The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-06-13

on the outskirts of the encampment, acri- monious with disappointed curiosity, lazy without the careless ease of vagrancy, and vicious without the excitement of dissipation. For the coarse poverty and brutal economy of the larger arrange ments, the dreary panorama of unlovely and unWh0lesome details always before the eyes, were hardly exciting to the senses. The circus might have been more dangerous, but scarcely more brutalizing. The actors themselves, hard and aggres- ;ive through practical struggles, often warped and twisted with chronic forms of smaller diseases, or malformed and crippled through carelessness and neg lect, and restless and uneasy through some vague mental distress and inquiet- ude that they had added to their burdens, were scarcely amusing performers. The rheumatic Parkinsons, from Green Springs; the ophthalmic Filgees, from Alder Creek the ague-stricken Harneys, from Martinez Bend; and the feeble limbed Stepsons, from Sugar Mill, might, in their combined families, have sug. gested hospital rather than any other social assemblage. Even their compan- ionship, which had little ot cheerful fel- Lowship in it, would have been gro,esque but for the pathetic instinct of some mu- tual vague appeal from the hardness of their lives and the helplessness of their conditions that had brought them to- gether. Nor was this appeal to Higher Power any the less pathetic that it bore no reference whatever to their respective needs or deficiencies, but was always an invocation for light which, when they believed they had found it, to unregen- crate eyes scarcely seemed to illumine the rugged path in which their feet were continually stumbling. One might have smiled at the idea or the vendetta follow ing Ferguses praying for Justification by faith" but the actual spectacle of old Si- mon Fergus, whose shotgun was still in his wagon, offering up that appeal with streaming eyes and agonized features was painful beyond doubt. To seek and obtain an exaltation of feeling vaguely known as "It," or less vaguely yelling a sacred name, was the burden of the gen. eral appeal.
 The large tent had been filled, and be- tween the exhortations certain gloomy enthusiasm had been kept up by singing, which had the effect of continuing in an easy, rythmical, impersonal and ire sponsible way the sympathies of the meeting. This was interrupted by a young man who rose suddenly with that spontaneity of impulse which character iz.d the speaker, but unlike his predeces- sors, he remained for a moment mute, trembling and irresolute. The fatal hes itation scene to check the unreasoning, mono.onous flow of emotion, and to re- call to some extent the reason and even the criticism of the worshipers. He stam- mered prayer whose earnestness was undoubsed, whose humility was but too apparent, but his words fell on faculties already benumbed by repetition and rythm. A slight movement of curiosity in the rear benches and a whisper that it was the maiden effort of new preacher, helped to prolong the Interruption. A heavy man of strong physical expression sPrang to the rescue with an hysterical cry of " Glory ]" and a tumultuous huency of epithets and adjurations. Still the meeting wavered. With one final parox. ysmal cry the powerful man threw his arms around his nearest neighbor and burst into silent tears. An anxious hush followed the speaker continued to sob on his neighbours shoulder. Almost be- fore the fact could be commented upon. it was noticed that the entire rank of worshipers on the bench beside him were crying also the second and third rows were dissolved in tears, until even the very youthful scuffers in the last benches suddenly found their half-hysterical laughter turned to sobs. The danger was averted, the reaction was complete the singing commenced, and in few moments the hapless cause of the inter- ruptioR and the man who had retrieved the disaster, stood together outside the tent. A horse was picketed near them. The victor was still panting from his his late exertions, and was more or less diluvial in eye and nostril, but neither eye nor nostril bore the slightest tremor of other expression. His face was stolid and perfectly in keeping with his physique heavy, animal and unintelligent.
 "Ye oughter trusted in the Lord," he said to the oung preacher.
 But did," responded the young man earnestly.
 That's it. Justifyin' yourself by works instead O leanin' onto Him Find Him, st1 you! Git Him, ser youl Works is vair. Glory glory !" he continued. with fluent vacuity and wandering, dull, ob. servant eyes.
 But if 1 had little more practice in class, Brother Silas, more education"
 "The letter killeth," interrupted Bro. ther Silas. Here his wandering eyes took dull cogniza ance of two female faces peering through the opening of the tent. /" No, yer mishun, Brother Gideon, is to seek Him in the by ways, in the will derness-where the foxes hev holes and the ravens hev their young-but not in the temples of the people. Wot sez Sis ter PArsons?"
 One of the female faces detached itself from the tent flaps, which it nearly re- sembled in color, and brought forward an angular figure clothed in faded fus- tian that had taken the various shades
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