The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-01-07
NUMBER 81

a' .
In a little village in the State Of Ho0siera
ma, in the year 1874, there was all sorts" O
excitement concerning the doctrines anf
prophecies OF that arch deceiVer, Miller. FOi
months the Midnight Cry, followed by The
Morning Howl, and the MONDAY Yell, had
circulated through the village and surround
ing counties, to an extent not even cqualed
by Dr. d. IS celebrated speech. Men disposed
Of property for little or nothing. The women
were pale aud CHASTITY from watching and
praying, and in tact the whole population, or
at least those who believed in the coming as
cension, looked as if they we're about half over
a second attack of the chills and fever. There
were, however, some "Choice spirits" mot
choice in ntheirs, however who, notwithstand-
ing the popularity of the delnsiOn, would not
enlist under the banner of the ascensiOnists,
and among these was a wild, harum- -scarum
| blade, from Town East" by the name Of
| Cabe Newham. Now Cabe was as hard ga
case" as you would meet on fourth of July,
in Texas, always alive for fun and sport, Of
| any and every description, and strong disbe-
lever in Millerism.
The night OF the third Of April was the time
agreed upon out West, for the grand exhibit
tion Of ''ground and lofty tumbling," and
about ten clock of the same night, numbers
of the Millerites assembled on the outskirts
Of the town, on little eminenee, upon which
the proprietor had allowed few trees to stand.
In the crowd, and the only representative Of
his race present, was free negro, by the name
Of Sam, about as ugly black, woolly, and
| rough descendant of Ham as ever baked his
shins over kitchen lire.
! Sans head was small, body and arms very
| long, and his legs bore a remarkable res EN-
blance to pair OF hames; in fact put Sam on
a horse, his legs clasped round its neck, his
head towards the tail, and his arms clasped
round the animal hams, and at ten PAGES of,
you would swear he was an old set Of patent
! geariag.
The leader of the MiIlerites, owing to an
"ancient gIudge he bore him. hated Sam,
"like smoke" and had done all in his power
to prevent his admittance among the ''elect, I"
brit all to no purpose; Sam would creep in at
| every meeting, and to- might here he was again,
dresEnA IN, l.i4erooe -UiTEuJy UUttUIf, Sc
| cured to his body by belt and shouting and
| praying as loud as the best.
Now on the morning of the third, Cabe had,
with deal Cf perseverance, and more trouble,
managed to throw q half-inch hemp cord
over the branch of an oak, which stretched its
long arms directly over the spot where the
| Millerites would assemble; one end he had Sc
cured to the body OF the tree, and the other 10
a stump some distance off
About ten o'clock, when the excitement was
getting about "eighty pounds to the incl"
Cabe, Wrapped,in an old sheet, walked into the
crowd, and proceeded to fasten, in as secure
a manner as possible, the end Of the rope to
the back part Of the belt which confined Sans
robe, and having succeeded, "sloped, - to join
some of his companions who had the other end.
The few stars in the sky threw dim light
over the scene and in few moments the voice
OF Sam was heard eXelRimmg:-
"Gor A mighty! rs gon' upl who -o.oh!'
And sure enough, Sam was seen mounting
into the ethereal bue;" this was, however
checked, when he had cleared terra firma"
few feet. ..
"GIory!' cried one. "Hallelujahl'' anoth-
er; and shrieks and yelIs made the night hid
eous; some tainted; Others prayed, and nst
few dropped their robes and ''slid.'
Now, whether it was owing to the ligbtness
of his head, or the length and weight Of his
heels or both, Sam position was not pleas
ant one; the belt to which Cabe's cord was at
tached was bound exactly round his centre Of
gravity, and Sam swung like pair Of scales,
head up and heels down, heels up and head
down, at the same time sweeping over the
crowd like pendulum, which motion was ac-
celebrated by his strenuous clapping OF hands
and vigorous kicking. At length he became
alarmed, he sOOaldH't go up, and he couldn't
''Lor massy,'' cried he, ''jist take up poor
nigger to um bosom, or lef him down easy,
easy. Lcf him down again, please um Lor,
dis nigger will 60 straight to um bed ugh-hl''
and Sam teeth ehattered with alright, and
he kicked again more vigorously than before,
bringing his head directly downward and his
heels up, when a woman shrieking cut,
"Oh!- brother Sam, take me with yoU,"
sprung at his head as he swept by her, and
caught him by the wool, bringing him up ''all
standing"
'Gos6! sister," cried Sam, ''lef go um poor
niggef's har. -
Cabe gave another pull at the rope, but the
additional weight was too much, the belt gave
way, and down came Sam, his bullet head ta-
king the leader Of the saints 'feeler' just be
tween the eyes.
Gosh, is | down agin2" cried the bewil-
dered Sam, gathering himself up. Il is bless
de Lori but ! was nearly dar, l seed the
gate''
The leader wiped his overflOwing proboscis,
took Sam by the nape Of the neck, led him
TO the edge Of the crowd, giving him kick,
said, "Leave you cussed baboonl you are 50
ugly kaoV'd thsy seOaidSt let goE mr.