Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1866-02-03
4 DARKEY ONTHE ROAD TO nEA-
VEN

of excitement concerning the doctrines
and prophecies of that Miller who fanci-
ed that his eyes could gaze into iuturity.
For months the Midnight Cry, followed
by the Morning How and the Noonday
Yell, circulated through the village and
surrounding countries, 10 an extent not
even equaled BY Dr., DIS celebrated
speech Men disposed Of their property
for little or nothing. The women were
pale and ghastiy from watching and
praying, and in fact, the whole pqpua-
ton, or at least those who Believed IN The
coming ascension, looked as if they were
about halEover a second attack of The
chilis and fever. There were, however,
some choice spirits (not choice in theirs,
however, wl;o, notwithstanding the po-
| puIarity Of ths delusion, would not enlist
under tie banner OF the asceas iouists,
and among these was a wild, harum-
scarum blade, from Down East, by the
name Of Cabe Newham Now Gale was
as hard a case As you would meet On q
Fourth Of July ii Texas, always alive for
| iuu and sport, o3any and every descrip-
| ton, and a strong disbeHever III Miller
ism.
The night Of the third Of April was the
time agreed upon out West for The grand
exhibition Of ground aud lofty tunbiing,
and about ten O'Clock Of the same night,
numbers Of tile Millerites assembled on
the outskirts OF the town, on a little en-
inene, upon which tile proprietor bad al
lowed few trees to stand. In the crowd,
and the only representative of bis race
present, was free negro. by the name
OF Sam, about as ugly, black, woolly, and
rough descendant Of Ham as ever bak-
ed his shins over a kitched fire. 1."
Sans head was small, body and arms
very long, and bis legs bore remark
able resemblance to a pair of hams; in
fact, put Sam on horse, his legs csspcd
round its neck, his head toward the tail,
and his arms closed round the animals
hams, and at ten pacea Of, yoa would
swear he was an old set of patent gear
ing
F. The leader of the MilIerites, owing to
an ancient grudge he bore him, hated
Sam, like smoke, and had done ali 10 bis
power to prevent his admittance among
the elect, but all to no purpose; Sam
would creep in at every meeting, and TO-
night here he was again, dressed in a
white robe of cheap cotton, secured To-
his body by belt, and shouting aud pray
ing as loud as the best. 4
Now, on The morning Of the third, Cahe
had, with deal Of perseverance, aod
more trouble, managed to throw q half !
inch hemp cord over the branch Of an
oak, which stretched its long arm direct
" over the spot where the MlIerites
would assemble; one end he had secured
to the body of the tree, and the other to
a stump some distance od. \
About ten O'Clock, when the excite
ment was getting about eighty pounds to
TIE inch, Cabe, wrapped IN an old sheet, !
walked into The crowd, and proceeded to
fasten, in as secure a manner as posi-
bic, the end Of the rope, to the back part
ot the belt which confined Sans robe,
and having succeeded, eloped, to join
some Of his companions who had the
other end. The few stars in the sky threw
dim.light over the scence, and in few
moments the voice of Sam was heard ex-
claiming
"Gor almighty ! I's goin' up WHO
ooh |"
And sure enough, Sam was seen
mounting into the ethereal blue; this was,
however checked. when he had cleared
teera firma q few feet.
GLORY ~ cried one, "Hallelujah r an
other; and shrieks and yells made night
hideous; some tainted, others prayed, and
not a few dropped their robes and left
the scene. 5s=
Now, whether it was owing TO the
lightness Of his head, or tue. length and
weight of his heels, or both, Sans posi-.
ton was not a pleasant one; the belt to
which. Cabe's cord was attached bound
exactly around his center of gravity, and
SAP, swung like pair Of scales, head up
ami heels down, heels up, and head down,
at the same time sweeping over the crowd
like pendulum, which motion was ac-
CELEBRATED by bis strenuous clapping OF
hands and vigorous kicking. At length
be became alarmed he wouldn't SO up.
and he couldn't come down -
| ''Lor a massy |" cried he, 'just take up
poor nigger to um bosom, or lef him
down again, easy. easy / Let him down
/ arain plaa 60 nm Tor an dis nIgper will