Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-05-16

NharisS kgDert Lraddo1x,
The little log meeting house At the
Notch stood high on a rugged scar II
the Great 9nioky. Dense f0resns en-
compassed il 0n every hand, obsrur.
ing that familiar picture Of mountain
and cloud aud cove. From il rude
CLASHES windows one could look out
on no distant vista, save perhaps in
the visionary glOries Of heaven or the
climatic discomiorts Of hell, according
to the state OF the conscience. or tef-
chance, the liver. The sky was alooi
and limited. The laurel tangled the
isles OF the woods Sometimes from
the hard benches weary tow-headed
brat might rejoice TO mark in the mo-
notony the frisking of squirrel on
bough hard by, or woOdpecirer sol
emnly tapping. The ac0rns would
rattle on the roof, II the wind stirred,
as il in punctuation Of the dis
course. The pines, mastering strong
among the oakes joined their mystic
threnody 10 the sad-yoiced quiriDg
within. The iirs stretched down long.
pendulous, darkling bOughs, aud filled
the air with their balssimic fragrance.
Within the house the dull light fell
over iew rude benches and plat
form with a chair and table, which
was used as pulpit. Shadows of many
deep, rich tones Of brown lurked
among the rafters. Here and there a
cobweb, woven 10 the consistence OF a
fabric, swung in the air. The drone of
blue-boitle, fluttering in and out OF
the window in slant of sunshine,
might invade the reverened silence, as
Brother Jake Tobin turned the leaves
TO read the chapter. Sometimes there
would sound, too, commotiOn among
the horses without, embarrassed from
the wagons and hitched to the trees;
then in more than one OF the solemn
faces might be described an anxious
perturbation mot fear because of
equine pcryersIEies, but because OF the
oil call0w human ma
ture in the urchins left in charge
OF the teams. No one ventured
to investigate, however, and, with
with that worldly discomfort contend
ing with the spiritual exaltations they
sought TO foster. the rows of religion
lists swayed backward and forward ia
rhythm to the leaders voice, rising
and falling in long, billowy sweeps Of
sound, like the ground swell of ocean
waves.
1t was strange looking upon their
faces, and with a knowledge OF the
limited phases OF their existence, their
OF experience here, where
A hundred. years might come and 20,
working no change save that like the
leaves, they huttered awhile In the
outer air with spurious animation
called life, and fell in death. and made
way for new bourgeonings like unto
themselves-strange to mark how they
differed. Here was imam oi a stern,
darkly religious conviction, who
might either have writher at the
stake or stopped To kindle the
hmes; and here was an accountant
soul that knew only those keen mer-
camille motives-the hope OF reward
and the fear of hell; and here was an
eye, touched by the love OF
God; and here was an unfinished,
hardly humanized face, that it seemed
ls presumptous to claim as the expo
nentof a soul rs the faces of the stu
pid oxen out-of-doons All were ear
nest; many wore an expression of
excited interest, ~ the details OF the
chapter waxed TO "A climax, like tie
tense stiffness OF metropolitan audi
ence before an unimagined coupe de
theatre. The men all sat on orc side,
their quids; the women on
the other, almost masked by their
limp sun-bonnets. The ubiquitous
OF him-was there, aud
more than once bahbled aloud and
cried out peevishly. Only one, becUn-
ing uproarious, wis made a public ex-
ample; being quietly borne out ana
deposited in the ox-wagon. at the ner-
ey Of the urchins who presided over
the teams, while his mother crceped
in again on the tips Of deprecating.
anxious toes, to hear the Word.