Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-02-16
DAVID AND GOLIAH.
THE STORY AS TOLD BY A LOCAL PREACHER
IN THE SOUTHWEST.

IN THE SOUTHWEST.
Last week, my brethren, as | was a
readin' my Bible, found story of a
big fight q Samuel, xviii 1t was
powerful interestin', and studied it
almost all the week. There was two
armies a campin' on two mo ntains
right fornenst each other, and holler
and, reckon, some good bottom land
and a medder lot lyin' between 'em.
In one of the armies there was a big
fellow--a whoopin' big fellow-and
every day he went down into the med.
der lot and looked up the hill to t'other
camp and just dared 'em. He told
'em to pick their best man and send
him down and he'd fight him. And
he just strutted around there in his
soger close and waited for 'em to send
on their man. And such soger close |
never heard tell on afore.
. He had brass cap and brass trou-
sers, and coat made like mail bags
where they are all ironed and fiveted
together. But the fellows in t'other
camp jest clean flunked. They daren't
fight the big fellow, nary one on 'em.
They jest all sneaked away and the
big fellow he " ent Jack to camp. But
he didn't quit thar, the big fellow
didn't. He was spilin' for a fight, and
he was bound to have it. He Jest went
down into the bottom land, into the
medder lot, every day, mornin and
evenin', and dared 'em and dared 'em.
| teu you he pestcred 'em nightly.
The old fellow, Saul, the Gire ii, he
felt more chawed up and Teaner than
the sogers, and, when he couldn't stan
it no longer, he told the boys that if
any on 'em would 60 down and lick
the big fellow he'd give him his gal
and n right smart chance of plumber.
But they was all so skeer'd that even
that didn't start one of EN-. The big
fellow went down and dared EN- aud
pestered 'em more'n a mouth-forty
days, the Bible says.
don't know what they'd done if
it hadn't a-been that peart little fel.
Ter had come down to camp one dav to
fetch some extra rations. to his three
big brothers that their old dad sent TO
'em from home. Kind old pap he was,
and sharp, too, for he sent along a big
present to the boys Cap'en. Well,
Jest as the little fcller drove up, they
was all gwine out to fight, aud the
little fellow left his traps with the
driver, and legged it after the sogers,
and told his big brothers howdy.
Right thar the old big feller came out
and dared em again, and they we're
all so skeer'd that they just run like
mad. The little feller heered him, and
then went back into camp and heered
all the sogers talking about him, and
what the old Gineral would give to
have him licked. He asked EN-
heap Of questions about it all, and his
big brother he got mad at him, and
twitted him about keepin' sheep, and
gave him right smart of sass. He
was plucky, but you see he had to
stan it, cause twas his big brother.
Big brothers are mighty mean some
times.
But the little feller talked heap
with the other sogers, aud they told
the old Gineral about him, and he
told them to tell the little feller to
come and see him. The little feller
was mighty plucky, and he jest up and
told the old Gineral Saul that he'd
fight the big felier! The Gineral looked
at the handsome little feller-he was
real handsome-and ses he, kinder
softly, IL reckon" and shakin' his
head, "it's too big a job; you're only
n chunk of a boy, and he's an old
fighter" The little feller spunked up
and told the old Gineral that he'd had
one bar fight and he had killed the
bar. He said there was an old lion
and bar got among his dads sheep,
and was gwine off with a lamb. He
broke for i'm, and as soon as he met
up with the bar he lamm'd him till
the bar turned on him for hug; but
he got one hand into the long h'ar
under his jaw, and lamm'd him with
the other'n till he was dead. He'd
killed the lion aud the bar, and he
know'd he was enough for the old big
feller.
Then the little fellow talked real
religious to the old Gineral. You see.
he'd got religion afore that, aud he
knowed that the Lord would help n
feller, if he was all right, and got into
tight place. He told Gineral Saul
that the Lord had made him mighty
supple, and looked out for him when
the old lion aud bar tried to get their
paws into him; and he knOwed He'd
see him through the fight with the big
feller, for he was just DARN 'em and
pesterin' 'em to make game ofTeligion.
When the old Gineral seed he was 80
plucky and religious, too, he knowed
them's the kin that fight powerful, and
4 4 A.