The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-01-19

f 'N'No NhoN hi hhh klllANhs lIAlA-
ing herself forward she took Paul's hand,
and, pointing it to the clouds, she said,
'it IS beautiful there, Paul.n aB
f"Yes, mamma"
"It is a great deal more beautiful be-
yond there, my darling l am very tired,
and am going there. u, rest. Some day
you will Gomez | aln going there to meet
you-remember, Paul"
Turning to me she said, al shall find it
all as | have pictured IL there, Faith,
green pastures and" her head fell
back upon the pillow, there was a gentle
Sigh, the spirit was released, and Margie
entered the fairy hand and found rest be-
side the still waters. Hru tTs Esi
Paul was like his mother, hut his natu-
raj impulsiyeness was SO tempered by ear
ly sorrow that we had no fear that be
would give his fancy too great breadth.
Father fell asleep fOi the last time when
Paul was ready for college. We lifted
tho sods and laid him by mother aud
Margie, and then sold the old homestead
and went to the town where Paul was to
study.
l never asked Paul what profession he
wished to follow, but one day he told me
he should enter ministry. III shall be q
home missionary, and | shall join the
Methodist church," he said. We had
heard that Paul Clifford was in the West
| knew that my Paul meant to find his
father, and this was the way he meant to
do IL. g.1
Paul accepted no particular field, but,
as an Independent missionary, he took a
broad circuit. / was with him, when, in
the fall Of Is, he determined to hold a
camp meeting in the part of the South
west that was opposed to anything of u
religious order. Gamblers, outcasts from
every land, forgers, robbers, composed the
population. Many efforts had been made,
but no successful meeting had ever been
held. There we're stories told Of minis
torS who had promised, at the point of
the bowie-knife, never again to set foot
in this country. trembled for Pau, but
he told me my fears we're vain. 81 shall
have my meeting, and shall live; and l
believe" he said, fixing his black eyes
upon me with a look so much like his mo-
theirs, 81 shall meet him there"
Paul leased a place called Cold Spring,
where a fountain Of clear water dubbed
in the midst Of an evergreen grove, and
conveyed the idea of having q dinner as
we'll as a meeting. awe must have some
thing novel to attract, Aunt Faith. Once
here I know | can impress the people as
they have never been before. There is a
witcbery in elOquence, and a power in the
truth"
An advertisement was circulated prom
Using a camp meeting such as never had
been held before, and a dinner gotten up
in the best manner, and the best Of liquor
was to be served. We reached the ground
q little late. l could see Paul was anx-
ious for the Success Of his scheme, and was
unusually pale. The grove was filed with
people, men, women and children, carry.
ing all sorts of faces, aud dressed in every
kind of costume. There were mothers
with babes hanging on their arms, coarse
men with rifles in hand and ugly dogs at
their heels. There wero gamblers with
keen blades shining beneath their coats,
and there were a few well-drcssed gentle
men and ladies who were attracted by the
novel arrangement. Paul entered the new
pulpit, aud a thrill Of pride went over me
as that noisy assemblage hnshed into ST.
lence, when in a clear, melodious voice he
pronounced u blessing upon the people and
the food they were about to partake. l
did not hear all he said, but | knew there
had been power in tho words, for as |
looked around | saw many of the mothers
faces wet with tears.
| was standing by the most powerful
built man | ever saw, not large, but Of
well knit strength, and as l caught sight
of the pistols in his belt and heard his
muttered threats, l trembled for Paul
This man shouted to Paul in tones that
cut like knives: "You have lied, Mr..
Preacher. Where is the liquor you prom
ised ~ Paul raised himself to bis height,
and with q look that seemed to embrace
every man, woman and child Of hat null
titude, he pointed to the fountain that
sparkled and loaped in the sunshine.
"There - be said, in tones that vibrated
through the woods, and came back to US,
echoing. "There there! of that clear
spring, bubbling up from the bosom Of
the earth, and then come Up hither, and |
will tell you Off fountain clear as crystal
flowing from the throne on high whose
depth no man can measure, and whose wa
ters cleanse all stain"
I did not hear any more, for the man
beside me turned bis face toward me and
muttered a curse. / sbuddered, for /
knew those eyes with darts Of FIRE leaping
from them, and those sneering lips, with
their cold smile, haunted me for years.
Paul Clifford stood beside me. L could
touch his garments. started to make my
way to Paul, when there was a sharp
click, o fash "Aunt Faith, | am shot -
Paul cried; then throwing his AIMS up,
he fell back upon the green sward. a
"Paul Clifford" l shouted, SIT is you
who have done this; you have shot your
own son you have killed Margie's Paul.
With u wild cry the man leapod forward,
"Make room, men ; stand out of the way
give him air. He will not die. Paul,
did not mean to forsake you. l was hunt
cd to deatlI'f - - H
sstand back, al Of you,''I said "PauI
Clifford, do not touch q hair Of the head
you have laid low be does not belong to
you you have no place here."n 30
1 lifted Paul's head to my lap. The
warm blood was streaming from a wound
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