Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-10-04
NO. 239.
ATURDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 4, 1879.
Gales ano Skettbes.
MIR. CARMICHAEEs CONVERSION.
A NINETEENTH-C CENTURY MYSTERY.
Continued from Yesterday.

|
a corresponding state of fury. I'D like
to know where your duty begins" he
shouted IN a passion .'At home, il seems
to me. Dye know, haven't had hot
mouthful to eat since that tconfounded show
started. Charity and duty begin at home;
dive hear me, ma am ?n and the captain
rushed off with passion ut white heat.
Miss Dinah shut her eyes and let the bot
tied wrath pour over her head without a
murmur land it left her quite unruffed, like
the feathers ola goose trickled over by a
summer storm.
Matters had by this time come to such
pass that no revival was ANYTHING without
Mr.. Carmichael and his story.
Carmichael CarmichaelP" the captain
asked gruflly, one dav. Carmichael ?
Who's hep"
"Oh," Miss Dinah said with sigh and
II plying look at her brother-''oh, he is
one of the saved he changed from being
a drunkard and sinner, and now he's full
of grace
"A precious shining light.' the captain
interrupted, in great disgust sit must
do people darned sight of good to hear
him.'
jonathan" his sister said, pleadingly
-"Jonathan, come with me this after
noon. It'll do you good-indeed it will.
Mr. Carmichael speaks for the first time.
They say he had awful experiences"
Captain Dunlow. moved by an unex-
pected curiosity, not only consented to go,
but hitched the horse to the ''shay," and
he and Miss Dinah were off to the town.
hall in good time.
There was peculiar delicate flavor Of
excitement about Mr. Carmichael's APP
pearance, as he was a native of the town,
! and people had some curiosity to see the
saint who had been developed from such
vagabond. So Alilbolo' and all the sur
rounding towns had turned out in full
force to do him honor, and the open
square before the town-hall was filled with
any and every kind of vehicle which would
hold together long enough for the occu-
pants to reach their destination. An en-
thusiastic multitude had preceded the
captain and Miss Dunlow, so they could
only squeeze into Il back settee between
door and window through which blew
brisk breeze which began to tell on the
captains temper. However. there was
something in the air, an excited earnest
ness. which made the unhappy scoffer
even forget himself; it was an excited
earnestness which savored of hysteria.
The hymns were sung with tremendous
fervor, and the women's voices rang out
shrill and high with excitement. The
prayers, too, were fervently listened to,
and wet eyes, and bony, hard-worked
hands wrung in repentance. spoke more
in honor of trusting hearts than the preach
ers' eloquence They knew their people
well, these men who spoke, and they had
IA fashion of hitting the nail on the head
by which other men might take pattern.
Even the captain became excited, and
ran his stubby hand through his tough,
gray hair till it stood on end, and then
took out his scarlet handkerchief and blew
his nose till the people about turned round
in disgust. not knowing the captains way
of showing his emotions.
| Suddenly there was Il commOtion; the
people stood up and stretched their necks,
till the captain, who was short man, and
wedged into a corner as well, turned this
way and that in baked curiosity, dodging
his head i'm between his neighbors', inef-
fectually.
.Confound it"' cried the captain, and
made nimble leap on to the settee. Look
ing over the heads of the people at the
platform, he gave a gasp and start as he
saw a man standing there with half-con-
quered, hang-dog air, defiant look in his
eyes and snarl and a whine in his voice
in other words, Mr.. Carmichael, in his
well-known character, as the theatrical
bills would put it, of rescued wretch.
''Bless my soul, who's hee' the captain
thought but had no time to recollect, for
Miss Dinah, red with shame and horror,
pulled at his coat tails.
'Down, down therer' shouted an out
ragged worshipper; and so the captain de-
scended, and Mr.. Carmichael began.
lie had no intention of giving himself
good character; he had learned his part
well, and he revelled in every vile epithet
he could use against himself, and groyel-
led in such dire abasement that his admir-
ing hearers acknowledged that Heaven
had to stoop a long way to pick him up
from the mrc; and IA certain choleric old
gentleman in a corner, with distracted
mind and two clenched fists, was wishing
he had Mr.. Carmichael quite alone on board
the Lovely Sal, with ropes end handy,
when that reformed sinner suddenly threw
an unexpected light upon himself.
Heaven said Mr.. Carmichael, and
raised his eyes to the ceiling" Heaven
saved this poor wretch for its own pur-
poses. A miracle was performed; there
| came VOICE irOIi tHc clouuS anu sdiu,
Sinner"
The choleric old gentleman in corner
was gaspng for breath, and had turned
fairly red. The choleric old gentleman
wanted to get up but was held down by
the hands of a mddle-aged gentlewoman
Sinner" continued Mr.. Carmichael.
"'sinner, beware! The eye of the Lord is
upon youn"
.'You lie!''
1t rang throug the place, and Mr.. Car
michael stopped opened and
glaced down ON the red-faced old gentle
man in the corner. who had leaped upon
the settee and was waving scarlet BAN
danna handkerchief like flag of defiance.
You lie, you-you landlubber. Twas
| with my speaking-trumpet. Don't you
go round telling your darned lies, and
leading them poor soft folks by the noses. I"
with a look of withering contempt at the
scandalized people. "A nice heaven
'twould be to save such blackguard rs
you!'
i Mr. Carmichael came IN himself. he