The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-04-17
The WAY I was Rantised

In my shoft-lrock and beau-porridge days, which
were spent inthe village OF Woodstock in the Green
mountain StaEe recollect how my dear sentimental
old aunt Sally used to get on her lap and stuff me
with sugar uIhps and baby talk 'My dear crter she
would say, "fou must be good boy; you must mind
your nanny and your old aunt Sally for she loves you
like all natur you must mind everything she says and
when you grow up, You will walk in wisdom's ways along
with the blessPd You must not learn bad talk from
the big boys it's wicked Ny dear little critter you
know the story about the forty hundred children in the
bible?"
81 gueth DON'T cid aunt Thally.n
Lord bless your soul, well now be good boy, and
III tell you all about it. Once upon a time good old
man named Liah went pp to heavcn and tue naught3
boys fired stohes at hn,, and there great big
booing bear devoured them all up and the
away. Now, if all them children han been taken up
the meeting hduse and haytZed they would have been
good boys andgrs, bless the dear little critters
Aunt Thallg, wath baptized:'
Lord bless you, yes, you dear little crltter, yonr
Gaddy and NANNY took you up, and the parson
sprnked you and called YOU Abel and YOU baled like
good one, Lord bless you
oval, did he give lne lump Of thugar to make me
thop?"
Lord bless YOU, no, YOU didn't stop ct alt you
all the way home"
"Wal, what did do then? did cry?7
why, bless you yes recoIlcct It'll just as plain rs
oval, did yoi give me lump OF thuga?
Lord bless you, yes, vour nanny spanked you apd
Igave you some sugar and put you to bed
oval, l gueth know t?n
Bless YOU you little critter, YOU don't know nothn
about it; you want bigger than little baby and you
didn't know nothing only bawl; YOU used to bawl all
the time"
wal, that wqth Goth you didn't give penothing II
"Nhy, Lord bless you, | used to give il to you all
the time you dear little critter you; why you have
eaten sugar than u the children all about; you've
eaten so much that all your teeth are rotted OUT
oval then guetl Won love thugar, Goth yoa hant
got no teeth, have you old aunt Thay?" e,
why, bless you, no, haint got no more teeth thar
you had when you born; recollect just plain
why when you baptized you hadn't tooth IN your
head and when YOU was born you hadn't any mCr tdan
YOU had when you baptized
oval, know it, guettl.a
Lord bless you no you don't you was atte teent,
tonty baby you dear little crtter Now, sit still,
going to talk the words Of pegspiration to you When
the parson baptized YOU he said that he never knew
child who baptized i'll its days Of intantiede to
grow up in wickedness because the parents good
people, and the chidrenare surrounded in tile midst Of
holy aluence, and they grow up in the furniture aad
ammunition of the Lord Now, bless you, you mustbe
a good little boy, and sometimes you will grow pto be
man, and have your life writ in tract when yoa die,
and -thenen-then Gear aunt Sally head dropped
on her shoulder and she was fast asleep
She used talk il that strain every day OF her
Ifei shall forget her the lessons she strove
so hard to impress upon my mind \ few years, and
she dropped into the grave, ripe ard ull of grace !
was still young understand why she should go to
herlong home but her last words made lasting impres
sion my mind; she said Lord bless you, my dear
little crtter recoect that you baptized in the days
when you didn't know nothing
didn't forget it. used TO talk it with my play
mates discuss the matter without any distinct under
standing as to the meaning intent Of the why or
whereof of being put through the watery ordeal
/ When about ten Years Of age heard OF bapusnr
that was to take place some two miles distant and
longed to witness the performance that had heard
much Of and that lily promised to make saint ct
myself old aunt Sally the contrary Notwithstanding
had heard it talked over among the boys for week.
and felt ovcr-anxious make Of the party. The
BOYS were all going-I had asked the privilege and had
been denied, but when the morning came, and party
after party went by their way to the scene which
so much wished behold my feelings grew too big for
my little breeches and IN spite of express orders not to
leave the yard scampered Oft joined party OF boys,
and in due time reached the place. district Choohouse,
where a small society of mehodists worshipped on the
Sabbath inther way The baptising was to take place
at noon; SO, with the rest, l attended the forenoon
service and when over all repaired TO mll-pond,
short distance farther witness the ceremony All
around the pond the dan the roof Of the miil and
even on thetrees, many human beings crowded
as could find standing sitting room. With school
mate John Witt, had climbed into old willow tree
that overhung the stream had slipped along outer
branch holding on br the tWgs overhead congratua-
ting ourselves upon having secured good place to see
we hardly knew what we were to see There we We're
perched for long time, seemed so to me, tor had
already began to dread the consequence OF my dsob'
dience. knew that had been doing wrong for my
old aunt Sally had told thousand and four times,
that must do as had been told not to do and
recolected as stuck up the limb over the water,
Z that had been doing as hadn't oughter-but while
these thoughts were uppernost in my mind the process
sion came out of the MILL and filed down the bank to
the foot of the tree where was perched and all my
unpleasant feeling driven for the time being from
nv mind. There was talking and singing and finally
the minister walked arm and arm with woman into the
| raging flood almost beneath perGh-the whole
assembage shouting and singing; men, women boys and
girls all Joined ill., and glorious, happy time we were
having, ! thought The singing ceaScd-the minister
stretched forth his good right arm and told over, in
loud voice. what he going 'tew dew it for when
suddenly crash! the limb settled beneath US. Abel,
hold on tight half screamed John Witt-he asinside,
and losing his hold, he caSped ne round the body. !
held on as long as possible; but my hold the twigs
parted and down went into the river directly III
front and within two feet Of the ministry. heard
shout as l went under, and all was kay-hops.
As the story goes the sudden and unlocked fordescent
which made frightened Miss Delight lanipheaF, the
fair candidate for immersion aEfuy, that she reared
and pitched like a wild colt-plungcd nbOut in the
stream dragging the minister after her, now in, now
out if she really meant TO drown him, and she well
nigh succeeded He held to her at first to prevent
ANYTHING serious that might result from her sudden
fright bat the first plunge she made was IN the drec-
ton Of deep water after that he held TO save Inn
self the trouble Of kicking the bucket in miipond-
For minute two, itaPpeared doubtless whether she
would land him safe not but at last amid the groans,
and unriehtcous of that specked assembagc, Delight
dragged him more dead than alive, to the bank the
brethren took charge of him, and conducted him to
neiyhborinc house where he soon recovered from his
,.....-, i.s eAIois. Foot DeIIgnI sHc s,' --'
on log almost used up with the cTcrton she had OK
pended during her aqueous achievements. When she
had partially reganed her breath she went to cryins
she bawled Justify her lungs would admit Of and
it was long time before she could be prevailed on to
cease; when she did, she gathered her dripping dud5
about her and started for hu declaring soiemny and
emphaticallv that, 1T trick Of the devils, the
old roaring Iion lick hD, darn my old shoes ,tI
can't" and then she slapped her fists together VT
zest that smacked of artarean defanee-sueh as ell
= ragged woman alone give expression to-
When went into the nasty deep. fright finished
me for few minutes knew nothing OF what tranSred
and whether 7 crawed out myself Or not. For, when
came to my thinks down the road some thirty Or
forty rods in the direction of h9me wet frightened
r add in such state of mind, aat down OH stone end
collected my scattered senses Bct"eef my fingers,
were still sticking pieces Of tgigs and leaves, that
had broken of in my vain endeayers to retain my hold
in the tree, my hat was gone and my clothes torn.
thought Judgment had come upon me for serving