The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-08-29
Riscellanen11s.
A ROW IN PRAYER MEETING.


From the Courier-J oLrnal.
Rev. Boneset Baxter whose congregation
live on the east shore Red river, and Rev.
Bronson Fennel, VIII 'e congregation held
forth on the west ban.i of the stream, found
it impossible to agree. They held the same
faith: both bapt:sed their converts in the
same water, and Oh special occasions they
communed with CHI other as all colore
brethren should b their course of religious
love was not destined to flow as smoothly as
the stream that divided their log meeting
houses. The trouble came about in this
way: Baxter's side of the river was suffer-
ing from the effects of too much rain; Fen
neI's side was afflicted with drouth. Baxter
called his people together to pray for sun
shine; Fennel assembled his people to petit
ton for rain.
One day while Baxter was urging his peo-
pie to pray with more earnestness Rev. DR..
Fennel entered the house, and, almost uuob
served, took a seat near the door. "Brud-
ders an sisters" said Baxter, 81 tell you
suuar', dat lessen you fling mo- groans an
ae'ny inter yo prar, de Lawd amt gwne
pay no 'tention ter you. He dun lay down
de law an say dat wen you wants err thing
you gotter pray fur it an pray fur il loud
way up yander in de big G.
Yere you air, openin' yo' mouf wild er weak
voice, akin fur sunshine so de cotton will
grow, an ST. de rain come er laung an
drown out de young plant. Git down dar
now an pray like somebody dun set de
house er fire Brudder Sanderson, you's got
er mighty loud mouf Git down an turn
yo'self loose. has y ed you holler mighty
loud wen you wuz after rabbit, so turn vo'
voice wrong side out an shake it, fur we at
ter suthin now dat mounts ter mo- den all
de rabbits in de 'muniIy. Does you yere me,
Brndder Sanderson ?"
"Hop on yere," demanded Rev. Mr.. Fennel,
arising to his feet
"Wy, dal Bruder Fennel," exclaimed
Baxter. "Wharfo' you come inter de house
O. de sinnygog widout lettin' yo'se'f be
knowed. W'y'nt you clar yo'se'f an take er
seat up yere in de prlpit O. de 'stinction an
de 'possels? ?"
"Neber mine de pulpit" Fennel replied
II didn't come ober yere to swop honey nur
pour out de sweet milk O. de human flattery
come we're on business, dat's whut l come
fur, an vans you ter init dat fack ter yo'
membry."
"W'y, bruder, l doan' comprehen' you,"
said Baxter, leaning over, placing his elbows
on the pulpit and gazing at the preacher
from across the river.
"Wall, mebby you will compre hen' me
wen says dat wants you ter 81 ut up dis
yere prayin' fur sunshine"
"Flingin' de compermens O. de season er
side," responded Baxter. passing his hand
over his woody head, II is PEELED ter say,
niger, git outen dis house O. de Lawd an
go Of down yander in de paster O. 'niquity
wbar de pizen vine grows an de hog weed
ketches de damp breaf O. de clumsy toad
fraug"
'Neber mine bout de paster an neber
mind bout de toad fraug," Fennel replied.
81 has come out yere on. business, an you
kain't skeer me off wild er few words SO idle
dat dey won't eben play on my understand
in. Yere we is, right across the river, suf-
fering iur rain an mighty nigh burned up
wild de sun, an yere you is ober on dis side
irwin ter suade de Lawd ter SEN mo- sun
shine. You got ter stop it, OATS whut you
got ter do. You prayin' for sun an we pray
in for rain an de fust thing you know we'll
git de Lawd so mixce up He woan know
hardly whut ter do, ar' in de meantime de
preachers gin our money outen de congrega-
ton? Doan you pray fur no mo- sunshine.
Look yere, nigg; >" said Baxter, "is you
prayin' fur rain ober at yo' house?"
"Yas, de bredren is in my church right
now er Begin de Lawd fur de shower"
"Wall, you go ober r an tell 'em ter let
de Lawd er lone. We Sc had er huff rain"
"Nuff rain !" exclaimed Fennel, "w'y you
amt got ez much sense ez er new ground
lizard, tells you dat we'se sutferin' fur
rain"
"An' tells YOU" rejoined Baxter, dat
we'se sufferin' for sunshine an we gwine
pray fur it, too. Bruder Sanderson, turn yo'
greet voice wrong side out an lead of in er
prar dat de sinners on de yuder side de river
kin yere?"
"Mr. Sanderson," said Fennel, II amt got
de pleasure O. yo' 'quaintance, sab, an doan
know whar you wuz horned an raised, but
lemme tell you dat eff you gins to pray fur
suthin' dat is ruinin' our side de ribber, I'll
take it upon myself ter hit you on de top o.
de head, sah."
"Bruder Sanderson," Baxter quickly spoke
up, "pay no 'tention ter dis niger dat drinks
strong gin an breaches weak sarmons, but
open yo' mouf an lead US in prar jes like
tells you 10. Yere whut says?"
ooh, yes, sab, yeres we'll er nuf." San
derson replied, "but doan wanter hab no
truck wild dat Niger. Look whut er arm he
got an bet right now he kin butt de bark
offen er beech tree. doan mine prayin'-
wouldn't mine prayin' all day 'cept stoppin'
! long er huff ser eat er little suthin-but
doan fell like gittin' down yere ter pray an
| hab dat double-jintfd man maui de life outen
me. Wen de l'fe done gone, Bruder Baxter,
| it doan meek no diffunce wild er pusson
| whuder dar is no sunshine ur not Zee will
| lin ter do my duty, but l doan wanter Ell
| like er steer dun wallered on me, kase l ANT
| 'ioyin' de bes' O. health, no how"
"Bruder Sanderson," persisted old Baxter,
'doan you be skcered by the flesh O. de
yeth. Turn loose yo' voice an eff he hits
| you it woan be good fur him"
"Oh, it mout not be good for him." San
derson pleaded, "but dat wouldn't meek it
| good fur me- l amt in no condition TO get
hurt at de present Bruder Baxter, got ter
| split some rails ter morrer an de next day
got to clean out er well fur Mr.. Jones, au' l
doan belebe it would be dom me no good to
pray under desc yere circumstances. Eff /
| didn't hab nothin' ter do but lay up an Joy
I myself, W. | wouldn't mine BEN crippled,
but es it is, hopes you will skuse me. Take
Bruder Martin, dar. He amt got no work
| to do, no how"
"Tend ter yo own business" exclaimed
Brother Martin, IAN doan come fingin' out
no sinnywations bout me. You doan know
what got ter do, an sides dat it amt none
o. yo' look out. Dun been sufferin' wild de
dew pizen an de rheumatic all de week an
you wants me ter git down yere an wife dat
big niger to maui me- Jes' ten ter yo'
own erfairs and let Bruder Martin tend to
his'n. Sufferin' wild er bad col like l is an
we're come man an want me ter lay myself
liable / amt SO anxious for sunshine, kase
I amt got no crop no how. You jest let me
er lone, eff you please
Old Baxter stepped down from the pulpit
"Mr. Fennel,' said he, I'm gwine ter git
down yere now an pray, an eff you tech my
garments desc folks will yere suthin drap an