Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1845-10-11
HOW THE MOUNTAIN BLACK

1lHCE EhTtH IS buE d UG6eTk EHDEgS
And Life a weary dream
HOW THE MOUNTAIN BLACK
SMITH WAS CONVERTED.
The scene is laid in The mountainous re-
giong Of Georgia. Mr. Forgeron, blacksmith,
bad a great antipathy against all ministers,
aud Methodist ministers III particular. His
shop was in a narrow mountain pass, and he
declared bis determination to whip every
methodist preacher that passed his shop. The
Rev. 3 S0bblewortb, however, readily con
scnied 10 20 there, aud the following des-
crrbes his ride through The mountains
Forgeron had heard Of his new victim, and
~rejoiced that his size and appearance furnished
a better subject Tor his vengeance than the
attenuaIed frame Of the late parson. Oh,
what a nice beatin5 be- would have ! lie had
heard too that some methodist ministers, were
rather spirited, and hoped that this Que might
be provoked to fight. Knowing that The cler-
gyInan must pass Oh Saturday, in the afternoon,
! he gave his striker a h~oilvday /; and RECALLED
himself on The beauties Of Tom Paine, await
ing The approach of the preacher. 1t was not
over an hour before be heard The words,
How happy are they who their Savior obey,
And have laid up their treasure in Heaven
sung in a full clear voice and soon the
vocalist, turning The angle Of the rock, rode up
with a contented emile on his face.
"Il0w are you old Subsidies! Get off your
horse and Joln in my deyOtloDs," said The
smith.
II have miles to ride" answered tho
preacher, land havn't got time, my friend /
| will call when / return"
"Your name is 5ubbleworth, aud you are
the triffIug hypocrite the methodists have sent
here to preach en- !"
my name is Subb!eworth," he meeklY re-
Piled.
didn't you know nay name was Ned For
geronr the blacksmith, that whips every meth
odist preacher that comes aIongl" was asked
with an audaCious look; land how dare you
one here!'
The preacher replied that he had heard
Forgeron's name, but presumed be did not
modest we'll behaved travellers.
''You presume so Yes, you are the most
presumptuous people, you rnethodIsts, that
ever trod sole leather, any how. Well,
what'Il you do, you beof-headed disciple
you I"
Dir. S~ubbleworth professed his willingness
tn do any thing reasonable to avoid such a
penance.
"WeII, there's three things you have 10 do,
or I'll mail you INFO a jeIl The first is, you
are to quit preaching the second ls, you must
wear this last will aud testament OF Phos.
Paine next 10 your heart, read it every day,
and believe every word you read; and the
third is, that you are to curse the methodIsts
in every crowd you get lnto," and the black
smith "shucked'' himself, rolled up his sleeves
and took a quid OF tobacco.
wi H. - -
Ell prepal atoms without a line of his lace mov-
ing, and at the end replied that the terms
were unreasonable and he would not submit
to them.
'WetI, you've got a whaling to submit to
then. I'll tear you into doll rags, corner
ways! Get down, you cussed long face by
pocrGte."
The preacher demonstrated, and Forgeron
walked up to his horse, threatened TO tear
him off if he did not dismouut whereupon
the worthy man made Vlr.ue OF a necessity
and alighted,
Il have one request to make, my friend
that L., that you won't beat me with this over
coat on it was a present from the ladies' of
my last circuit, and | do not wish to have it
torn"
"Of with it, and that suddenly, you basin
faced imp you"
The methodist preacher slowly drew of
his overcoat, as the blacksmith continued his
TRADE or abuse of him and sect, and throwing
the garment behind him, he dealt Mr.. Forge
ron a tremendous blow between the eyes,
which laid that person on the ground with tie
testament of Tom Paine beside him. Mr..
Subbleworth, with the tact OF a eOnro.-
geur in such matters, did not wait Tor his ad-
- E.4 rz1t.n+zb kfa0 NTH tho
quickness of a cat, and bestowed his blows
with a courteous hand on The stomach aud
face of the blacksmith, continuing his song
where he had left of on his arrival.
sTonnue cannot express the sweet comfoTt
DC"
until Forgeron, having experienced first
love" or some other sensation equally new
to him, responded Justify.
Enough! enough !! enough take him
off -
But unfortunately there was no one by to
perform that kind OF office, except the preach
er's old roam, aud he munched A bunch OF
grass and looked on as if his master was hap
Ply at a camp meeting.
"NOw," said Mr.. Subbleworth, "there are
three things you must promise me before let
You gp."
w tldL dFE EHEy : ashGQ 4 0tSSEoi CaAS4Ay'
1.-The first is that you will never modest a
methodist preacher again."
Here Ned's pride rose and he hesitated,
and the reverend gentleman, with his usual
benign smile on his face, renewed his blows
and sung
Il rode on the sky, freely justified /.
And The moon it vas under my feet"
This oriental Language oVercame The black
smith.-Sueh bold figures, or something else
caused him to sing out.
well, I'll do it I'll do It,"
"You are getting on very WELL" said Mr..
SubbIeworth, Il think I can make a decent
man of you yet, and perhaps a christian"
Ned g~roaned,
"Tha second thing | require of you is, TO 20
to Pumpkin creek meeting house, and hear ne
preach to- morrow"
Ned attempted to ammer some excuse,
| when the divine resumed his devotional hymn,
and kept lime with the music, striking him
over the face With the ieshy part Of bis