The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-01-23
CONVINCED HIM.
How Old Oscar Cam. to See the Devil

Oscar Sinner, after many efforts to ele- vate himself. and after failing in his en- deavors to organire the Mutual Cotton Pickers association. decided to preach the gospel. Like many other African gentle men he knew that the pulpit was safe refuge, and that his success would be commensurate with his skill as a talker. His first sermon was successful. The old negroes warmly praised him and de. elared tha. a prophet had indeed arisen in the iand. There was one man, how ever, who was thoroughly displcased. This man was Nick Biscom, a preacher who, during many years, has catered to the religious taste of the Long Swamp community. Nick saw that he must do something or be compelled to retire from the field. He called on old Oscar to see if the trouble could not be settled by arbitration. "Bruder Oscar" said he, rse got some mighty 'portant bidnes wid yer ter day"
 "S,ate yer p'ints, bruder," old Oscar replied.
 "ill do dat in shot order, sah. | wants yer ter un'erstan' dat 1 doan like de way yer's s,irrin' up de folks O dis curmunity."
 "l doan kere whut yer likes."
 les wait CT mint. wants ter gin yer chance ter settle dis thing"
 "Whut yer want me ter do ?"
 "S.op preachin'."
 "Why mus l stop1"
 "Case yer aim got no ',hoTity to preach"
 "Got ez much sx yerseI has,"
 Has yerS Wall, I'll show you bout dat"
 How yer gwinter show mel"
 By let.in' things take ther nachul cou'se. Yerse'f knows da, yer want called ter preach"
 How yer know dat 2"
 "Neber mine, 1 knows i, an da,'s CT nuff."
 "Wuz yersef called 2" old Oscar asked.
 Sartinly, l wur"
 "Whe called yer 2"
 "De Lawd."
 "How yer know He did z"
 "l heyard Him."
 "Wuz dar anybody else standip' round ?"
 "NebeT mine bout dat. wuz called, an dats CT huff fer yersef ter know"
 But doan know dat"
 q does, an dat's ernuf. My bidnes wid yer ter. day, Bruder Nick, is ter gin yer warnin', fur dc Lawd doan like de way yer's stirrin' up desc folks, an He ain'. gwine ter stan it, an wanter tell yer dat ef yer doan stop, yer gwine ter heah sunthin drap, an heah 1t drap hard. tells yer. De Lswd kain' put up wid sicher racket CT dis heah."
 "Who soie ye, all dem 'porant facks1"
 "i got 'em straight"
 ASA Au1A os BOt cih HuHi OtG OAtAns 1 knows yer didn' git 'em rum dc La~d."
 Wall, hab it yer own way yer wants ter, but tell yer righ, now da, yer gwine ter suffer. happens ter know, an I'll tell yer dis much: ei yer doan stop preachin' widout 'thority rum de Lawd, yer gwine ter look up frum yer pulpit an see de debii s,andin' CT lookin' at yer"
 "Go way, man. Yer talks like yer dun los whus littie sense yer neber di q hab."
 "All right. l'se dun gin yer far warn- in, an hope yer'H ricolIeck il. Good day"
 Nick had already decided upon a course to pursue should Oscars obstinacy force him to such an extremity. He kne. that Oscar could easily be fright ened. The old rascal took a lzsg c pam D. kin, cut hole in i., scooped out the seeds, cut ghastiy countenance on the thing and painted it black. Thea he took two large hosns and stuck them into the hideous arr Ingement He worked during several days on the devil," and at length, after using a cows hide which he stretched over a frame, he had the thing completed. He selected favora- ble night secreted himself in the Loft of Oscars church, put lighted candle in the Satan's head and waited for his con-