Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-02-20

scarcely begun, the majority Of tho
women of the congregation began to call
their minister ,ucle Pete. This Was
very strong evidence OF a sudden de-
cline in bis popularity.
That afternoon an irate committee,
composed principally of women, but in
GLIDING also few men who had ex-
pressed disbelief in the new doctrine,
arrived at the cabin of their preacher,
but found there only his vile, cross
grained old Aunt Rebecca. She in
formed them that her husband was not
at home
"He's done gagged hisse'f," she said,
''ter cut and haul wood fur Kunnel
Martin ober on Little mount'n fur de
whole oh mex week. It's fourteen or
thirteen mile from h'yar, an of he'd
started termorrer mawnin' he'd los
amos whole day. sides dat. done
tole him dat of he get dar ternight he
have his supper frowed In. Mot you
all want wild him. Gwine ter pay him
fur preachin'"
Any such intention was instantane.
ously denied, and Aunt Rebecca was in
formed of the subject upon which her
visitors had come to have q very plain
talk with her husband.
"Reck'n he oughter know all bout
dat" she SAID. Hes done had free
wives, an he amt got rid o dis one
yit."
The leader of the indignant church
members was Susan Henry, mulatto
woman of very independent turn of
mind. She prided herself that she never
worked in anybody's house but her own,
and this immunity from outside service
gave her q certain pre-eminence among
her sisters. II every woman was pos
sessed of seven devils, then, in this re-
spect, 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, il would have better She
might then have made mental ar
rangement in regard to her relative po-
sition which would have somewhat con-
soled her. But now there was no chance
for that. The words of the preacher
had equally debased all women,
A meeting of the disaffected church
members was held the next night-at
Susan Henry's cabin, or rather in the
little yard about it, for the house was
not large enough to hold the people who
attend it.
'Iook h'yar." cried Susan, at the end
of some energetic remarks, lis dar emmy
pusson h'yar who kin count up figgers1
Inquiries on the subject ran through
the crowd, and in few months a black
boy, about IL, was pushed forward a:
an expert in arithmetic.
Now, You Jim," said Susan, ''you's
been to school, an kin count up fggers
'Cordjn' ter de chu CHI books dar forty.
seben women blongln' to our meetin',
an il each one OBJ dem dar has got seben
debbils in her, / jus wants you ter tell
me how many debbils come to chu'ch
cherry cl'ar sunday ter hear ole Uncle
Pete preach.
Jims calculations were made by the
aid OF back of an old letter and q
piece of pencil furnished by susan.
The result was at last announced as
319.
"Now, you jus turn dat ober in you
alls minds, 'ssaid Susan. "More'n fire,
hundred debbils in chu'ch ebbery sun
day, an we women fotchin EN-. Doe
anybody pose lse gwine ter b'lieve da
fool talk"
A middle-aged man now lifted up hi
voice and said: Use been thinkin
Ober dis h'yar matter, and lse cludet
dat p'r'aps de words oh de preacher wa
used in a fggeratous form o sense
P'r'aps de seben debbils meant chillnn.
These remarks were received with M
favor by the assemblage.
"Oh, you git out"' cried Susan
"Iour ole woman's got seben chillun
shore 'nuf, an s'spec dey's all debbls
But dem sent ments don apply ter al
de udder women, ticlarly ter dem dal
young uns wot amt married yit."
This was good logic, but the feelinl
the subject proved to be even stronger
for the mothers in the company becam
so angry at their children being consid
cred devils that for time there SCENE,
to be danger of an Amazonian attack OF
the unfortunate speaker Many violen
propositions were made, some of tn
younger men going so far as to offer h
burn down the church. IL was finall,
agreed that old Peter should he uncere
monously ousted from his place in tn
pulpit which he had filled so man
years.
AS the week passed on some of tn
older men OF the congregation, who ha,
friendly feelings toward their old com
panion and preacher, talked the matte
over among themselves, and afterwar,
succeeded in gaining the general con
sent that Uncle Pete should be allowe
chance to explain himself, and Civ
his grounds and reasons for his astound
ing statement in regard to womankind
II he could show Biblical authority fc
this, of course nothing more could b
said. But if lie could not, then b
must get down from the pulpit, and s
for the rest of his life on back seat {
the church.
Uncle Pete arrived at home very Lat
on saturday night, and retired to hi
simple couch, without knowing any
thing OF the terrible storm which wa
to burst upon him on the morrow. Blu
the next morning, long before churc
time, he received warning of what wa
to happen. But the old man possesse
a stubborn soul, not easily to be fright
ened.
"Wot / says in de pulpit" he re
marked, "I'll 'splain in de pulpit! yo
all nd better git long to de chu'ch, al