Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-12-18
From the Northwestern Christian Advocate
THE CIRCUIT RIDER:

By EDWARD EseLEsroN,
Author of "The Hoosier Schoolnsaster,"
"The End Of the World" Etc.
1.-THE Voice Of one crying In the wilderness"
Isaiaa.
beginners OF better time,
And gorylng in their vows"
1em,ysea's 'IdyIs Of the King"
.'Nec propter vitau, vivendi perdere causas."
kegineAsgi motto: uomrelrs Army.
TUE MAN on HORSEBACK.
Whatever ID incredible in this story
is true.
A tale of the heroic age 1t is. For not
an ony the Hebrew prophets, nor among
the Knights that sat at Arthur's Table
Round" nor among the rugged ironsides
who followed Cromwell, was there truer
heroism than in the romantic life of the
early Western adventurers; hunter, war
Nor, settler and preacher.
The tale have to tell will seem strange
TO those who know little of the social life
of the West at The beginning Of this Gen.
fury. These sharp contrasts of corn
stockings and camp meetings, of wild
reyivals; these contacts of highwayman
and preacher; this EaeIIasss of picturesque
simplicity, groiesque hunor, and savage
ferocity, OF abandoned wickedaess and
aastere piety, can hardly seem real to
those who know the country now. But
the books of biography and "reminiscences
which preserve the memory of that time,
more than justify whatever is marvellous
in the following tale.
Living in early boyhood on the very
gound where my grandfather-brave old
Indian fghter-had defended his family
in a block house built in wilderness, by
his own hands, | grew up, familiar with
this strange wild life. At the age when
other children hear fables and fairy stories
M childish fancy was filled with tradi
tions IF coGscts with wild beasts, Indians
and highwaymen. Instead of imaginary
giant killers, children then heard OF real
Indian SlayerS; instead of Blue boards,
We had Aurrell and bis robbers; instead
OF Little he'd hiding Hoods vol, We
were RECALLED with the daring adventures
OF the generation before us, in conflict With
Wild beasts, on the very road We travelled
To school. In many households the old
customs still held sway; the wool was
carded, spun, dyed, woven, cut and made
up in the house; the constructing,
bookkeeping, quilting, apple peeling,
and country hoe-down," had not yet
fallen into disuse.
In true picture Of this life, neither the
Indian nor the hunter is the centre piece,
but the circuit-rider. More than any one
else, the early circuit preachers brought
order out of this chaos. In no other class
Was the real heroic element SO finely dis
played How do / remember the forms
and weather-Deateu vIsagcs vi ,u~
qaered starvation and exposure-who
had survived swamps. alligators, Indians,
highway robbers and bilious feyers.
How was my boyish soul tickeled with
their funny anecdotes of rude experience
-ilow was my imagination wrought upon
by the recital Of their HAIR breadth es-
caIesI How was my heart set afire by
tleir contagious religious enthusiasm, so
that at eighteen years OF age l bestrode
the saddle bags myself, and laid upon a
feeble frame the heavy burden of emula-
ting their tolls. Surely have right to
celebrate them, since they came SO near
being the death OF me.
1t is not possible to write of this
heroic race Of men without enthusiasm.
But nothing has been further from my
mind then the clarifying of sect. Ii
not come upon the platform of Christian
Union to display 1t. Much as l have
laughed at every sort OF gIotesquerie,
could not treat the early religious life of
the West otherwise than with the most
cordial sympathy and admiration. And
vet this ia not a religious novel in the
ordinary sense-one in which all the bad
people are as bad as they can be, and all
the gOO0 OeOplc HttiS cSttcI ludu tncy
can be. have not even asked myself
what NAV be the moral" The story OF
any true life is healthtul if only the wri-
ter will tell it simply, keeping impertin-
ent preachment of his OWL out of the way.
Doubtless / shall hopelessly damage
myself with some good people by confess
ing in the start that, from the first chapter
TO the last, Tia 4 is a love story. But it is
not nv fault. It was God who made love
30 universal that no picture Of human life
can be complete where love is left out.
The above is Dr. Eggleston's Introduc-
ton to his brilliant Serial Story, just
commenced in Henry Ward Beecher's
weekly family Journal, the CHRISTIAN
UNION, and Will be continued only in that
paper. Its opening chapters show the
merry side Of the period of W hieh it treats
and the reader Is soon drawn into deep
sympathy with the characters. The
scenes are drawn with graphic power and
irresistible humor. Back chapters sup.
Piled to subscribers 40 to January 1st.
After this story follows Mrs. Harriet
Beechsr Stoves new tale, I'VE AND Our
NEIaHBoRs," the long -exuected sequel to
M Wife and l." It leeds only this
simple announcement to give assurance
eta great attraction. THUS the CHRISTIAN