Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-03-11

A NOBLE REVENGE.

" iANN ttiN Alii" AANN i-At AiA1A itttA 'A.t
for leaving the R.d River country, | announ-
ced to the people Of ofShrcveport and the neigh
borhood, at the cout-house would attempt
20 preach a sermon particularly adapted to
them. The people were pleased with the pro-
position; and on tine last day ofmy stay among
them, beautiful company of children were
brought together, and | gave them the best
instruction could for the life that now is, and
also for that which is 20 come. then badc
adieu to many highiy-valued triersls aud star
tel down the river. Our progress was slow
for the boat was taking in cotton,-iorty bales
at one plantation, sixty at another,-and thus
we were some two or three days moving slow.
ly toward New Orleans. Many Of the passcn.
gers were from the region where | had been
laborng. aud with some of them had formed
"a pleasant acquaintance. At their request
had preached few sermons in the cabin oi
the steamboat as We journeyed When We
had made considerable progress down the river
a great, brawny, broad-shouldered, six-feet-
two or three inches high backwoodsman APP
pcared among the passengers. | was not
aware at what point he had come on board
lie looked as il he might have been brought
up in ihe ncghborhood OF iron-works. The
lincaments of "a strong mind where distinctly
marked ia his yisagc, and his whole bearing
was that Of n shrewd, forward, seli-cOnhden
man. 1t is extremely rare, in the western
country, that You find man who desgnedly
treats % minister of the gospel with disrespcct
| have Travelled long, and Travelled far, yet
have scarcely failed, in twenty years when oil
Journey, TO receive courtesy and gentleman
ly treatment in every company, and from every
individual with whome had any particular
intercourse. Bat here was a notable exception
The rough, stout man above mentioned haC
found out that was minister Of the gospel
Ia act bad preached once, perhaps oftener
on the boat after he had come on board. He
now concluded he would show HE smartness
by holding up to rcproach and ridicue relig
ION and religious men. From his manner,
had little doubt that he had often before at
tempted the same thing, and perhaps, with
considerable degree OF success and imaginar,
triumph
lie now, with an air of great complacenc.
and soll-importance, commenced telling stor.
Of certain minister Of his acquaintance. |
was an awful story and he told it remark
ably we'll lie had, in fact, a quantity of tina
ready, rough wit, which enabled him to Sc
the laughablo points Of ludicrous story in
very clear and strong light. When he wa
through his statement, the company locke
somewhat blank Most of them felt that ther
was a high degree Of impropriety in his tell
ing such story before the minister who ha'
preached to them only few hours before
otherwise they might have been prompted
hearty laugh As it was, however, som
of them twisted their mouths n little and al
remained silent.
But the fellow who had told the tale wa
no way abashcd at its reception. Determir
ed to have some amusement, he turned roun
to me, and in a manner most impertincnt an
naughty, said, " Well sir what do you thin
of thatl" | replied with much indifference
L. am stranger in the country, and not az
quaintcd with the circumstances" | shoul
have taken particular notice Of neither hl
nor his story. had he told it and just let
pass. But the fellow appeared by no meal
satisfied, and, after a momentary pause,
, set in and told, either Of the same preach'
or some other a second story which WI
/ rather an Improvement on the first A gel
une story 1t was, ana astonshingly wen 'U''
for IN tins department he possessed a taie
equalled by few; lie now turned 70 me
second time, ana said' wen, slr' wha'
you think OF that Again replied "
am a stranger IN inc country anu no' a
, quainted with the circumstances ny u
] time it was perfectly plain to me and to Il
other passengers that he was disposed to sho
his smartness at my expense. SO | resoly,
to "give him rope !; and perhaps. by u
time he had run his full career he might nj
that he had "waked up the wrong paSSe
ger" ..r
I He now told third story, rising sun
5 interest, like the steps IN high, oil stan
= The story was certainly an original one al