Daily Republican., 1889-07-01
LoWLAND FOLKS
BY NJ. QUAD.
In which love, religion, hope and despair
-r71.
are pretty well mixed upl

came 10 the cabin of Deacon Tanner and
stopped to inquire II was on the right
road.
"You doan' 90 one step beyan' this"
announced Mrs. Tanner, as soon as had
stated the case. 'Jist drap of your bun
die and camp down, for you'un ar gwine
to stay heah tonight. Sary ia out arter
blueberries, and the ole man has been
| tottng some con 10 the mill, but both
will be back presently.
I'm afraid Woodruff will be looking
for me-"
'Iet he'un look. We'urs Is as good
as he'uns, even If we can't lire niggers
TO work for US. You jist camp"
The 'iarm" consisted of about forty
acres OF poor land, and 1t was easy to see
thatthe deacon was no farmer. He had
IN some corn and potatoes aud q quantity
of truck, but a rusty hoe hanging up on
the log house was evidence that be had
not encouraged his crops 70 thrive. The
roof of the stable had fallen in, the pole
fences were down and everything spoke
of neglect and decay.
"Taip't my fault" said the woman
sharply as Ie-entered the house, OTIS
all owing to he'un and she'un"
"WhcP
The ole man and Ssry. Hes a.
Thinking when he orter be at work. and
she's dun crazy to meet up with some
body who wants to marry. Two fretted
and iretted, but it's no uee. uey you
designs strangerl"
"Howi"
con Sary,"
mo, ma'am."
"sery'S likely and we'uns is willing,
but IT you hain't why you hain't,"
at that moment Sarah Appeared. She
was young woman Of 20, rather above
the average IN looks, but bartfootcd, sun
burned and awkward Ia Ler gait. She
gave me an old-fashionsd "kerchy" as
we wero introduced, aud her mother said
to her:
"sary, squat and chtter while look
these berries over"
She uss rather shy until handed her
q paper OF Plus, mother OF needles and II
yard OF blue ribbon from my knGpsack.
Then she thawed ont and queried:
"Will you stand for we'unsP
WHO do you meant"
Tom ana me-"
"Who's Tom -
"Gwine to squat up in tho bend. He's
got and OK and u cart and ever 80 much.
Wants to marry me. Nam don't Ike
he'un. Pap says he'un ia good null, but
won't stand for ue. We'uns will run
away If nam don't abide. II you'd
stand for us mann would tousle." (Giye
in.)
"You want me to advise your mother
to let you and Tom get marriedl l'
"Tc-he-eartin! He'uu lillts We'urs
kin sllcker her through, reckon. Tom
hain't lazy nor religious. He'un's full o.
work and trade. / kin make clothes.
Please stand for U.S."
l agreed to, and Just then the deacon
put In an appearance. We had not
passed 70 words when he bluntly queried:
care you ltten ?"
"Eor what?'
''Death and Eternity"
~ can't say, but hope am."
Its awiul-awiul!" he sighed, as he
rubbed his hands together. "World's
gittln' wuss au' wuss every day. We
don't pray 'nuif. We don fast ,nutT.
The fifth phial of wrath has been ex.
hausted. Beware of the opening OF the
sixth"
$50 you've got started" remarked
Mrs. Tanner as she came out. "Duacon
Tanner, ye won't sSltter (listcn) to any
thing | say. I've talked and talked, but
it does no good. win ye abide by the
strangerf
"Ae'un may not be ore OF the follow
ers."
"Sposin' he'un' amt. He'un's got
sense III his head or him wouldn't be way
down yere. He'un's been all over and
sawu everything, and him knows more in
u minute than you'un does in a week"
whats the question at issue" | ask
ed, not wishing to be party to family
dispute.
"Jist this" she answered. "The ole
mans neglectin' everything fur rcligun.
LOOK around at our squat. Isn't 1t tue
onerest you hev seen iur weekl We is
the porest family fur twenty miles around
and It's all because the deacon meets up |
with too much religun. Is it eomman.
ded!'
1t Is not" l answered, as the deacon |
looked ut me inquiringly. "1hlre are |
lots OF good Christ ans who don't open |
the Bible but ouce week.
"Can it bel" gasped the old man as he
rolled his eyes.
"Not only that, but the Lord neither
requires nor exf ects any one TO ait around
and keep so full OF religion that he can't
work."
"Didn't allus say IT." chueltled the
"But does the stranger know" groaned
the deacon.
'Know! OF course he knowai What
did he cum down yere fur! What's he
ridin' on the kyars and steamboats, fur If
he doesn't know2 II he don't know how
gould he wri fur the papersy'
This doubled the deacon up, and rs
she w'nked at me TO proceed continued:
deacon, doesn't the scriptures say
hat six days shalt thou labors DIDN'T
al tho believers in the days OF the Mes
,iah labor ut something? Didn't some
1f the disciples have lands and cattle:"
III reckon" lie grudgingly admit
ed.
you are commanded to labor. II you
have got religion which iorbds you to
20 out and repair those fences-get rid of
hose weeds-repair this cabin-get the
comforts of life around you, It's religion
hat won't stand fire."
"Jist as l hev allus said," exclaimed
he woman.
'W"ll, stranger, I'm jiGgered (puz-
.led) over II" said the deacon. 81
ieven't bin led to see it in that light
'efo'. Looks reasonable, as I'll allow.
iebbe the Lord don't require, though l
bought he did. wish l could see a sign
0 sot me right"
IN show you sign. Take your hoe
iter breakfast tomorrow aud 20 into
hat corn. It's pretty late In the season
ow, but perhaps you can save some OF
:. Put in good days work, and when {
light comes sit down and see if YOU feel
utility OF any wrong. See If you don t |
onelude that you have done your |
uty."
"Will ye abide!" asked the wife as she !
lmped up.
I'll reckon" lie answered as he cast