Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-11-08
MARX TWATN's LATEST.
HOW AN IRREvERENT OLD SALT INTER-
PRETED THE STORY OF ELIJAH AND
THE PROPHETS OF BAAL.

THE PROPHETS OF BAAL.
One trip the captain had a clergy
man on board, but did not know he
was clegyman, since the passenger
list did not betray the fact. He took
a great liking to this Rev. Peters, and
talked with him great deal; told
him yarns, gave linn toothsome scraps
of personal history, aad wove a gilt
tering streak of profanity through his
garrulous fabric that was refreshing
to spirit weary ofthe duh neutrali-
ties of undecorated speech. One day
the captain sand, "Peters, do you
ever read the Bible? ?"
"Well-yes.'
81 Judge it amt often, by the way
you say it. Now, you tackle it in
dead earnest once, and you'll find
it'll pay. Don't you get discourag-
ed, but hang right on. First, you
won't understand it; but by and by
things will begin to clear up, and then
you wouldn't lay it down to eat.'
Eyes, l have heard that said"
"And it's so, too. There amt u
book that begins with it. 1t lays
over 'em all, Peters. There's some
pretty tough things in it-there amt
any getting around that-but you
stick to them and think them out, and
when once you get on the inside eve
rything's plain as day.
1.-The miracles, too, captain!" "
Eyes, sir! The miracles, too.
Every one of them. Now there's
that business with the prophets of
3aal like enough that stumped you?"
"Well, 1 don't know bu''-
Gown up, now it stumped you.
Well, / don't wonder. You hadn' t
had any experience IN travelling such
things out, and naturally it was too
many for you. Would you like to
have me explain that thing to you,
and show you how to get at the meat
of these matters?'
''Indeed, / would, captain, if you
don't mind"
Then the captain proceeded as fol-
lows: "I'n do it with pleasure.
First, you see, read and read, and
fthohght and thought, till got to un-
derstand what sort of people they
were in the old Bible times, and then
after that it was all clear and easy.
Now, this was the way L put it up,
concerning Isaac* and the prophets
of Baal. There was some mighty
sharp men amongst the public char
acters of that old ancient day, and
Isaac was one of them, too: it amt
for me to apologize for Isaac; he
played it on the prophets of Baal, and
like enough he was justifiable. con-
sidering the odds that was against
him. No, all say is, 'twa'n't any
miracle, and that I'll show you so's't
you can see it yourself.
"Well, times had been getting
reugher and rougher for prophets
that is, prophets of Isaac's denomi-
nation. There was 350 prophets of
Baal in the community, and only one
Presbyterians that is, if Isaac was a
Presbyterian, which l reckon he was,
but it don't say. Naturally, the
prophets of Baal took all the trade !
Isaac was pretty low-spirited. Ireck-
on, but he was good deal ofa man,
and no doubt he went prophesying
around, letting Oh to be doing a land
office business, but 'twa'n't any use;
he couldn't run any opposition to
amount to anything. By and by
things got desperate with him; he
sets his head to work and thinks it'll
all out, and then what does he do?
Why, he begins to throw out hints
that the other parties are very def
mite, may he, but just kind OF under
mining their reputation in quiet
way. This made talk, of course, and
finally got to the King. The King
asked Isaac what he meant by his
talk. Says Isaac: 'Oh, nothing
particular; only can they pray down
fire from heaven on an altar? ItI
amt much, may be, Your Majesty,
only can they do It'll That's the
idea So tie King was good deal
disturbed, and he went to the proph-
cts of Baai, and they said, pretty
airy, that if he had an altar ready,
they were ready; and they intilnated
he better get it insured, too. -
$50 next morning all the children
of Isreal and their parents, and the
other people, gathered themselves to-
gether. Well, here was thas great
crowd of prophets OF Raal packed to-
gether on one side, and Isaac walk
ing up and down all alone ON tie
other, putting up bis job. When
time was called, Isaac let on to be
comfortable and Indifferent; told the
other team TO take the first innings.
So they went at it, the whole $50,
praying around the altar, very hope,
full, and doing their level hest. They
prayed an hour5-two hours three
hours-and so ON plumb till noon.
1t want any use they hadn't took
4 a trick. Of course they felt kind oi
ashamed before all those people, and
well they might. Now, what would
a nagnanimous man do? Keep still,