Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-08-01
The Deac0n'S Meeting.

tFThere, there! Somebody's knock
in, lothian. Do you hear? There's
somebody a-comin' in"
"Let lem 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 vigorous rustling of the
braided husk door-mat and Reny's
second appeal was in whisper.
"Mind your business" growled the
man addressed, and he drew up still
closer around his shoulders the faded
print bed-quilt in which he had wrap
ped himself, and tucked the buffalo
robe tighter still into the arms of his
rocking chair and about his knees.
ooh, Jothan! 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 Crabbe's household. The
transition from spring to winter was
marked by domestic rather than solar
movements. On the first day of May,
unless that fell upon a Sunday, the
good woman's kitchen stove was
moved out into the shed, the rag car
pet, which had hung suspended on a
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 wealth
er was in order. If a belated chill
ventured to make itself felt in the at
mosphere, it was ignored so far
as the old lady herself was concerned.
Her husband, who had always been,
in his private home life, somewhat in
conveniently lefthanded in his dis
position, grumbled out a few denun-
Citations from his secular vocabulary
for he was a church deacon, and has
his prayer meeting phraseology as
well-and then it quoted down into
summer routine, and knew from the
transition that it was time to plant
corn, beans and cabbages. He had
never taken on in this fashion before.
Perhaps he was getting rheumatic.
Reny was just thinking over the re-
spective curative properties Of the
herbs in the attic when the visitor en-
tered.
1t was the round weather beaten
face Of Sam Tooley. the stage driver,
that appeared in the door. He took
out the red cotton bandanna with
which he was wont to muff1e the
trumpet blast from his nose, and af-
ter this little ceremony of salute he
carlessly diffused his loosely hung
members on the nearest chair.
"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 We out ridin'? I
hoped, for the prosperity Of Zion,
that should find We to hum, cause
you've got to preach tomorrow.
Sam was one of the most righteous
of sinners. He was as upright as a
saint in his dealings and a lippant as
a SCORER IN his speech.
$50, you see, you'd better be a cast
In of 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-''an putin on
the whole armor O. God. You must
annoint yer feet and wash yer 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 a
wicked and preverse generation, and
it's the Lords marcy they amt con-
sumed. Reel off a list o. their
sins to 'em- 'Twont hurt 'em none.
Tell 'Bijah Davis that he'll pray like
ail-possessed- in the prayer meetin'.
and he has been OWN me for nigh
onto three years and I can't git a
cent. AM Joe Joslyn II grind out
texts O. scripture as he grinds out
corn in his mill, but he'll go right