Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-09-25
PRA'R MURDER.

PRA'K MURDER.
! Parson Renfroe was stricken down
with fever. After a season of great suf-
fcring he began TO improve, but his re-
! coverv was so slow that he decided TO
call upon the church; accordingly, the
other day, Fatnose Bob arose in church
and said:
"Brudren, it am my pleasure an my
duty ter say dat Parson Renfroe 'zires
de united pra'rs o. de church. We all
knows him ter be er fiue preacher an
er monsrous good man, darefO' | hopes
dat yer will all do yer best fur him."
Just as the members were kmeeling
down Rabbitfoot Sias arose and said:
"Uole on. brudders and sisters" Ev-
cry one looked up in surprise. silas
continued: eyer all knows dat l neber
WAS de man ter kick outen de traces fur
nuthin', an MORN dat yer all knows
has allus been libul ter er mighty big
fault. Wall, ez yer all knows dis. 1t
will now be proprinte fur me ter make
er few remarks. Parson Renfroe is er
| bpggar. Some time ergo he come roun
| heah an said dat his chillun didn't hab
no shoes. Wall, we got 'em some shoes.
Den putty soon he come roun' an say
dat he needed pair O boou. Wall, we
= Ia
he come pokin' roun' wild er plttyful
| tale dat .he didn' hab no flour in de
| house, an now, brudders an sisters,
arter we'se done all whut we has done,
dat man has der impeI dence ter SEN
roun' heah an AK fur de pra'rs ob de
church. | thinks dat we hab done er
| nutf fur dat man. He puts me in mine
oh one oh desc niger Dimmercrats dat
no matter whut yer does fur him he still
wants yer ter sign er petition fur him
tur Git office. We amt go 10 prars TO
| waste. We'se needin rain an we'd bet
ter pray fur hit"
Silas sat down with an air of satisfac-
ton and surveyed the congregation.
| Old Bob arose aud said:
sI doan think dat de brudder's pint is
well tuck, an it peers ter me dat he is
sorter prejudiced, nohow. It's my er-
pinion dat we oughter hep er pusson
when he's down flat on his back"
"Ef he's down fiat OH his back, let
him turn ober," exclaimed Silas.
ole kain't turn ober, sab. He amt
able"
''Den let him hire some pusson ter
turn him ober wild er han spike"
"Brudder Silas, yer oughtentcr talk
dat way"
"Wall, now, lcmme me tell yer bout
dat. owns two OBJ de cOrnder logs OBJ
dis house and I'se got er right ter talk
putty much ez please"
"Not in de Lawd's house, Silas."
"Whar's de Law2's house?"
"Dis un; dis house vessel is in at de
present curmotion, sah."
"Who put up de house,"
Vessel hep'd ter do it, but it was
wild de Lawd's will. Ef de Lawd had'n
ter wanted yer ter hep pu: it up he
woulder let ole Satan slip up an knock
yer off de cornder."
"Wall, now, all dis amt got nuthin
ter do wild prayin fur dat man, an now
lemme tell yer: Ez soon ez yer gins ter
pray fur him | gins ter tear down dis
house. No, won't do dat, but | tell
yer whut will do. III ginter ter pray
fur dat man ter die"
oyer oughter be ershamed oh yessef,
Silas."
81 kain't hep it. Dat's whut Pm
gwine ter do"
Bob and the congregation prayed fer
yently for the recovery Of the parson.
Silas prayed that the parson might die.
The next day old Renfroe died. When
it became known throughout the neigh
borhood that Silas had prayed for the
preachers death, considerable feeling
was manifested; and, after awhile, the
excitement became so intense that old
Silas was arrested and arraigned before
a justice of the peace.
Eyer honor" said Silas, 81 wants ter
know whut Use heah fur"
Eyer will fine out soon ernuf, sab.
I'll teach yer how to tamper wild de
Lawd."
| "Ain't been er doin nuthin' OBJ de
sort, jedge."
"Neber mine so much OBJ yer jaw.
Fetch in de witnesses, Mr.. Constable" F"
Old Bob was introduced. "Jedge, "
said he, sob cose it amt fur me ter say,
but Brudder Silas is guilty. Wegunter
pray fur Brudder Renfroe bout two
O'Clock in de ebeuin, sab, an putty soon
arter dat he gunter grow wus an wus,
an KEEP on er gittin wus till he wuz dun
dead, sah."
.tI.emme AK de witness er question, y
said the defendant. "How many folks
wuz prayin fur Brudder Renfroe?"
"Bout er hundred all fifty"
"Bery well. Now how many wui
prayin ergin him?"
"Only one."
"Wall, den, how cum it dat one pus
| 90, A., ,xot ,no, duenoa wid 10 awf