Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-11-28
Whipping the Preacher.
BY CAPTAIN HOWARD.

lie must be tanned, boys anu 1ar-
vey Ingsly brought his clcnched hand
down upon the large store box beside
which he was standing.
You are right, Harvey" echoed
Walt Walters, the acknowledged bully
of SlSiffton.
Fright! right" shouted the others.
1--WE will shon those church-going
people that we will not submit to bully
Raging from anybody, especially a
preacher. Old Buell. was sent here TO
try us,u said VIII Ashton, rather
handsome fellow ofseventeen.
"He will find us hard customers to
deal with, I'll warrant! He looks
weak, but then, the muscle may be in
him."
AYE, it is, boys said stout Bob
Graft. II was at a meeting-a revival
in Clarke county, last winter. Old
Buell. preached. We attempted to break
it up. and created quite q disturbance.
pepper on the stove. Buell. saw us and
stopped preaching. He came down
from the pulpit, caught us by the collars,
shook us like a terrier shakes rats, car
ried us to the door, and pitched us out
into the snow. The other bows saw
what was in the old fellow, and did not
interfere. [ was sore a week afterward,
and assure you, boys, that the meeting
was net broken up. All went on peace
ably, and several of the boys joined,
among them JIM Sykes"
of he handled you SO easily, Bob, he
must be Samson" said Harvey, as
he surveyed from head to foot the giant
Bob.
"Strong! | think he is" resumed
shoulder-blade."
II think l can handle him." said
Harvey, rolling up his sleeves to the
shoulder, and displaying a mighty arm,
the muscles of which stood out like
whip cords.
"When will we tackle him ?" asked
young Ashton, eager for the encOun-
ter.
"To-night," said Harvey, who was
the ring-leader of the enterprise, " He
knows nothing of us, save what the
meeting folks told HIM, and know they
say nothing good ofus."
"Of course not" said the others.
Wasn't that scoring he gave
us the other nigh ?" remarked Joe Glib
bons.
"He thought so, at any rate" sneered
Bob.
q know 1 trembled when he said
those gentlemen on the back seat. Every
person present turned their heads and
looked right at u.s."
"You tremble so often, Joe," said
Walt. "You remember when old Ran
som caught you in his melon patch p
Didn't you tremble then, eh?"
Don't bring that up here" returned
Joe, who wished bygoncs to be bygOnes.
Let's go on with our preacher whip
ping. What are your plans, Harvey 2"
The boys gathered closer around their
leader to hear his plans
g, hey are as follow" began Ingsly.
"We will go to the church tonight j.. a
crowd, and act civil t ill services are con-
cluded, when we will range ourselves
outside the door. Old Buell. will come
out last, as usual, and will step up and
harness. If he says he does, / will give
him the lie, and follow it up with agood
drubbing. You must be ready to assist
me, if necessary, and attend to members
who may want a finger in the pie"
1--WE will be ready, Harvey said
Nath Jones, laughing at the promised
fun.
A minute later, not one of the plotters
could be seen on the corner; they had
gone to their respective homes to pre-
pare for their nocturnal adventure.
Skiffton was, at the opening of ouI
story, blessed (?) with gang of rowdies,
a "set' of young men who kept the good
church-going people, and all peaceably
disposed citizens in awe OF them. The
''set' was, as we have said, led by Har-
two. He laid all plans for the "set, "
and was the foremost to execute them
Chickens disappeared at ais bidding,
and among other things the band was
guilty of was the declaration that they
would break up any meeting held i'll
Walnut Grove Church, about two miles
from Skifton.
The people, thinking the boys would
not carry out their impi us threat, called
a preacher to eXpound to them the Cos
pei. But the boys meant wAat they had
said. and one night nest Of hornets was
thrust in q broken window, and tho lit
tie insects flew hither and thither, sting
ing a great many of the congregation
and breaking up the meeting.
The church was, small, seating 200
and was never full save at reyivals
wnen the windows and doors had to be
opened to allow those who could not
gain admittance to hear Gods word from
the outside.
AS night came on, and Luna showed
herself surrounded by thousands OF
beautiful worlds, the Skif'ton boys
headed by Harvey lngsly, set out tol
Walnut Grove. They entered the
church quietly, and took back seats, as
was their wont. The minister had not
arrived yet, and prayer meeting was
being held,
At last one Of tbs doors opened and
the Rev. Mr. Buell. entered and walked
to the sacred desk. He was a man OF
medium height, and beautiful black
beard fell to his bosom. His eyes were
full and expressive. but CLEAN of de-