Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-07-14
From the spirHnf the Times.
Soaring a Crowd.
zl7le.

Standing at a Post office in one Of our
Southern States, was Introduced to very
respectable looking and intelligent Metho'
dist clergyman, with whom entered into
conversation.
He proved a cheerful man, and the dis
course fell on the eccentrcitles of preach
ers. owe the groundwork of the follow
ing anecdote of the celebrated Loronzo
Dow to this recontre.
Dow was very exact in the appointments
he made, aud sometimes arranged them
long way ahead He once preached near
one of the small towns of Upper Georgia.
and told his congregation, on that day one
year he would preach TO them again!
The next season, on Saturday afternoon
preceding the Sabbath Of the appointed
time, the old man was jogging along the
main road in the direction Of his congrega-
| ton.
He noticed before him stout little boy,
of peculiarly active step and manner who
carried in his hand small tin horn, such
as are used to call the people tolhelr meals.
The custom among many in IN the South
is to allow the married men to 60 to their
wives houses, and children TO visit their
parents, on Saturday evening, to st'y with
them on Sundays, and as The negroes are
unsteady inclined. hey carry fife or a
horn, or banjo to give notice of their APP
droach, and to begule the way. In other
cases, they whistle sing or shout. A healthy
cheerful negro, OF honest intentions, uses
generally some means Of association, even
if he is obliged to talk to himself!
Dow, according to his usual manner, en-
tered into conversation with the boy, and
found he was about to visit the congrega-
ton he had appointed to meet.
If the truth must be told, Lorenzo had
an idea tina, the character of his flock was
a reckless, froicksome, kind careless peo-
pie, upon whom it was necessary TO make
very decided impression, or his time would
be thrown away among them,
What is your name, my lad 2 asked
Dow
Gabriel, SIR replied the hoy, lifting a
new straw hat, aud showing his ivory while
he actively stepped along to keep pace with
the minister's horse.
Can you blow upon that horn 7
oh, yes, master, | can toot little
well, let me hear you
So the negro inflated his velvet cheeks,
and made the woods resound.
DO you know tall pine near the stand
at Sharon ? said Dow,
YES that does, very well, master
Lorenzo then put his hand in his pocket,
and pulling out silver dollar showed it to
the boy, and told him il he would climb in
TO the pine tree before the people met at the
meeting, and keep squet there until the
preacher called out his name, and blow
loudly on his horn, as he had just done, he
would give HIM the silver dollar if he
would not tell any body about it.
Tho negro expressed himself highly de-
lighted with such an offer, and promised
punctuaity with secrecy.
On the Sabbath large meeting assem-
bed at Sharon, to hear the famous Loren
20 Dow. Serious old men aud their wives,
wild boys and their sweethearts, almost all
on horseback, sometimes by tWoes a. threes
besides negroes from great distance on
foot, being readily captvaed by the natu-
rally eccentric, for they love anything that
has a laugh attached to it, and they knew
Lorenzo was good for joke, if he did hit
hard,
Dow selected rather birthstone tex, land
made tbs applications as strong as possible
but he forced his way slowly among the mer-
curaI, healthful, honest.hearted people ,whc
were hard to frighten. He enumerated the
enormity Of the vices he thought to prevail
but they were so used to them that the
words slid over them like water does ovel
ducks back
At length he boldly described in the
pIalnest kiud Of language, the appearances
and character of the last day., and what
would be their condition when that came.
Suppose said the preacher suddenly
and then paused-'ihal this were the da} 7
He saw that some of The women became
little fdgety. and nudged the fellows into
silence and attention.
Suppose repeated he. elevating his
voice, that this day Gabriel should blow
his trumpet
Al this moment the little negro showed
he was a trump and from the top of the
lofty pine loud and clamorous blast over
whelmed the audience. The women shrek
ed men rose in great surprise, the horses
tied around the camp neighed, reared and
kicked. while the terrified negroes changed
their complexion to a dull purple color
never was alarm, surprise and astonishmen,
more promptly exhibited.
Lorenzo Dow looked with grave but
pleasant attention upon the successful re.
suit of his experiment, until the first clam
or had subsidized, and some began to esti.
mate the character of the artificial angel,
and were about to apply little hickory af'
ter the pine But this suggestion was ar
rested by the loud and solemn tones OF the
preacher, who looking very firmly into the
faces of his disturbed audience as he lean.
ed over them to continue his discourse, and
impresslvely remarked:
And now, if little negro boy with tin
norm on the top of pine bush can make
you feel 30 how will you feel when the day
does come = AMEN.