Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-06-08

church for stated preaching; but the
less of this sort he had, the more far
and wide he travelled on what he called
his missionary work, especially now
that his services were never needed at
home. Revivals and protracted meet
ings were what he liked best of all.
These he would pursue throughout all
the regions round about Buffalo, and
Williamson's Swamp, ond occasionally
even to and beyond both the Ohoopees,
Big and Little.
oh, bunnance, Sister Peacock, he
would say on his way back, while stop,
ping for the night,-'a bunnance of
good preachin' to be done all around
in thar and among them Ohoopees.'
L sposen so,' she would answer !;
they tell me--them that's been down
thar-that they needs a bunnance o.
light in them wasted and watery pla-
ces.'
"A bunnance, bunnance. try to
lift up the gospel poles, and when my
arm gives out, Brother Lazenberry he
takes hold of 'em, and when his'n gives
out, / take hold ag'in, and, betwixt US,
them poles is hit up when me and
Brother Lazenberry travels around
thar together
Sometimes to have heard his and
Sister Peacock's talk or his and 'Lijay's
when he had gotten home again, one
might have supposed that Mr.. Peeler
was just returned from toilsome and
dangerous missionary labors in regions
the most remote and benighted in all
the earth.
And yet Mr. Peeler was not happy.
He could but observe that he was not
wearing well, as they used to say. He
had rung, it seemed, every possible
change of his afflicted conditions
throughout a circle of at least fifty
miles diameter in the wiregrass count
rv, and yet the sympathies Of the
brethren aud sisters everywhere SEEM
ed less tender and responsive. The
sisters especially were gradually drop
ping their friendly quarrels about who
should have him at their houses and
feed him on biscuit and fried chicken.
Something was the matter: what was
il ? He was conscious of no dimiuution
of his powers. Somebody was to blame
for it. Who Was it Sam Wiggins
Old Sam was innocent Of any inten-
ton to hinder Mr.. Peeler's continued
ascent. He worked every day of his
life excep tSundays for MIR. Peeler's
family. True, sometimes on Satur-
day, when he would return from Dukes
borough, he might be little 'disguis-
ed as they used to call it, with whisky.
But this had never b'.en habit with
him, aud ee was always ashamed OF it,.
With the exception of this inirmlty,
he was one of the best characters in all
the country. Then, he was skillfdl
farmer. They made plenty. They
could of sold poultry, eggs, and butter
in town; but there was no one except
'Li!ay to carry them and even if his
mother had desired him to do so--as
she did not--'Lijay was not the boy
for low work like that. And so they
all white folks and negroes, consumed
them. or sent what was left to their
poorer neighbors.
But this entire devotion of Sam to
Mr. Peeler's family seemed to have a
depressing influence upon Mr.. Peeler's
mind The more his wf4doted upon
her brother, and the more the neigh
bors praised the dear old fellow, the
more he grew to dislike him. The
farther he went from home on preach
in tower as he was wont to charac-
terize his travels, the more he mourned
and wept in the pulpit, and the more
he asked uf his breathern and sisters II
tbey knowed his conditions, his afilict-
ed conditions, and the more he counsel
ed and exhorted his hearers, and took
up the argument against himself, as j.
were. and contended that we must oil
have our trials, and our crosses, and
must take 'em up and carry 'em along
in a vainglorious and gainsayin'
world. Such complaints were never
heard anywhere near home. Indeed.
Mr.. Peeler seldom had an opportunity
OF exercising himself in his line except
in fields quite distant, and becoming
more and more so from Dukesborough.
Yet Sam Virgins would bear from
time to time Of some OF the things his
brother-in-law had said, and the folks
would occasionally joke him about being
snch sinner as to make Mr.. Peeler
shed tears over him.
ooh yes, yes Sam would say,
'Neelus cries different from other folks.
He cries with his jaws There amt a
bit of Neelus's cryin' that comes from
anywhere lower that his jaws.
Sam felt at first no great resentment
against Mr.. Peeler; for though brave,
and even resentful in the face of mani.
fest and intended wrong, be regarded
Mr.. Peeler ~ a sort of weakling that
one might commiserate, but not com
bat. But more than this, he felt that
he ought to bear almost anything for
the sake of his 81, ter, than whom never
sister was more fondly loved, admired,
and dotted upon. Occasionally he
would feel q pang Of keen Indignation,
but II was soon gone. Mr.. Peeler
thought he understood Sam but he
did not.--that IL, not quite. He new
or had expected that Sam would hear OF
what he was wont to say OF him on the
Ohoopees, and had no notion that.
even if it should reach him, he would
ever seriously resent it. Not for a
pread deal would he have had Sam lcTve
the place for he wanted him for the
double purpose Of supporting his fami-
" and finishing capital for his minis
terial labors.
You say the poor creotur brought
his bottle with him last night, 'Lijay y
he asked on Sunday morning of his
son.
Yes, sir, and taken it, | did, after
he got to sleep. and ! went out. and |
poured the stuff on the ground, and put
back the bottle on his table