Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-02-12
Mark Ttcain's Latest.
Hsys an Irreverent Old Salt Interpreted
the story OF Elijah and the Prophets
OF Rsal.
ATLANTIC for November.l

ulLut II pdA NANu4oiAt "~'if ~ -
four sea-voyages with him. He was i
very remarkable man. He was born in
a ship; he picked up what little education
he had among his shipmates he began life
in the forecastle, and climbed grade by
grade to the captaincy. More than fifty
years Of his sixty-fve were spent at sea
Tie had sailed all oceans, seen al. lands,
and borrowed tint from all climates
When man has been fifty years at sea
he necessarily knows nothing of men, moth
ing of the world but its surface, nothing
of the worlds thought, nothing of the
worlds learning but its A b G, and that
blurred and distorted by the Unlicensed
lenses of an unframed mind. Such a man
is only a grey and bearded child. That Is
what old Hurricane Jones was,-simply
an innocent, old infant. When his spirit
was in repose he was as gentle as girl ;
when his wrath was up he was a hurricane
that made his name seem tamely descript-
i've. tie was formidable in fight, for he
was of powerful build and dauntless cour-
age. He was frescoed from head TO heel
with pictures and notices tattoOed in red
and blue India ink, l was with him one
voyage when he got his last vacant space
tattoOed this vacant space was around
his left ankle. During three days he
stumped about the ship with his ankle
bare and swollen and this legend gleam-
ING red and angry out from a cloudiug of
India ink Virtue Is It's own RID"
/ There was a lack Of room.) He was
deeply and sincerely pious and swore ike
| fish-woman. Tie considered swearing
/ blameleSs, because sailors would not under
stand an order unil.uminated by it. He
was profound Biblical Scholar,-that Is
ne thought he was. He believed every
thing in the Bible, but he had his own
methods of arriving at his beliefs He
was OF the advanced school of thinkers,
and applied natural laws to the interpret.
alton of all miracles, somewhat on the
plan Of the people who make the six days
Of the creation SIX geological epochs, and
50 forth. Without being aware OF it, he
was rather severe satire on modern sci
entidc religionists. Such man as have
been describing is rabidly fond Of disquis-
ition and argument one knows that with
out being to.dit
One trip the captain had a clergyman
on board, but did not know he was a cIer-
gyman, since the passenger 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 history,
and wove a ghttering streak Of profanity
through his garrulous fabric that was re-
freshing 70 a spirit weary Of the dull neu-
trali,ies Of undccorated speech. One day
the captain said Peters, DO you ever
read the Bible ?'
"Wou-yes.'
81 Judge it amt often, by the way you
say it. Now, you tackle it in dead earn
est once,and you'll find it'll pay. Don't
YOU get discouraged, but hang right on.
First YOU wont understand it; but by and
by things will begin to clear up, and then
YOU wouldn't lay It down to eat"
Yes. have heard that said"
aud its so. too. There amt book
that begins with it. 1t lays over EN- all,
Peters. Theirs some pretty tough things
in it-there amt any getting around that
blu, YOU must sick TO them and think
them out, and when once you get on the
inside, eyerything's plain as day"
The miracles, too, captain
Yes, sir The miracles too. Every
one Of them. Now, there's that business
with the prophets Of Baal; like enough
that stumped you ~
We'll, | don't know
Gown up now it stumped you. Well,
don't wonder. You hadn't had any eI-
perienee in raveling such things out, and
naturally it was too many for you. Would
you ike to have me explain that thing to
you, and show you how to get at the meat
Of these matters -
Indeed, l would, captain, if you don't
mind.
Then the captain proceeded as follows
Ill do it with pleasure. First, you see
| read and read, and thought and thought, /
till | got to understand what sort OF peO-
pie they were in the old Bible times, and
then after that all was clear and easy.
Now, this was the way | put it up, con-
corning 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 MS failiDgs-plen;y Of them, too; 1t
amt for me 10 apologize Tor Isaac; ne
played 1t on the prophets Of Baal, and
ike enough he was justifatle considering
the odds that was against him. No, al /
say Is, 'twal'i any miracle, and that I'll |
show YOU so'st YOU can see for yourself
Well, times had been getting rougher
and rougher for prophe,s-that is for
those Of Isaac's denomination. There were /
45O prophets Of Baal in the community,
and Only one Presbyterian that Is, if
Isaac was 4 Presbyterian, which | 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 man, and no doubt
he went prophesying around, letting on to
be doug land-offce business, but 'twa'O't
any use he couldn't run any opposition
to amount to any thing. By and by things
cot desnerate with him; he sets his head