Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-07-09
IpSie and Mr.. Breton.


The door opened and an unusual-look-
ing young man appeared. He had blue
eyes and light hair and a smooth, clean
face; while his dress, though of common
material, was suspiciously clean, sam
promptly determined that he was neither
a Cross Roads man, boatman, gambler,
nor peddler; and, as Sam knew no phases
of humanity but these, his conjecture had
drifted into wonder, when the stranger alb
ruptly said:
Il am laborer in the vineyard of the
Lord, and am seeking for the lost sheep of
the house of Israel.'p
Sam looked appealingly at his wife, 1t
seemed to him he had heard some such
words when he was young, and hung
about meeting-house door at night; but,
if they 1Cere holy, his wife was the Bible
reader of the family, and must know. Mrs.
Kavvery relieved her husbands mind by
devOutly saying:
"Bless the Lord fur sendin' ven
"Certainly,n said Sam, quite briskly.
"Chuck yer traps in the corner, captin !;
hav cheer? Here's tubbakker. Mother,
pass out the demijohn.n
"Thank youv" said the stranger; "but 1
neither drink nor smoke.'
Sam looked disguised; but, bright
| thought striking him, he hurried to q
closet and took down pack of cards.
His pious wife flew at him in an instant.
''Sam ~ said she in a reproachful under
tone, lone 'ud think you'd been raised
| among the heather. Preachers don't play
ceards."
Sam looked humbly into the face of su-
perior wisdom, and meekly asked:
Don't they, though ?'
mo, nur drink nur smoke nuther.u
'Well said Sam, resignedly laying down
| the cards. Then he rejoined the young
man, looking at him with that hungry ex-
| iah ole he,
stow upon a new face, and said -
| "Well mister-mistern-
| "Breeton,n answered the stranger-Wal-
| ter Breton, circuit rider, and member OF
the Easter River Conference"
! "Well, Mr.. Breton, what's the news 81
81 do not keep pace with the march OF
| events" answered the young preacher.
the one object of my life. Are there any
professors in this house 2"
| Sam jerked thumb toward his wife, in
| wardly wishing the preacher had side
which a man could get at in some way.
"Ah, sister ~ said the young man, "are
you a follower of the Lamb"
"Follerin' afar off, as it were, " tearfully
replied Mrs. Kavvery. 81 wish my light
shined better, so Sam an Ipsie might come
into the fold I've labored hard with
both of 'em but their eyes seems to be
darkened p'tic'larly Ipsie's."
"Ipsie?" queried the preacher.
ayes, sir-our gal: she's"-- .-
Further explanation was rendered un.
necessary by the appearance in the door
way of Ipsie herself, and her sudden dis
appearance.
"Mustn't mind Fps, Brother Breton,
said Mrs. Kavvery. "She amt used tC
strangers an she ollus gifts out. Shell
come around in the evenin.."
"Well," said the young man, remark
ing TO himself, ~ sincerely hope she
will"
"Guess wells hev bite poorly soon, y
said Mrs. Kavvery, "Sam, see eff there;
anythin' on the lines"
Sam hurried out, and found fine young
catfish and, while he was cleaning it, Mrs
| Kavvery put some corn meal dough into &
Dutch oven on the hearth, and lot of bis
cult into another Dutch oven, and som,
slices Of bacon into a frying-pan, and pu
the fish into the same pan, and made cot
fee, and brought out dish of honey and {
tin cup of persimmOns and was sooI
proudly contemplating a table loaded with
all the luXuries of the land; while TIL
mingled odOrs of fried bacon and warn
saleratus drove ths.smell Of tobacco-smokC
entirely out of the room. Then Sam wen
10 the door, and blew horn and, in
moment or two, Ipsie appeared.
"Ipsie," said her mother, this is Mr.
Ereelon, thet's come down he.e to saw
sinners. hope he'll 10 yer soul good"
The young preacl II hoped sc to, rs n
noticed Ipsie's bright eyes and blushin,
| cheeks.
Come, stranger hev bite" said Sam
who felt that his chance of partaiing il
the conversation was growing small. "He'
plenty Of hem-fat with yer fish?'
"Sam ~ cried Mrs. Kavvery.
b Sam dropped his knife and fork, an
appealed from under he lowest kair- q
las %, rlunWs.
s .a r-es.n Brother BFeetou,' sai