The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-01-18
gabriel, BLOW YOUR TRUMPET. -
An OLD bu. Good story OF Lorenzo Dow,

An Old but Good Story or Lorenzo Dow.
Lorenzo Dow. the noted eccentric trav.
e'ihg preacher of days long gone by, was
very exact IN appointments lie made
20 appear and preach, and sometimes had
them arranged long ways ahead. lie
once approached near one Of the small
towns IN the vicinity of Atlanta, Ga,
ana told his congregation that on that
oay. one year, he would preach to them
| again.
The next season, OH the Saturday after.
noon preceding the Sunday of tho M.
pointed time. the old man was Jogging
along the main road in the direction of
the congregation. He noticed before
nm stout little negro boy, of peculiar.
~ acl'ye step and manner, who carried
III ms hand small tin horn, such as is
used to call the people to their meals.
INC custom among many in the South
lprevious to the war) was to allow
married men togo To their wives houses,
ana children to visit their parents, on
saturday evening, to stay with them on
SUNDAY and as the negroes are musical.
~ inclined, they carry fife, u horn or q
oanJo, 70 give notice of their approach
ana to beguilc the way while in other
cases they whistle, sing or shout. Dow,
according TO his usual manner, entered
INTO conversation with the boy, and found
TIC was aoont to visit the congregation he
WAS about to meet. If the truth must be
t"ld, Lorenzo had an idea that the char.
Eoter OF his flock wns that of a reckless
iro!icsome, END, careless people, upon
whom II was necessary to mako q very
m fNrn L.. 4.
thrown away among them.
asked Dow.
Gabriel, sir" replied the boy, lifting
new straw hat, and showing bis iyorv'
while he actually stepped along to keen
pnce with the preachers horse.
"Can you blow upon that hornw
oh yes, master, can toot a little"
We'll, let me hear you"
SO the negro inflated his checks and
made the pine woods rcsound.
DO you know tall pine tree near the
stand at Sharon ?" said Dow.
Yes, that do, very well, master"
Lorenzo then put his hand into his
pocket, ana pulling out silver dollar
showed it to the negro, and tollcd him
that if hn would climb into the pine tree
before the people met ut the meeting, and
keep there quiet until ho called out his
name. and then blow on his horn rs ho
had just done, he would give him the sill.
yer dollar if ho did not toll any BODY
about it.
The negro expressed himself highly
delighted Mt such M offer, and promised
punctuality and secrecy.
On Sunday large meeting assembled
ut Sharon to henr the famous Lorenzo
Dow. Serious old men and their wives.
wild boys and their sweethcarts, almost ali
on horseback, sometimes by twos and
threes, beside negroes from n great dis.
tancc on foot, being readily cap,iyated
by tho natural eccentric, for they love
anything that has a laugh attached to il.
and they knew that Lorenzo was good
Tor joke. even if it did hit hard.
Dow selected rather IL birthstone text.
and made the application rs strong ms
possible, but he forced his way slowly
among the mercurinl, healthy, honest.
hearted people, who were hard to fright.
en-. lie enumerated the cnornity of the
vices he thought To prevail, but they
were so used to them thnt the words slid
like water over ducks back.
At length lie boldly described, in tho
plninest language, the appearance and
character Of the ''lnst great day." and
what would be .hoir condition when that
day came.
Suppose" exclaimed the preacher
suddenly, and then he paused, "that this
were the day"
lto saw that some Of the women be.
come little tidgetcd, md that they
nndged the fellows into silence and at.
tention.
Suppose" repeated ho, clevating his
voice, that Gabriel should sound bis
trumpet
Atthis moment the little negro showed
he was trump" and from the ton of
the lofty pine loud aud clamorous BLAST
overwhelmed the audience. "The women
ehrieked, the men rose in great surprise,
the horses tied around the camp neighed,
reared and kicked. while the terrified
negroes changed their complexion to
dul! purple color. Never was alarm.
surprise and astonishment moro
promptly exhibited.
Lorenzo Dow looked with grave but
pleased attention upon the successful re.
suit of his experiment, until the first
clamor had subsidized, and some began to
estimate the character Of the artificial
angel, and were about to apply a little
hickory after the pine.
But this suggestion was arrested by the
loud and solemn tones of the preacher,
who, looking very firmly into the faces
of hio disturbed audience, leaned grandly
over them to finish his discourse, and
impressivcly remarked:
"And now il little negro boy, with
tin horn, on the top Of pine bush, can
make you feel 80, how will you feel when
that day does oome?"