Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-03
THE ARKANSAS PREACHER.


ly city of Napoleon, which, like jewel
in the crown of South Sea Island
Queen, bedecks a sand.bar at the conAu.
ence Of the Arkansas and Mississippi2
mol Well, thou hast lost much Of
life's loveliest phase.
IF the Court know herself and she
thinks she do, we have not only tarried
there, but once upon time enjoyed the
religious consolation and friendly advice
of Sa-mith, the reverend Sa.mith, Of
Arkansaw. We had known Sa-mith
years ago, in Mexico, and that he took
no ordinary interest in cur future estate,
it is now eur purpose to show. aIiA'1
Fhe Reverend Sa.mith was tall,
rawboned, stoop-shouldered man, with 0
countenance greatly resembling buffalo
fish, and eyes akin to the panthers. He
recognized us in moment, as we got
off the steamer, and with Christian char
ity extended his hand in warm welcome,
Being little dry" we said to Sa-mith,
presently, not aware that he had become
man of God, "Old fellow, let's take
something cooling in memory OF old
times and our Mexican campaign ?"
We soon learn our innocent mistake ;
for an, expression Of the greatest horror
overspread his lovely features, and in
solemn, but deep-drawn and cavernous
accents, he replied to the frivolous re :
mark 1Iu .H4. .gI3s.NuT ~ u I
Young man, thou art on the road to
hell-hA, and many there be who travel
with thee. 1t breaks my heart to see the
evil Of the world.ahl Come, Ay.ah to
the pastures OF Good, where temptation
cometh not, nor the snares Of the Devil y
Here was pickle But we managed
to escape from a,mith for the evening,
and passed it with companions Califor-
MIA bound, with whom we were awaiting
the Arkansaw river packet And so we
strolled around town and saw the sights.
We learned that our late Mexican friend
had turned preacher, and was even now
holding his circuit meeting. s ,bieu
We slept that night at the leading hotel
and dreamed that we were a little cat
fish in the Mississippi on the hunt for
food, and that as we wriggled around the
sand bar leading into the Arkansaw we
met great buffalo fish with panthers
eyes, and that the aforesaid buffalo had
swallowed us-had Sucked US in, head,
body, tail and all
That dream convinced us Of the truth
of dreams lle lr"f Adl
Early next morning, after breakfast,
we met the Rev. Mr.. Sa,mith, who ad-
dressed us in the same cavernous ac-
cents: tUt tAN IfIIt ti!B
Perhaps, my young friend'ah, walk
in the woods and a communioA with the
works of Go-od.ah may not be aniss? 2
Whereupen, we "perhapsed, and
wandered back TO the city Of the dead
(by the by, larger one than the city of
the living thereabout, exhibiting the
healthy state of climate, morals, etc, to
a remarkable degree.) I HIeJLh
A few rods brought us to the grayer
view of the subject, and seated, across q
fallen tree lying amid the graves Of de.
parted ArkAnsaW saints, we soon learned
TO admire, rather than dislike the deyout
character Of the Rev. Mr.. Ss mith.
Drawing from his coat pocket q worn
Bible and deck Of cards, he commented
upon the right way and the wrong way,
and greatly interested as with his philos
ophy and practical piety. ~
Suggesting 10 us that he knew nothing
of the use of the evil "kearts," he would
nevertheless like US to show the wicked
use of them, that he might plead the
cause Of his Master unlerstandingiy.
He said: Young man, these treach-
erous kearts are the ways of evil, and
thousands there be-ah, who follow their
teachin's agin the power Of the Revealed
Word ah.I j marvel how the wicked can
end comfort in the use Of them. Show
me how the diabolieal use them to thar
destruction"
Innocentiy, we took pains to show
each spot and the value Of each keart
young man, how do the wicked lose
ali their money on these most treAeh-
srous kearts2" .r ruI vanrl,
We explained, putting up q small coin,
which, with wonderful tact, We observed
him "cover." We then began an exhibit
ton Of the wicked game Of seven-up, TO
show the horrible fascination Of "Old
Sledge," when played in its natural
fercenesAf .L.E n l <t-l
A short game-he won. OF course,
thought We, sll new beginners viu--thats
their luck ..---..-
Another game-Mr. Sa.milh also won.
We put up another coin
We thought quietly that Mr. Sa.mith
vas an apt scholar and was oEero0ming
he viekeduess Of old sledge with re
tact We also Noticed that he |
put each "poi" into bis hungry pocket |
On tha conclnsion Of the game m
We veuouted q slight remark n. Mr..
Sa-mith, ysu have learned very fast.
, r"Young man, the amount Of Nickcd-
ness in this game surpasseth all under