Mower County transcript., 1889-11-13

above Bear Cove. he thanked Heaven
that here in the fertile strip of land.
where rent was cheap and labor light,
he would be able to minister to the
needs of his own body at the same
time that he fed the hungry souls Of
humeuity
'sTLey-uns air not es hongry ez ]
lowed they war" he told himself as
he sat for moment under the wither-
ed hop-vine that ratified about the
cabin door, and meditated on the pun
ishment he meant to administer to the
offenders in the Lords vineyard.
He would preach .hem q sermon
they would not soon forg ,t, for daring
to threaten him. He had labored
among them almost two years; worked
for nothing. to receive at last threat
of 'thrashing." He meant to settle
the account with them the very
first ''big day" when the entire neigh.
borhood would be out to hear.
He would risk the thrashing; he
was amply able to defend himself.
Defend himself-ah! that was the
trouble. His fight against sinful
worldliness had been distorted into q
common case of seli-defense. His own
grievances had multiplied 80 fast as to
swallow up the sin against his Master.
He had lost sight of the real root of
the evil in his regard for the worthless
branches that had sprung from it.
Some such thought came from him
as he sat alone with his conscience,
but he put it aside. He could not af-
ford to play the coward. he knew these
people too we'll to risk his claim to
their respect in any such way. He
would fight it out with them. He
would not depend upon his cloth to
protect HIM, nor because of it would
he take their insults. There was time
enough Ito stir upa good sarmon." he
told himself. AN hev it ready 'ginst
Christmas Dav, three weeks of an'
fallin' Oh {! Wednesday"
His determination was no secret; the
very text of the wonderful sermon was
known to the Cove people, and 1.-THE
opposition prepared for the "big
day" with as much zeal as the parson
himself showed.
Hit air unly ter tell him what we-
uns air aimin' ter do," old 81 l-arkins
said. The revel, that had begun in a
corn-shucking and ended in drunken
dance. had been ut Sis house. and he
had in consequence been tacitly chosen
leader of the defense.
''Naw," they agreed, lit air unly fair
ter let the parson know: he hev been
op'n an fair with we-uns."
So Pete Larkins, Sis oldest son,
armed with rifle, rode over to the
cabin under the brow of the mountain
to inform the preacher that just so
soon as the sermon should be over he
was invited to join the ueighbors in an
entertainment ''by the old blackjack
tree in the viii plum thicket back O.
the meet'n-house. w.
Pete noted carefully the eff ect of the
invitation. If he expected to see any
sign of fear or OF dinching he was mis-
taken. The plucky little preacher
stood his ground as bravely as the
bravest. He looked up coolly into the
bloated face of the reckless mount
aineer astrid, Sis big gray mare.
''l'l be ther', Pete" he said. ''tast
or fun .ril. I'll be ther'. Tell the
brothrin."
''Tell the brethren" The words had
a familiar sound somehow. very
pleasant sound. Pete rode off with a
strange, new feeling about his heart
for ths lonely little preacher living all
alone in the cabin under the shadow
of the mountain. He admired him
thoroughly.
He air game," he told himself; but
it was not the "gameness' that had
touched him. it was the message:
''Tell the brethren"
''Soun's like it might a-come out o.
the Bible hits IT," he said; and all thu
way home Pete busted his mind in try
ing to place th parsons words.
'.War it Paul?'' he asked himself,
''or war it Christ. ez said that word?''
He could not decide. his Scripture
knowledge was so meager, but long
before he reached home with the mes.
sage. Pete had Withdrawn from the
fight against Parson Lyle. ''He air a
younger min nor me-" he said to him
self. IAN weaklier man an q butter,
an air not aimin' to hender him
none"
The day before Christmas dawned
Gle ,r and cold. As it to emphasize his
independence ST Larkins had caused it
to be ''norated round" that he was
preparing {. feast for Christmas Night,
and all the young folks in the Cove
were expected to be ON hand and
join in a Christmas dance. This was
the crowning insult; and it quite put to
flight any lingering doubt of the wis
dom OF his course that might have
found iodgment in the mind of the lit 9
mountain preacher. He was angry;
| and he added many q scathing repri.
maDd to the already long discourse
that he had prepared for Christmas.
The country for miles around had
heard Of the tr0,,hla Mt Rear Cave md