The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-03-01
TIE DEACON'S QUARREL.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.

Tanners quarrel with Deacon Twist,
Joshuay?"
"No; / dono as ever did"
"Ye see. Deacon Tanner was real
pious. but his natur was dreadlully arDi.
trary. He had materially an ALFRED
disposition high and mighty as though
he was British lord, and when he got
mad tell ye he was mad-Do hall way
covenant to him.
ole knowcd it himself, and .,c fit
with it night and day, for he was honest
pious, and it done him good inwardly to
hev real sctto with the Old Adam now
and then.
"Natur is na.ur, and the devil in him
bein' set TO be made over into saint, felt
kind O. material comfort in fightin' the
devil out side of him. Leastways, that's
the way he fggcrcd it, and WAS forever
a-prayin' and a-tellin' in meetin' about
the connics an victories an such like.
"For my part, / don't hold to that
b'lief think a mans got good an bad
both inside Of him, without goin' abroad
to find fgh,in'. | think we've got plenty
hardness to wrastle with, and to use Up
all the grace we've got subduin' of 1T /;
but that amt here nor there. The
deacon was honest man, and he thought
different; but whatsoever he thought
tell We he done about the right thing
generly.
"Wel, Deacon Twist he was another
sort; took fire quicer'n spruce b0ugh
and didn't last no longer; bazcd away
jest birch bark fashion all Of n minnit,
and in half an hour he'd be jest like u
cosset lamb, and orful sorry he'd give
way.
'Hut lie KEEP givin' way an rcpentin',
some like Peter in the Bible. But he was
a real good man-they was good as gold,
both on 'em.
"Now Deacon Tanner, he'd set up a
saw mill down in Nepash Brook, and he
done sawin' for everybody round. Twas
new country then, and he had lots o.
business, so he kinder made n rewl that
fust come was fust served, and kept the
names of them that was promised In the
list right along as they came, chalked up
on n board in the mill.
n he'd ought TO hev said that he and
Deacon Twist was real friendly both
being dcacons OF Chester meetin, always
a.gong to funerals and prayer meetin's
and school-us meetin's together, till folks
kinder give skit at 'em now and then,
and some called 'cm David and Jona-
than.
"Well, il come about one time that
Deacon Twist wanted SONIC logs sawed to
cover his new barn. His turn to hev cm
sawed como Thursday mornin', and
Deacon Tanner he was on hand real
early SOS to get all set to rights afore
work begun.
"Jest as he'd got the saw lied and
things cleared up, who should come
load O. logs, but Rod Garret from Go
shen.
"cDeacon,' ses he, I'm in n real fix.
The was dredful blow over T. our town
last evenin'-some folks called it hurri-
cane-but anyway 1t hurried off the roof
o. my house, and flung it against that
mighty big rock in the lot behind, and
smashed it into kindlin' wood.
"' hadn't board on the farm, he
ses, nor couldn't get one, and Sary'a
down with lung complaint, aud baby 8
got spell Of throat all. dono how to
whit till get that roof kivered ag'in. A
rain settin' in wo.l ! just kill 'em and
put to afore daylight, and Pve drawed
these logs over, a.hopin' to get 'em sawed
aforo anybody comes
"'Well, Rodney ses the deacon, kind
Of slow, as though he was consderin'
I've promised Nathaniel Twist for Ia
saw his logs this mornin', and l like to
keep to my word.
"' don't believe but what he'd wait
for me eff he knowed,' said Rob. IT'S q
kind of extremity; I'm extreme anxious
to get them boards right off. feel to
b'licve that Deacon Twist would let Inc
dot eff he was here. He's n pious man
and merciful man. I guess I'd resk il
Of was you, Deacon Tanner
"'Weil, Rodney ses tho deacon, si
does seem to Go d work Of necessity.
guess III try it; you dump them logs and
we'll set her a-goin'.
$50 hen his hired man they got lol
onto The slid, and Rod Garrett an III.
brother who came with him they onyokel
the cattle an put 'em under tree to COO
oil. Then they stood around to see tht
of more'n half dozen boards wher
they heared Deacon Twist a.hawin' All
a.geein' to his big pair O Devon cattle or
the turn O. the hill.
II dono rs Deacon Tanner heered him
stop, he KEEP the old aaw a.goin', an
when Deacon Twist drove up his load o
logs there was the alide full an hear
more to put on tot.
"He was mad He roared out quicker'r
you could say Jack Robson:
"'Whose be them loga9 Nal'cm of,
tell ye It's my turn to hev the eaw, an
amt a.goin to be turned off like this
Hiram Tannerp "
"Jest then the saw stopped minnit
an Deacon Tanner heered him.
"'This hero is my mill an my saw
Mr.. Twist 7 ses he, his eye kinder shinin
an his face gettin' pale, though Twist.
was redder'n winter apple.
"'I don't care o continental If tits + se.
Twist. You said you was a.goin' to cav
for me this mornin', an there's my name
onto the list right afore ye, an ye ham
no right to lie an brass 1t out, If you bs
deacon!
"By this time the fellers that come ur
along with Deacon Twist for to help hin
load up, was gawpin' round, a.lookin' and
a-hearin'.
"And, as twas berry time, lot of the
Elwell tribe was near by in the bushes
and hearin' noise, they came too
crows to a carkiss, they always was
Sons O. BeIial,' Deacon Tanner used tc