Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-04-10
Why He Didn't Join.

meeting at the Coon Kun meeting
house, and the result was great spir-
itual awakening throughout Possum
Ridge. Old Alb Tucker was the only
man in the settlement who, in the Ian
guage of Deacon Buster, remained
cold an unconsarned erbout his souls
welfare" The minister had fished for
Old Alb and the committee had visit
ed him, but he held off and refused
to come up out of the darkness. Fin
ally the preacher went to see old Alb
personally.
"Brother Tucker" he said, "have
you ever thought seriously of this
matter of the salvation of your soul'"
oval, I've thought of it right smart
fust and last"
"And hasn't it never appeared to
you that you ought to repent of your
sins and lead better life 7"
81 dunno eff it amt at odd times"
"Well, then, why don't you turn
your back on the world at once"
"Well, now, parson, lookey here.
l dunno as rightly Understand this
business, an know fer shore jest what
sin is, but betwixt you and me, it
don't pear like I've been bad ernuff
to git scairt erbout it."
"You are sober, honest man, no
doubt, but can't you recall little things
in your daily life that were wrong?"
81 dunno es ter that. traded hos
es with ole Joel Wade onc't, and l
reckon got er leetle the best O. ther
swap, fer Joel's hoss wus wuth sump-
in, an mine wusn't wuth er cuss, an
l knowed it. But / reckon little
things like that hain't held up ergin
er feller up thar ?"
"Indeed they are"
"Air, eh' Wal, I wusn't settled
in my mind erbout that, but lowed
they didn't pay no 'tention ter sich
things ez hoss swopping. 1t mout be
counted up ergin me erbout sellin' NV
that ere dead steer to them city folks
) for beef?"
"Of course"
oval, I'm derned eff I'd a thought
it. Don't pear like it 'ud hurt moth
in, when none of 'em knowed the steer
died. Reckon mebby l orten sold
split eggs to them folks whut got up
er dinner for the pore ?"
"That was very wrong"
"Pd never thought O. it thet air
way. Begosh. s'pose it wasn't right
proper in me keepin' ther Widow
Bunton's ole red barrer what got in
ermong my haugs?"
"That was a very grave SIM"
"Was, Ell? Wal. I'm dinged sorry
for I'd like to do right, and l hate to
give that barrer up. Dyer reckon
little things like that 'ud count fer
! very much ?"
Eyes, indeed"
"And / spect they'll have it figured
up ergin me erbout feedin' them hogs
l sold wheat bran ter make 'em weigh
up"
"Yes, that's against you"
, 81 lowed it mout be. l guess
/. working off cholera chickens onter
ther peddler and putting grease inter
0 ther butter, and working right smart
o corn stalks inter loads O. corn that
3 goes ter market, and all sech little
things like them won't be counted up
fer nothing
They're all sins, Brother Tucker,
and will have to be accounted for"
; oval, parson, s'pose yer posted
up in sich matters and know how
the land lays, but l been going erlong
thinking that all them little things
: wouldn't ermount ter shucks, and |
felt like es if l wusn't going to have
no sins ter answer for, and l want
skeered a bit. But eff sech triffling,
e insignificant things is going ter be
held up ergin me then I'm er goner." !"
"Oh, no, brother; you have but to
D repent and forgiveness will follow
;, "I'll be all right then, will II"
"Yes."
!, "And kin go right on jest as l hev
and it won't be counted"
e "Oh, no. You must repent and re-
: form. Leave of your evil habits and
lead different life."
| "Uh, huh. That's Jest what l wus
erfeered of. 1t seems like Citing re.
!? ligion comes down purity hard on er
G feller. I'd like ter jine yer, parson,
and 60 erlong er tber rest, but it 'ud
e be leetle grain too straining on me,
d l reckon. don't mind ther repent.
ing, but ther luther part sticks me-
fer I've cackilated on doing er heer
= O hoss swapping this winter. Free
Press