, 1860-05-18

tist preacher. The old "heaVenly tone" rang
loudly "n the still night" II had the sucksin
and the blowout Of the breath, the uh! and the
ali!
What thought I, has some Greatheart Of .
preacher found those scapegraces and commenced
q laundering sermon upon them? "GiVe il to
them thick and heavy" said to myself
| was not long in suspense, for here came Ham
running into the room "a dim light was burning)
putting and blowing, with eyes and hands up
turned toward heaven with holy horror and In.
dignation.
"Slrangeri strangerl o 0stranger" he shout
ed, "do you hear thatf That's no preacher,
stranger; they're on'y a-mockin' preaehin'.
They're nockin old EldridEg. Durn ole Eldridee.
NOrd forgive Han y he's no better nur them,
but that's no reason fur them to make fun o. re-
ligiOn. Ham Rachel (po0r devil y is no better
nur he ought to be; but, thanks ter JubiteF, he
nuver made fun O. religion. Lord massy on
US, strangerl do you hear 'pm at It YETI I'm
aieerd the yeth will open her bOwitIs and swaller
'em up, like il done Korum, Datum, and Byhum,
in the wilderness. Ham kachels not a-gWine a.
near 'um agin this night Ham don't intend to
Le reyOlved in thar drriful catistrOugh; he'll iy
up 10 ro0st right here"
Down be lay on one Of the pallets, and was
SOON contending for the riSe amrng the snorers
About this time the preacher al the camp ended
his services and all went to sleep aud to snoring
except " ole John" and myself "Ule John" kept
up groaning all night. "a l..S 4. I,
H. the mOrning we were all Q stupid set
scarcely had energy to wash dirty hands and faces
until the jugs were resOrted 70. cole John"
and Jared the worst; he was TOO sick 70 drink,
and was rigid teetOtaller.
Breakfast came on The attack on the table
was feeble c0mpared with the assault the evening
before. On leaving, all were "dead heads" ex-
cept myself The rest had paid their way BY
bringing "ole john home. paid my "hrs"
and lett, but not alone. Not ]. Il has ever
been my destiny, IL there Is bore in reach,
he will find ne, and cling to me like ones
shadow.
While paying my bill, Ham shOuldered bis two
jugs and prepared for travelling
" Stranger" he said, "the roads forks jist
down yendrr; one goes TO Euiauly, and tOther
by Ham RacherS As Hams gwine home, he'll
80 that fur with yer, and show yer the right
road"
Suiting action 10 words, off he spiked" for the
gate. mounted my horse, which had Jared bet
ter than his master, and on We went, Ham all
the way letting fly diarrhea Of words and sem
tences, dill We arrived at the "i0rk" Of Hams
road. Ham haltrd. then took goOd parting
look at him. There be stood, lean, gauntl looking
specimen Of freakiSh humanity, about live feet
eight inches high, stoop-shouldered, long-armed,
and knock-kneed. with peaked dish face. little
black restless eyes, long keen nose, and big ears.
His dress was cotton pants, dyed black with cop
perHs and maple bark, coarse cotton shirt col.
lar large and OPEN no va coat nor socks. lis
hat was old, broad-brimmed, and slOuehed down
over bis shoulders behind, and turned up belore.
His pants were "gallused" to their utmost ca
| Dacitv leaving considerable SPACE between his
having on ''tlraN Ell" Of course the skin was Sx
posed His two jugs were part Of his dress.
They hung across his shoulders, before and be-
hind, suspended to = ide black greasy leather
strap, nearly down 70 his knees before and his
calves behind. Thus this strange figure stood