Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-01-31
THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER.

-
Mark Twain, in his new book. tells
the following humorous episode, as
the experience Of "Uncls Dan and the
chillun." when they saw the Mississip-
| pi for the first time, and caught their
first glance of steamboat
Uncle DAMP (coiored), aged so;
his wife. Aunt jimmy" aged 40 (;
young Miss" Emily Hawkins, young
Mars" Washington Hawkins, and
young Mars" Clay, the new member
of the family, ranged themselves on a
log after supper, and contemplated the
marvellous river, and discussed it. The
moon rose and sailed aloft through
maze of shredded cloud wreaths, the
sombre river just perceptibly bright
ened under the veil of light. A deep
silence pcrvaded the air, and was en-
phasized at intervals, rather than bro
ken, by the hooting of an owl, the bay
ing of dog, or the muffled crash of
caving bank in the distance. The lit
tie company were all children (at least
in simplicity and broad and compre-
hensive ignorance), and the remarks
they made about the river were in keep
ing with the character; and so awed
were they by the grandeur and the So
lemnity of the scene before them. and
by their belief that the air was filed
with invisible spirits, and that the faint
zephyrs were caused by their passing
wings, that all their talk took to itself
tinge of the supernatural, and their
voices were subdued to low and rev.
erent tone. Suddenly Uncle Dan'l
exclaimed: ah,i
''Chil'en, dah's sumfin aeomin F"
All crowded close together and eve
~ heart beat faster. Uncle Dan1
pointed down the river with his bony
finger
A deep coughing sound troubled the
stiffness, way toward wooded cape
that jutted into the stream mile dis
tant. All in an instant fierce eye of
FIRE shot out from behind the cape and
sent long brilliant pathway quivering
athwart the dusky water. The cough |
ing grew louder and louder, the glaring
eye grew larger and still larger, glared |
wilder and still wilder. A huge shape |
developed itself out Of the gloom, and |
from its tall, duplicate horns dense |
volumes of smoke, starred and span
gled with sparks, poured out and went |
tumbling away into the farther dark
ness. Nearer and nearer the thing |
came, till its long sides began to glow |
with spots of light which mirrored
themselves in the river and attended /
the monster like a torchlight process
sion.
What is it I Oh, what is it, Uncle
Dan'l?"
With deep solemnity the answer
came: |
ITS de Almighty Git down on 20
kneesl"
1t was not necessary to say it twice.
They were all kneeling in a moment
And then, while the mysterious cough
ing rose stronger aud the threatening
glare reached farther and wider, the
negro's voice lifted up its supplications:
20 Lord, we's ben mighty wicked,
an we knows dat we zerve to go to de
bad place, but good Lord, deah Lord,
We amt ready yit, we amt ready-let
desc po' chilen hab one mo chance,
jes' one mo chance. Take de ole mig
gah if you's got to hab somebody
Good Lord, good deah Lord, we don't
know whah you's gwine to, we don't
know who you's got your eye on, but
We knows by de way you's comm, we
knows by de way you's tiltin' along
in yo' charyot o. fab dat some po' sin
ner's gwine to ketch it. But good Lord. !
desc chill EN- don't b'long heah, dey's
from Obedston whah dey don't know
muffin, an you knows, yo' own sef, dat
dey isn't sponsible. An deah Lord,
good Lord, it amt like yo' mercy, it
amt like 20 pity, it amt like yo' long
sufferin', lovin' kindness for to take dis
kind O. vantage O. sich little ehil'en as
desc is when dere's so many ornery
grown folk chuck full O. cussedness
dat wants roastin' down dar. Oh,
Lord, spah de little chil'en, don tar de
little chil'en away from dey frens, jes'
let 'em offjes' dis once, and TAX it out n
de ole niggah. Heah is, Lord, heah
| isl De ole niggah's ready Lord, de
Ole" 10
The flaming and churning steamer
was right abreast the party, and not
twenty steps away. The awful thun-
der of a mud-valye suddenly burst
forth, drowning the prayer, and as sud-
denly Uncle Dan'l snatched child un-
der each arm and secured into the
woods with them and the rest of the
pack at his heels, and then, ashamed
Of himself, he halted in the deep dark
ness and shouted, but rather feebly:
'Heah | is, Lord, here | is. There
was a moment of thrObbing suspense,
and then to the surprise and comfort
Of the party it was plain that the au-
gust presence had gone by, for its
Dreadful noises were receding. Uncle
Danl headed cautious reconnaissance
N the direction of the log. Sure
enough, the Lord was just turning a
point a short distance up the river, and
While they looked the lights winked out
md the coughing diminished by de-
,rees, and presently ceased altogether
"Hwsh Well deres some folks say
lere amt no 'fciency in prah. Dis
,hile would like to know whah WEI a
ben now if it warn for dat prah. Oats
t, dats it.