, was tackled
down in its place, chairs, tables and
lounges crossed over and exchanged
partners, and after lively dance set
tied themselves down into their regu-
lar summer relations to the points of
compass. After that, warm weather
was in order. If belated chill ven
tured TO make itself felt in the atmos-
phere, it was ignored so far as the old
lady herself was concerned. Her nus
band, who had always been in his pri
vate home life, somewhat inconveni-
emily lefthanded in his disposition,
grumbled out a few denunciations
from his secular vocabulary-for he
was church deacon, and has his
prayer meeting phraseology as we'll
and then it Quoted down into sum-
mer routine, and knew from the tran
sition that it was time to plant corn,
beans and cabbages. He had never
I'll III Ci14o lcOA1OI OOAOIO.
haps he was getting rheumatic. Reny
was just thinking over the respective
curative properties of the herbs in the
attic when the visitor entered.
It was the round weather-beaten
face of Sam Tooley, the stage driver,
that appeared in the door. He took
out the red bandanna with which he
was wont to mIffie the trumpet blast
from his nose, and after this little
ceremony of salute he carelessly diff
fused his loosely hung members on
the nearest chair.
H'Well Deacon" said Sam, survey
ing the old mans wrappings with
quizzical air, ''be We to hum, or be We
gone to bed or be ye out ridin'? 1
hoped, for the prosperity of Zion, that
should find We to hum, 'cause you've
got to preach to-morrow.'
Sam was one Of the most righteous
of sinners He was as upright as a
saint in his dealings and as 1ippant as
a scoffer in his speech.
$50, you see, you'd be tier be cast
in off the robe of your own righteous
ness-kind O. patchwork, amt it?''-
and Sam drew up nearer and took
hold of the corner of the bed-quilt for
closer inspection-s'an putting on
the whole armor O. God. You must
Yer feet and wash your head
and take the shield of faith and the
sword of the spirit and go at 'em ham
mer an tongs. Tell 'em they're
wicked and preverse generation, and
it's the Lords marcy they amt con-
sumed- Reel off a list O. their sins to
en- 'Twont hurt'em none Tell
nilah Davis that he'll pray like all
PosseSsed IN the prayer meeting, and
80 AaS oeen owin' me for nigh onto