Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-03-05

she done took one bite out OBJ each one,
she frew it away. Den de old debbil
sarpint he scratch he head, and he say
to hese'f: Dis yer jade, she pow'ful
'ticklar bout her apples, reckin I'll
have to wait till arter frost, and fotch
her real good one.' AM he done wait
till arter frost, and den he fotch her an
Albemarle pippin, and when she took
one bite OBJ dat, she jus 60 long and eat
it all up, core, seeds, and all. Look
hyar, sarpipt, says she, 'hab you got
anudder oh dem apples in yorr pocket
And den lie TUX one out and glib il to
her. 'Cuse ME, says she, Use gwine
ter look up Adam, and eff he don't want
ter know whar de tree as wot desc apples
grow on you kin hab- him fur corn
field hand
can now, dear brcv'ren, while | was
a-turning dis subject Ober in my mind,
ard wonderin' how de wimmin come to
hab just seben debbils apiece, done
reckerleck dat bit OBJ Scripter wot
I heerd at Kyarter's Mills, and | reckin
dat splains how de debbils got inter
woman. De sarpnt he done fotch Mud
der Ehe seben apples, and ebery one
she take bite out of glib her Gebbil." !"
As might have been expected this ser
mon produced a great sensation, and
made a deep impression on the congre-
CATION. A rule the men were tolcr-
ably wei, satisfied with it, aud when
the services were over many of them
made it the occasion of shy 5ut very
plainly pointed remarks to their female
friends and relatives.
But the women did not like it at all.
Feelings, Of Indignation soon spread
among all the sisters of the church.
Each one of them knew she had not
seven devils, and only few of them
would admit of the possibility OF any of
the others being possessed by quite so
IllHlN. ItlNIl ~
the manner in which every woman came
To be possessed of just so many devils
appeared TO them of little importance.
What they objected To was the funda-
mental doctrine of his sermon, which
was based on his assertion that the BIZ
BILE declared every woman had seven
devils.
Although Sunday afternoon had
scarcely begun, the majority of the wo-
men of the congregation began to cali
their minister Uncle Pete. This was
very strong evidence OF sudden decline
in his popularity.
That afternoon an irate committee,
composed principally of women, but in
Guiding also few men who had ex-
pressed disbelief in the new doctrine,
arrived at the cabin of their preacher,
but found there only his wife, crossed
grained old Aunt Rebecca. She inform
ed them that her husband was not al
home.
"IIe's done gagged hisse'f," she said,
"ter cut and haul wood fur kunuel
Martin obrr on Little mouUt'n fur de
whole ob mex week. It's fourteen or
thirteen mile from h'yar, an ef he'd
started termorr.r mawniu' he'd los
amos whole day. Sides dat, | done
tole him dat ef he get dar ternight he'd
have his supper frowe1 in. Wot you
all want wild him? Gwine ter pay him
fur preachin'!"
ANY such Intention was instantane-
ously denied, and Aunt Rebecca was in
fcemed of the subject upon which her
visitors had come 10 have very plain
talk with her husband.
"Reck'n lie oughter know all bout
dat" she said. He's done had free
wives, an he amt got rid o. dis one
yit."
The leader of the indignant church
members was Susan Henry, a mulatto
woman of very independent turn Of
mind. She prided herself that she new
er worked in anybody's house but her
own, and this immunity from outside
service gave her a certain pre-eminence
among her sisters. Ii every woman
was possessed Of seven devils, then, in
this respect, she was no better nor worse
than any Of the others; and at this her
proud heart rebelled. II the preacher
had said some women had eight devils
and others six. 1t would have been bet
ter. She might then have made men,
tai arrangement In regard TO her rela-
tive position which would have some
what consoled her. But now there was
no chance for that. The words OF the
preacher had equally debased all wo-
men.
4 meeting of the disaflected church
members was held the next night at
Susan Henry's cabin, or rather in the
llltle NdIu dDout It's AOi lhS uouHN " 80
not large enough to hold the people who
attended il.
"Look h'yar !" cried Susan, at the end
OF some energetic remarks, lis dar emmy
pussou hyar who kin count up fggers!"
Inquire. OH the subject ran through
the crowd, and in few moments black
hoy, about IA. was pushed forward as
all expert in arithmetic.
Now, you jim. +" said Susan, ''yOu q
been TO school, and kin count up figgers.
'Cordin' ter de chu 'ch books dar's forty
seben women b'longin' to our meetin',
and ifeach one of dem darhas got seben
debbils in her, jus wants you ter tell
me how many debbils come to chu'ch
ebery cl'ar Sunday ter hear ole Uncle
Pete preach"
lime oaIauiatinns were made hy the