The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-09-01

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after having long contemplated the
scale. | asked uncle whether we would
have an earthquake if the quicksilver
should fall to the lowest mark, and,
upon receiving an affirmative reply,
being for long time unable to divest
myself of anxiety whenever the gilt
tering column began to sink.
"One summer at Vindehy, when l
was some ten years old, there was con-
siderable talk about two of the Latter
Day Saints who were holding meetings
in the vicinity: and were likely to
make many proselytes. l had no very
clear idea of what it all meant, but l
had gained some notion of it from GER
tain troubled conversations | had over
heard between uncle and schoolmaster
| Petersen. | knew. too, that uncle had
gone to the meeting of the prophets
with his Bible under his arm, and had
denounced them. Moreover, from my
hopeful young friend, Thomas the
herdsman, had learned that the gist
of the whole matter was that men
should have many wives and be bap-
tized in a pond So was not wholly
ignorant of Mormon doctrines.
"It was on Saturday afternoon
that my friend Thomas informed me
he had heard that Mette Marie was to
be immersed that evening in the large
pond on the parish common. This
Mettc Marie was a parish pensioncr,
who was intoxicated every evening,
and, as we had no reason for supposing
this evening would be an exception to
the rule, we boys decided it would he
great sport to see her tread water. So
we resolved to steal down to the pond.
"Unluckily for MS, uncle appeared
on the scene just as we were about to
start.
Hclc 'tiC y ou SoHhS' ''SNS' nv
"'Oh! Nowhere was my reply.
at was stupid reply, and uncle,
becoming at once suspicious, remarked
that, as | was going nowhere, l must
intend to remain ut home
"Why, l was just going down to the
pond with Thomas
"Was ! planning to go grabbing,
and get myself all dirty as | did yes
terday? uncle asked.
"No. | was not thinking of going
grabbing. | only meant to take
walk.
"'To take a walk? Down to the
parish pond? No-no,' exclaimed
uncle, Il shall be obliged 10 ask you
for more plausible excuse; this one
will not do at ALL
"The result was, | had to make
complete confession, and uncle went in
my stead to the pond, where the solemn
rite of baptism by immersion was dis
turbed in no gentle way by his presence.
"At church the next day my devo-
tions were not very profound, for all
through service promise had made
to go fishing that afternoon with
Thomas kept running through my
mind. | was reused to a certain de-
gree of interest during the sermon,
when uncle took aim at the false
prophets who had stolen into his fold
like wolves in sleeps raimcnt, vehe-
mently declaring that they would meet
with but their just deserts if the earth
should open and swallow them up, if
the mountains should fall and crush
them, or if flames should ,levoIr them.
"By and 10y these fierce denuncia-
ticns ceased to move M, and | yielded
to the temptation to take Il new fish
hook out OF my pocket. Iplaycd with
it until it got caught in my jacket, and
was compelled to apply to aunt,
when reached home, to help me take
it out.
"'Ha! So that Is what you were
playing with during divine worship!'
said uncle. That is a fine way to act
in church.
"Uncle was the best man in the
world, and the kindcst uncle that ever
existed, but with him inattcntion in
church WAS no joke. AS a punishment
for my scandalous conduct | was shut
up in the study, with orders to commit
to memory a eoodly portion of Luth-
er's catcchism, while uncle and aunt
sat out in the garden drinking their
afternoon coffee.
81 was, of course. deeply wounded.
What would Thomas think when l
failed to meet him at the appointed
hour? And what should | do with
my self in the darkcned study this warm
afternoon? To study the catechism
nothing could induce me. Seating
E! yself ut the window, with my heart
full of bitterness, | gazed out in the
garden, but soon wcaried of that.
Cloud after cloud appeared in the hori-
zon, until the entire sky had a milky
look, and the air became so sultry that
it was s,arcely possible to think.
found myself in the frame of mind of
some prisoner who, for the mere sake
of change, or pcrchance of revenge,
is ready to set fire to the building
where he is confined, without thought
of his own fate.
GAS my gaze strayed idly round the
| room IT, suddenly fell on the barometer