The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-09-05
come far over the hills and through the
valleys to meet them.

|
One of these preachers related to me
a very ludicrous-although to himself
ut the time annoying-incident which
happened him once on his circuit. He
started to preach at his regular stop
ping place, the cabin of devoted
brother; and. after he was fairly into
his discourse and was beginning to "let
out" he found himself confronted by
an old hen, who, in possession of q
joist as roosting place overhead, would
commence cackling every time he be-
gan to raise his voice, to spread him.
self on his text. He was almost an
novice ut the time; and, at last, he be.
gan to get nervous and in a profuse
perspiration. He had "no freedom" in
fact, and was plagued dreadfully to find
the brakes put down on him in such q
way, while he was ashamed to let it be
known. Finally, as Biddy, with her
head inquisitively cooked on one
side, took him down for the third OF
fourth time, the old lady of the house.
wondering at his unaccustomed manner
happened to divine the trouble, and
wrathfully seizing broom and putting
the plague to flight out of the open
cabin door, she wound up by telling
her she'd "learn her better than to stop
the preacher"
BY the way, there is tradition all
over the South and West that the fowls
can recognize preacher as soon as he
heaves in sight near farm house, and
that, thereupon, all begin to take legs
and wings for the nearest hiding place.
Whether this is so or not, have moth
ing to aver, except to repeat that such
is the tradition but once when L asked
after the theological accomplishments
and progress and promise of a
new preacher, who had been noted not
long before in his own vicinage for the
way he could yell at and "whack" a
pair OF working oxen, the answer given
by the neighbor, and with broad grin,
was, 90, L reckon he'll make his
chicken :"
Again, while on this subject, would
remark that one of the severest things
ever said by one very hard political op-
ponent of another mad point of this
kind in it. The brother complained of,
although distinguished success in poll
tics-it was the late Senator Brownlow
had allowed himself to be pretty
much switched of from his early cali
ing as a preacher, and his enemy sol
EMMY declared of him, therefore, that
the very chickens whose bones his
lantern jaws had cracked, as a circuit
rider, to no good purpose, would at the
last day fly up to the Judgment seat to
witness against him"
The breaking up of camp-meeting
Seemed always to be done reluctantly.
and even sorrowful]y, no matter wheth-
er it had proved successful as an agency
in winning souls or not. A week in
camp together, under such circum-
stances, seems to endear neighbors
greatly to each other; and as they pack
up slowly, to go home and resume their
everyday occupations, and with moth
ing whatever of the spirit, elasticity,
and pleasant anticipation with which
they started there, the long perspective
to another such meeting seemed to
stretch forward into dim indefiniteness.
too far remote even to venture light
and happy anticipations upon. Break
ing away into groups, as they once more
take to the homeward roads, one would
think, to look at their dull movements,
that the journey was to the antipodes,
instead of to pleasant dwellings within
radius of twenty or thirty miles.
Leaving with the rest at the close of
this camp-meeting, as on horseback 1
approached Red river, an afiuent of
the Cumberland, that rises, believe. in
Kentucky, L was busy watching the
crowd of people on the bank of the
stream, when l heard funny colloouy.
On the sandy shore sat man too in
toxicated to get up, and who had fallen
rom his diminutive pony, which some
body had afterward caught and hitched |
70 bush on the other side of the ford. |
recognized him as q notorious topper |
Of the neighborhood, and, just as 1 rode |
up, he was pleading with pious old |
black woman who was trudging home |
rom camp-meeting, and at such time
more than usually indignant at such
'ight. He wanted her to "help him
lp." Her reply was felicitous, although
{ called forth from the miserable scamp
volley of profane abuse. She said:
Get up yourself nobody sot you
Town dar-get up yourself"
L saw that he could not do it; and, as
unset was approaching, and 1 remem-
'ered he had family, although hated
lis drunkenness as thoroughly as did
he old colored woman, L concluded to
20 to the rescue. There was canoe
lear by, SO L hired a couple of stout
7oung colored men who were present,
~ giving them a quarter" TO put him
II the craft, shove him across the
tream, and mount him on his pony,
hey ferrying the old colered woman at
he same time. He kicked and swore
unously at the indignity" of being
hus handled by them but they only
aughed heartily along with myself at
!, and the poor pony at last, loaded
nth the greater beast of the two, slow
wendell his way up the road, actual
7, from his small size and leanness,
from one side to the other
his miserable rider, clinging to his
lane and with heels to his ribs, reeled j,
the saddle; and that much, at least, i,
sympathy with his drunken master. ,
FOund Ont All Ahauf II