The Hickman courier., 1869-03-06

but he knew better. There was too much
soul and earnestness in my declaration,
for joke. We had now reached the
yard gate unsaddling my horse, we led
him in, to water him at the we'll back of
! the house. While we were at the we'll,
/ a woman, the sams who had answered
my hail at the gate, came to the door and
said, "Supper was ready" The old
man paid no attention to this announce
ment, but cried out, Old woman, he is
bold one X
"How's that?" asked the old woman
" He says he's rebel all over y
He's got no business here, them
came the old womanNs metallic voice,
sharp and cruel
was just trying to fool your old
man, Mrs Cox, | pleaded with forced
smile, mentally groaning, Poor Drenonl'
But the old woman wouldn't believe
anything | said, for she knew / was rebel
from the first Washing our faces and
hands-Mr Cox and I've then went
into supper [ met at the table-with-
out introduction of course-a couple of
| fat, buxsom lassies, and said lassies look
ed little greasy too, but | never learn
ed whether il Was natural or acquired.
i they were neices,. L learned afterward,
tof slrs. Cox, from Henry county, Tenn.
! At the table, | reverted to the huge joke
had played on Mr.. Cox by passing my
/ self for u rebel, but it was "no GO" l
/ then put on my sweetest smiles-I was
/ desperate in expedients, would that it
had been my last aud tried to win the
young ladies to my side, incidentally re-
marking that | had seen more pretty
women in Galloway county than had
ever met before in the same amount of
territory and then looked at The gals
sorter tenderly 'slantwise.' They said
they had sweethearts in the Union army,
they thanked me, aud that said sweet
hearts were in the country, too-"just
below here on Bloody Reever, pickin up
ragid reb-els!p Then the gals looked
at me sorter maliciously, 'straitwise p
Poor Drenonl' inwardly groaned,
trying to swallow piece of fried mid
ling which had to be expedited with
mouthful of butter milk. Supper over
| ate but little and that little long-we
went out to put up my horse, which |
verify believed would be my last care as
we'll as pleasure. While | was feeding
and rubbing my horse, | was busy rack
ing my poor disturbed brain what expe-
dient / should adopt to counteract, If
kpossible, the evil effects of my hasty and
1mprudent declaration that was rebel.
The Yankees were in the neighborhood,
and this family may report my presence
at any time, yea, even in an hour. The
big, fat gals at the table, spoke of their
proximity in a boasting, triumphant tone,
and thereupon, | noticed that theAold
man and woman exchanged signiiF Fant
glances. Then Drenon-ny horse
would be so nice for one of the aforesaid
big, fat gals sweethearts TO "pick up
ragid rebels" onl / was all over in a
perspiration-at the thought. Some
thiumpust be done, and that speedily,
ach calamity. | thouohs end
,e,s ii.sse 100. s-s-st bought e
Pought--jnst thought-that b
a-preacher! Ciriosa felicttasi =
Yhung closer to my dear horses ds
autiful arched neck, and thought--if-f
ce of brother Cox, and family, unbe- n
ming Christian gentleman and minis 6s
r of the Gospel--except imprudently ii
claring myself a rebel. l never bid pr
my life, kind reader, and harfgiDg
en- by my dear Drenon's name, l could an
It recall single word or act, that l to
id or did on that neyer-to be forgotten
ptember eve, with the sun dropping er
" out of sight behind the bars of the We
Gate, and brother Cox break m
g nubins over the edge of trough for IN
yoke of oxen out In the lot, whittier l 10
W Immediately betook myself to make WI
other startling declaration The sun an
yer set upon a more troubled " cuss" M
an | was about that time / com W.
snced by remarking, sa
g That was a very good yoke Of oxen r
" Yes, he replied, they are very Oh
cd steers r. as
then inquired after the social and pc
oral status of that vicinity, and asked ch
IN if there were any, or many churches NJ
the neighbghood, or near by. ly
= Yes,' he said, there was one very pa
1se by-about a half-mile off-his l
urch-the Methodist T. trl
l could scarcely repress cry of pleas We
e at this announcement. He was a III
urch member, and was a-preacher al
asked him if he was an officer in that an
urch-the Methodist? tr'
i" Yes, | am class leader" an
told him was very glad to hear it, ia
+ | was member of that church, and ha
minister in
:. WHAT" he exclaimed, and the bas- cl'
t fell from his hand, and the last nubin of
mained unbroken. :" You-,you "a pc
edcher ?" III
l assured him was. "s
" Qua preacher ?" wi
3" Do you doubt it ?" l asked little of
grily. "F
:. can't say, for don't know, but you G.
ok less like preacher than any man AZ
ever saw he answered, picking up the n
sket. II
F." But, am a preacher, nevertheless, A
other Cox, replied and thereupon OF
flooded me with thousand and one So
Iestions concerning my conviction and 90 90
aversion, and ministerial life generally,
of which, | answered to my own sat ~
action, if not to brother Cox's. wi
+" Well, l never would have thought TO
. he said in conclusion, and | thought
could detectsin the faint twilight a NO
ysterious smile upon his face. We sc
,rted to the house, and as l passed sa
table, l said to myself, q You M
e all right now old fellow r. ia
Alas for poor short-sighted human J
= We take the leap, little knowing, tei
yer thinking where we may light In lo
ssing myself for a preacher, | did it ch
tn one idea .uppermost--to curry favor tn
tn mine host - and tharehv s.ve nv .