The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-08-25
A PERsEcUTED MAN.
BY oFIB ?. READ.


 most noted preachers in the south, while on Q recent visit to his planta- ton, became acquainted with old Mor- timer Ringwood, negro divine who has famed many camp meeting into 6 flame of enthusiasm. One morning, while Mir. Downs was in his library feeding his grasping mind with rare old bits of religious thought, old Mor- timer tapped on the facing of the door.
 "Come in, Mortimer, come in. Be seated" he added, when the old man entered the room.
 "Thankee, sah thankee,n dropping his old white hat on the floor and seating himself. "Glad to weckum you down to our part O de kentry."
 "I thank you," responded the white man. "Ah, my co-worker, it is a good sign when a neighborhood well comes preacher"
 "Deed it is, sah; deed it is, fur foun' it dat way. Wy, sah, whar l had been CT hbin' da want kline ter me an didn't gin me no weckum. Da tried ter hedge me erbout, sah, an da smoted me hip an thigh, da did"
 "You don't say 90 I" the white man exclaimed.
 "Yas, does say so says 90 right on de present ercasion."
 "I did not suppose that there was 6 community in this broad land of civ- ilization where an honest and aged toiler in the Masters fields was abused. I will Preaching over and writing few words on 8 piece of paper) make note of this and embody it in my next let ter to our church paper. Do you mean to say that any one actually struck you, or was your remark the sudden bursting of bud on the twig of an over- vigorous imagination?"
 "Doan know nuthin' erbout de bustin' O de buds, an all dat, but da 'bused me-"
 "Not because you were preacher, surely2"
 "Yas, sah, jest on dat ercount jest on ercount O my 'ligion."
 "Oh, monstrous outragel oh, Satan- inspired deed of unregenerated man 1! Where is this neighborhood?"
 "Bout twenty miles rum yere, on de Harlin plantation"
 "Oh, accursed community oh, inc iquitous neighborhood! 1"
 "It's all O dat an mo-, too, sah. was ober dar, sah, preachin' de best I knowed how, when de trouble come up. I tuck CT mighty intrust in my work, did, an tried to break up gamblin'-"
 "And that caused you to fall under their unrighteous wrath? Oh, he'll befogged community 1"
 "Yas, sah, an at las I says ter n.y. se'f, All right, eff you's bound to play kyards, jes' go ahead, cage doan b'lebe dat de Lawd has called upon me ter 'spose my pusson ter de fury O no sich CT sto'm.' Den, sah, I wuz gittin' ready ter leave when da come ter my house wid CT bucket O tar an' some feathers dat da got whar de buzzards been roostin', an made me look like CT young blackbird 'fo' da got through wid me, an tell you now dat doan like ter be treated dat way when Is doin' de best ken. I ken tell you dat now, but l won't talk no mo- erbout it, fur my bizness ter-day is O CT higher natur. I wants you ter come ober ter de bayou naixt Sunday am preach wid me-"
 "Most willingly; but tell me some- thing more of these evil-doers, for shall be compelled to expose them. So you tried to break up gambling?"
 "Yas, sah, struck some officers O de law, an guided lem ter de house whar CT feller wuz CT runnin' CT game"
 "Ahl in your jealous watching you had previously discovered the placer"
 "Yas, sah, am had it in fur de scoun'rel. I went dar seb'ral nights befo', bein' sorter tired wid my work, am I doan know hardly how it hap pened, but somehow los' all de money dat de congregation had paid me, an den I flowed ter merse'f dat eff da wouldn't gin CT preacher no better chance den dat I'd break up de 'stab- lishment, an'-"
 "Get out of my house, you old wretchis exclaimed the white man. "Whatl you come and want me to preach with youi"
 "Whut's de matter, boss2 Mad cage los' de moneya An has it come ter dis, dat you ain't got no respeck fur de man dat hAb los his all? Oh, I'll git out, sah, of dat's whut you means. Huh doan b'l'ebe you is much better den dem raskils dat put de buzzard feathers on me, nohow. I doan kere whuther you breaches fur me UT not. I ken preach all erroun' you eber fif- teen minutes in de twenty -fo' hours. Good day, sah !"-Neso York Mercury. The Common Lot. | There is place no love can reach.