Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1890-07-17
IA BACKWOoDs SUNDAY.
AS Described by Ohte r. Bead In the
Arknnsaw Travelar.

AS DeScr1Ded Dy Ohte r. fs0aO IN tine
4arkansaw traveller.
A SUNDAY III the backwoods of Ten
nessee, viewed by ole whose feet rarely
stray from the worn paths of active life,
may hold nothing attractive, but to the
old men and Women-tlie youth and
maiden of the soil-it is poem that
comes once week to encourage young
love with its soft sentiment and soothe
old labor with its words of promise.
In the country where the streams are
so pure that they look like strips of
sunshine, where the trees are SO ancient
that one almost stands in awe of them,
where the moss, SO old that it is gray,
and hanging from the rocks in the
ravine, looks like venerable boards
growing on faces that have been hard
ened by years of trouble-in such a
country, even the most slouching clown,
walking as though stepping over clods
when blowing where the ground breaks
up hard, has in his untutored heart a
love of poetry. He may not be able to
read-may never have heard the name
of son of genius, but in the evening,
when he stands on q purple "kLob, I"
Watching the soul of day sink out of
sight in far-away valley, he is poet.
When the shadow of Saturday night
falls upon backwoods community in
Tennessee, a quiet Joy seems to Turk in
the atmosphere The whippoorwill has
sung UNDECIDED every night during the
week, but tonight his song brings q
promise Of rest, The tired boy sits in
the door, aud, taking off his shoes,
strikes them against the log doorstep to
knock the dirt out, and the cat that has
followed the women when they went
to milk the COWS, comes and r1bs
against him. The humming-bird,
looking for late supper, buzzes among
the honeysuckle blossoms, and the
tree.toad cries il the locust tree. The
boy goes to bed, thrilled with an expecta-
ton. He muses.: II will see somebody
tomorrow"
On the morrow the woods are full of
music, The great soul of day rises
with burst Of glory, and the streams,
bounding over the rocks or dreaming
among the ferns, laugh more merrily
and seem to be brighter than they were
yesterday. Horses neigh near an old
church and swelling hymn is borne
away on the blossom-scented air. The
plow-boy, sitting near the spring, needs
not the sacred music, but gazes intently
down the shady road. He sees some
one coming-sees the sfutter of gaudy
ribbon and is thrilled. A young woman
comes up the road, ooyly tapping an
old mare with dogwood switch, and
eager lest some one else may perform
the endearing Office, he hastens to help
the young woman to alight. He tries
to appear unconcerned as he takes hold
of the bride rein, but he stumbles
awkwardly as he leads the animal
towad the horse-block. When he has
helped her down and has tied the morse
it is his blessed privilege to walk with
the girl as far as the church door.
whats Jim a-doin'?" he asked as
they walk along, under the embarras'
sing gaze of score of men.
"Plowed yistidy; amt dom nothin
to-day"
BE here to-day, I reckon" he re-
joins.
"No, went to preachin' at Ebenee
zer."
whats Tom a-doin'?"
went to mill yistidy; amt doin
nothin' to-day"
"Be here to-day, I reckon."
He lowed he mout, but don't know
whether he will or not"
| whats ALI a-doin'?"
"Cut sprouts an deadened trees
yistidy; amt dom nothin' to-day"
"Be here to-day, I reckon"
eyes, lowed he was q comm witt
Sue Prior"
Anybody goin' home with you
Liza?"
"Not that know Of"
"Wall, if nobody else amt spoke TX
like to CO."
"Well see about it," she answers ant
then enters the church. He saunters
off and sits down under tree where
number of young men are wallowing OF
shawls, spread on the grass. TIL
preacher becomes warm in his worl
and the plow-boy hears him exclaim
"What can man give in exchange TO
his own soul;" but he is not thinking o
souls, or of an existence beyond tn
horizon of this life; bis mind is on tn
girl with the gaudy ribbon, and he
asking his heart if she loves him. TIL
shadows are now shorter and hungr
men cast chances at the sun, but th
preacher, shouting in broken accents
appears not to have reached the frs
mile stone of his text and it is eviden
that he started out with the intention
of going a sabbath days Journey.
One young fellow places his straw ha
over his face and tries to sleep, bu
some one tickles him with a spear {
grass. An old man who has stood it a
long as he could in the house, and VIII
has come out and lain down, gets ul
stretches himself, brushes clingin
leaf off his gray jeans trousers an
declares! "A bite to eat would hit M
harder than sermon writ on q rocl
Don't see why man wants to talk q
day."
Thought you was mighty fond {
preachin', Uncle john" some on
remarks.
Gam, but don't want man to g
over an over what he has already du
said. IF my folks want in thar I'd NOSE
OH nome Hn CIV sutLln w eht'
"Good book says man don't live b
bread alone, Uncle john"
"Yas, but it don't say that he lives b
preachin' alone, nuther. Hol' on; the
are singin' the doxology now, an ,
reckon she will soon be busted"
The ploWb boy goes home with h
divinity Uncle Johns daughte
Reckon Jim will be at homer" he asl
as they ride along.
nHo mont he A w Won ayuful anyini