The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-03-26
Deacon Thrush in Meeting.

LETTER FROM HANNAH BROWN TO SISTER HuLDAH
DEAR HuLpY.-I must tell you about the way that
Has sot the church folks by the ears-to use that
mode o. speakin'
It's Jest that orful voice of his'n- But, law I'd
best begin
And tell my story straight ahead, or else things
won't fit In.
Last spring we felt that we was blessed, to think
that Deacon Thrush
Was comm up from Simpkinsville to live IN Cedar
brush.
"He,l be piller in our church, says father, the
first thing
I wish he was piller, Hubby, for then he couldn't
Stn1
He bought the Joneses' farm, you know, and moved
in last Of May.
But that first time he came to church, can't for
The openin' hymn was skursly read, the choir was
-, Just arisin'
When every body turned and looked, sound came
Twas Something like the old church.bell, twas
somethin' like the ocean,
Twas most like 'Bjah Morrow's bull, accordin' TO
It fairly drowned my playin' out; It left the tune
never thought that such voice could come from
human kind.
Like thunderclaps and factory-gear through all our
And Hnldy, it was nothin' else than Deacon Thrush
Yes there be sot, with book il hand, as peaceful
and as calm
As he thought his dooty lay in murdrin that poor
psalm.
He never see the old folks smiles he never heeEd
That went up from the gallery. watched our par
son wrigge
And hdget in the pulpit, while poor fathers head
was shakin';
But on went Deacon Thrush, and seemed real COM
fort to be takin'
And when We stopped he couldn't stop, he'd got
sech headway on;
His voice went boomin' up and down, and fattin
That though he tried to choke it off, it mixed up
with his text,
then look vexed.
couldn't hear that sermon, Hubby; my thoughts
was all astray,
A-wonderin' eff Deacon Thrush would sing agen
might have spared my thinkin', though, for that
misguided man
Jest started of the same old way before the rest
began.
put down their books;
I stopped my playin'; back and forth we cast
despairin' looks:
The boys set up to laugh agen; the parson raised
And shouted, but the noise was sech We couldn't
understand:
While Deacon Thrush was leanin' back, his eyelids
A-singin' like an gel on bed of clouds reposin',
m have to cut my story short Next day they called
ameotin',
Resolved to keep poor Deacon Thrush sech singn,
They 'pTnted Uncle Job to go with father and re-
quest
That Deacon Thrush would kindly leave the sngin'
- to the rest
Perhaps You think he took the hint? Then, Hudy,
you're mistaken
He listened till they'd said their say; then, with
~ the smiles a.breakin',
oba braf ripu
I have my faults; sometimes git the tune eetle
slow,
And sometimes, tryin' to ketch up, take an extry
But, takfn' one verse with the next, that makes
= things jest come right
Now when you ask me not to sing, why, breth'ring
I can't do it;
Singins my dooty and delight, and must Jest
" pursue 1t.
And while tread this vale of tears sinful child
Rejociu' is my privilege-rejolce will and must"
Well, 'twan't no use, as Uncle Job and father said
The deacon, though p!ous man, was sot in his
He's sung in meetin' ever sence-there's not seat
And, oh sech sinful whisperin' and nudgn
evefywhere.
Then when the hymns is given out, you'll hear
gineral " Hush !"
While eyerybody's eyes and ears is turned to Dea'
con Thrush.
Hes skeered the little children SO that most of 'em
keeps cryin';
The very horses in the shed won't stand no more
'thout tyin';
He makes the onconverted laugh, while godly souls
are grievin',
Aud yet he's sech Christian man, it's almost past
beievin'.
They're talkin' now of tryin law, but father he
opposes,
And so IN write agen next week to tell you how it
closes.
Oh, Huldy! sech Gurus thing As Deacon Thrush
WAS bringing
His apples home, he thought to cheer the way by
sacred singin'
His team took fright and ran away. The neighbors
found him lynn
All in a heap, and took him home, and now the
good mans dyin'.
And, Huldy, ef it isn't wrong, I'm glad to think
he's goin'
Where all the folks know how to sing, and he can
get shown! -Harper's Bazar.