Sweet Cicely — or Josiah Allen as a Politician — John Shaqi
Sweet Cicely — or Josiah Allen as a PoliticianHolley, Marietta
Religion
Sweet Cicely — or Josiah Allen as a Politician
Holley, Marietta
Methodist Church (U.S.) -- Fiction; Temperance and religion -- Fiction; Women -- Suffrage -- Fiction
Josiah proposed to get him a acordeun, but I talked him out of that; and
then he wanted to get him a bright blue necktie. But I perswaided him
to give him a handsome china coffee cup and saucer, with “To My Son”
painted on it; and I urged him to give him that, with ten new silver
dollars in it. Says I, “He is all the son you have got, and a good son.”
And Josiah consented after a parlay. Why, the chair I give him cost
about as much as that; and it wuzn't none too good, not at all.
Wall, he had a lovely day. And what made it pleasanter, we had a
prospect of havin' another jest as good. For in about 2 months' time it
would be Tirzah's Ann's birthday; and we both told her, Josiah and me,
both did, that she must get ready for jest another such a time. For we
laid out to treat 'em both alike (which is both Christian and common
sense). And we told 'em they must all be ready to come home that day,
Providence and the weather permittin'.
Wall, it wus so awful pleasant when the children got ready to go home,
that Josiah proposed that he and me should go along to Jonesville with
'em, and carry little Samantha Joe. And I wus very agreeable to the
idee, bein' a little tired, and thinkin' such a ride would be both
restful and refreshin'.
And, oh! how beautiful every thing looked as we rode along! The sun wus
goin' down in glory; and Jonesville layin' to the west of us, we seemed
to be a ridin' along right into that glory--right towards them golden
palaces, and towers of splendor, that riz up from the sea of gold. And
behind them shinin' towers wus shadowy mountain ranges of softest color,
that melted up into the tender blue of the April sky. And right in the
east a full moon wuz sailin', lookin' down tenderly on Josiah and me and
the babe--and Jonesville and the world. And the comet sot there up in
the sky like a silent and shinin' mystery.
The babe's eyes looked big and dreamy and thoughtful. She has got the
beautifulest eyes, little Samantha Joe has. You can look down deep into
'em, and see yourself in 'em; but, beyond yourself, what is it you can
see? I can't tell, nor nobody. The ellusive, wonderful beauty that lays
in the innocent baby eyes of little Samantha Joe. The sweet, fur-off
look, as if she wus a lookin' right through this world into a fairer and
more peaceful one.
[Illustration: GOD'S COMMA.]
And how smart they be, who can answer their questioning,--questionin'
about every thing. Nobody can't--Josiah can't, nor I, nor nobody. Pretty
soon she looked up at the comet; and says she, “Nama,”--she can't say
grandma,--“Nama, is that God's comma?”
Now, jest see how deep that wuz, and beautiful, very. The heavens wuz
full of the writin' of God, writin' we can't read yet, and translate
into our coarser language; and she, with her deep, beautiful eyes,
a readin' it jest as plain as print, and puttin' in all the marks of
punctuation. Readin' the marvellous poem of glory, with its tremblin'
pause of flame.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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