The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-06-27
A RUINED MAN.
How Heartiess Robbers Destro, cd th,
 Usefulness of a Preacher.

Usefulness of a Preacher.
 "Dar aint no us'n CT man tryin' ter do right in dis heah fersook county" said the Rev. Sam Nablin, a colorcd gentle man whose efforts as a revivalis, at one time called the lowly negro from the cast iron plow and made the thick lip sister forego the excitement of the "bran dance"
 "Whats the matter, old mani" some one asked. " Haven't you been success ful in gathering sinners into the foldS"
 "Oh, yas, sah, hab had a reg'lar hog killin' time fur es de sinners wUl con- sarned, but 'spenenoe hab showed me dat de christains O de Ian doan 'preci. ate de good work ob one O dc 'possels. Da siIt treated ne right, cae'n; da ain't treated me right, l tells yer"
 "Didnt they pay you for your preach iDg2"
 "oh, wall, da paved fur 1t in CT man ner, sab, an doan' plain bout dat, but it's de ungratitude dat hits me so awful hard. Lemme tell yer, de man whut de dis 'vival work ain't hil' up high ernufi in de community"
 "Isn't, eh 7"
 No, sah, he amt. Folks is gii,in' so kereless 'bou, 1igious matters dat de debil gwine ter git 'em one O desc days"
 "Going to get them, eh2"
 "Sho's yer born'd, he is; yas, sah. ] gin up eberything fur de cause-=ebery- thing. wuz runnin' CT sto' down in de country, an wuz doin' CT ra,,lin' bus ness when de Lawd called on me ter drap de bacon knife an take up de Testament. wuz CT libin' in my ease an had mort gsges on hsii CT dozen craps when dc Lawd an Master tolc me ter foller Him. wuI CT walkin' out In de woods at de time, heerd CT voice, but thinkin' dat it wuz somebody up in de trees, artcr grapes, didn' say nothin'. Putty soon 1 heard my name an axed, Who's da, CT talkin' bout me2' De naixs mint my knees 'gunter knock tergedder, an den de word come. De voice tole mo ter drap eberything an go an preach de gospel; ter stir up de pigheaded people O de Ian. seed de si,cherwation, an knowd dar want no time ter be lost, so sold my sto' an struck out fur de cause. Wall, sah, de mourners Hocked. nebes seed de like sence de day wus born d ter die. Er ole nigger da. uster win my money, playin' craps, trapped down a, de bench, an CT ole feller whut we all knowd had han'led chicken, wid CT awful reckless han, declared dat he wuz gwine ter be CT good pusson rum dat time on 'Clar ter goodness, 1 neber seed dc like 1 didn' know whul CT power one holy pusson could put on. De folks wuz aw. full glad. an da hugged me roun' in CT mighty muslin way. 1 didn' think de great love feast could hole out long. but, bless yer. dar want no let up CT tall. De whole country wuz in CT fever O 'cite- nent. All dis time 1 had been CT preach. in under CT tent. De committee got ter. gedder an lowed dat it wuz de bes' plan fur us ter git tergedder an raise money CT nuf ter build CT fine church. Wall, sah, da raised six hunpsrd dollars an gin de money ter me. 1 wanted ter do de bes' l could, so gunteT ter look CT roun' fur lumber. One day while wur gwine through de woods, huntin' roun' fur saw mill, some bad men whut neber had heared me preach, hoped out rum be- hin de trees, grabbed me an tuck de six hun'ered dollars away rum me. Soon = da got de money da run CT way an didn' see 'em no mo-. felt mighty bad, ease de people had put CT mighty heep O comferdence In me, but it couldn' be hepped. When tole de committee 'bou, de great loss, da gunter sniff de ar an look 'spiciouA Dat want no way ter treat CT holy man not CT tail, l. want. Putty soon one man, he say:
 "Whut sorteE lookin' men wuz daT
 "Da robbed me % quick dat didn' hab time ter look sT.
 @'Wuz d. white menP
 "Doan know bout dat, bat 1 doesn' think dat da wuz christain gentlemen
 @Whut yeT reckon dat curmittee done wid me, boss
 "I have no idea"
 ~W'y, sah, da shet me op in es black snif shop. Den d. went tex my house