Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-01-21

Openin the door we helped the poor
old man into the plain pine desk, while
the people quietly filed in till every
seat was full, m all the standm' room
taken. They couldn't all find room, an
some stood by the doorway an the open
windows.
We older ones took our places first,
s we used to, an as the good man
looked round upon the familiar walls
N faces, the old fire seemed to come
back again, an he stood up without
help-where he had stood so many
times before.
The first hymn he seemed to forget,
an atonce raisin' his tremblin' hands,
began to pray, earnest an lovin', as a
father might pray for his children.
Then, slowly he gave out the hymn:
II love thy kingdom, Lord,
The house OF thine abode"
The first verse he partly sung with
us, but after that he stood leanin' on
the Bible, with his eyes closed. Then
in regular order came the text: "a
new commandment / give unto you,
that We love one another"
Then he closed the book, an leanin'
ON the whitfield desk, began one of the
greatest sermons on the teachin's of
the Master that was ever heard in these
parts. He didn't talk long, but when
the last words fell from his lips, sobs
could be heard in every part of the
house.
He didn't read the last hymn, but
handin' the book to the leader, pointed
to these words:
How blest the righteous when he dies!
When sinks weary soul to rest' ,s-H
As they rose N struck the grand
hymn, he sank back into the chair, an
again leaned on the desk. "n
We all sung that could sing, but
some couldn't, N tears was in the
voices of them as did. heard Blake
well start in all right, but after the
first line or two didn't hear him any
more. Deacon Coleman did the best
he could, but that wasn't much. An
the Spencer girls, though their voices
was thought little shrill, sang through
their tears as smooth s the rest of the
girls.
Well, when the singin' was over, we
waited for the dismissal but Dr. Holl-
man didn't dismiss us that day, When
we got to him, we feared, first. that the
pure spirit had fed. But he hadn't
left us vet. an carefully IS we could
we carried him to the nearest house and
waited there for the end. $500
We'd given up all hopes Of ever
hearin' him speak again, when just
afore twelve, that night, he opened his
eyes, N called us each by name. A
few moments later the lips moved, an
we distinctly heard:
'sBe not afraid; be not afraid. !" ---s-
After that we heard no more, an a
quarter to twelve, that very night, the
good man breathed his last.
l tell ye, children, twas terrible
blow TO us; N, the day we laid him
among the trees, Mrs. Coleman and
Manda most give up. y e y sltseF
Well, after that twas lonesome
enough The women folks felt terri
bly,, IN all the old homesick feelin
came back wus n ever. ! remember
twas bout week after the funeral
I'd been over to the mill N got back
late, when just as l was takin' the
oxen off n the tongue, l spied the dea-
cons horse hitched to the well-sweep
| The folks in the house heard me
drive up, N out they all came. What
was up, couldn't tell, but they could
md what d you s'pose 'twasP
Well. I'll tell We. The deacon''
folks had got so homesick N lonesome
that they, couldn't stan ii, an hat
come over to our place to see i
'twouldn't make 'em feel better.
Of course they got to talkin 'bou
down East, m how they'd like ter g
back, till they began to hope t they
could go; N fin'ly, just afore I'd come
they'd actu'ly laid their plans to go
An there they was, half dead to heal
what thought about it.
Eye see, Ephraim," said Manda, N
there wus such a hopeful look in he
eyes! Eye see, we can go if the dea
cons folks can, nd they say they cal
if we can"
Now we'd planned-the deacon an
Ito build frame house for each o
us, another summer, nd the money W,
had on hand would about do that.
1t would just about take us bacl
East in good shape, if we didn't build
too, nd really didn't know what wa
for the best, 'twas so sudden like; bu
when come to see the anxious look II
the women's faces, why, of course
couldn't say but one thing, m when
said it, yer oughter seen EN-!
| needn't say they were willin' +
make the old houses do for a spell
longer. In less n q week we'd lief
things in care of the Liscom boys, an
were off for the land of brown-brea
m baked beans, Injun7 puddin's m
fire-places. o.a "a ,i7oo
I'd like ter tell We bout that trip, 70
twas one to be remembered, but can
tonight, for must tell bout oar iii
tin back.
Twas late Saturday night when til
team that brought us over from the vi
lage came into the clearin' an what {
We think we saw?
why, VIC shah's W"o III uPSHoH vi
r end to t'other, md the whole neighbol
hood was there with big supper o
the table a-waitin' for us. We was a.
tonished, for certain, for they was a
on the best of terms n Blakewe
was among EN-, il anything happier y
tae rest
Well, they KEEP it a-goin' till lat
an we talked about everything, mos
but the meetin' house. Not a wol
, was said about that, till, just as the
started. BLACKWELL asked us to be SUI
m come to the meetin' next day, j,
they had young minister, md the
, thought we'd like him.
: Well, we promised to go, an s Il
deacon's folks stayed with us TIL
night, early the next mornin' we a
{ started off together to hear the ne