Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-10-26
MARK TWAIN's LATEST.
How an IrreveTeBt Old salt Inter.
preted the story of Elijah and
the Prophets OF RaaI.
+. wHITMORE,
Publisher and ProRrietor.

the prophets OF BaOl.
Samuel b., Clemens in the Atlantic for No
vember.
One trip the captain had a cler-
gyman on board, but did not know
ne was a clergyman, since the pass.
enger list did not betray the fact
He took great liking to this Rev.
Mr.. Peters, and talked with him a
great deal, told him yarns, gave him
toothsome scraps Of personal his
tory, and wove a glittering streak
OF profanity through his garrulous
fabric that was refreshing to spirit
weary of the dull neutralities of
undecorated speech. One day the
captain said: "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 dis
couraged, but hang right on. AT
first you won't understand it, but
by and by things will clear up, and
then you wouldn't lay it down to
eat"
Yes, | have heard that said"
"And it's so, too. There amt a
book that begins to compare 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 everything's
plain as day"
"The miracles, too, captain ?"
eyes, sir the miracles, too.
Every one of them. Now, there's
that business with the prophets of
Baal; like enough that stumped
you?"
"Well, l don't know butt
Gown up, now; it stumped you.
Well, | don't wonder. You hadn't
had any experience in raveling 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
follows: "l'll do it with pleasure.
First, you see, read and read, and
thought and thought, till l got to
understand 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 characters of that old
ancient day, and Isaac was one Of
them. Isaac had his failings-
plenty Of them, too; it amt for me
to apologize for Isaac; he played it
on the prophets of Baal, and like
enough he was justi6able, consld-
ering the ODDS that was against him.
No, all | say is, 'twa'n't any mira
Gle, and that I'll show you so st
you can see it yourself.
Well, times had been getting
rougher and rougher for prophets
that is, prophets of Isaac's de-
nomination. There was 450 proph-
cts Of Baal in the community, and
only one Presbyterian, 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, | reckon, but he was a
good deal of a man, and no doubt
he went a-prophesyipg around, let
ting on to be doing a land-office
business, but 'twan'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
all out, and then what does he do?
Why, he begins to throw out hints
that the other parties are this and
that and t'other-nothing very
definite may be, but just kind of