Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-08-16

lne old CItrsyuian noteu Win haffh
the change tha, had come over his con-
gregation. A. be was . northern man
they took u for granted. and they were
right In the srrmi.s. that he was devoted
" the Union but knowing that loud
rro,es,a,ion of his loyalty could do no
good anil might 10 great deal u harm.
he kept his views to himself and by
every means In his power tried TO pour
oil on the troubled waters.
but when everybody cleo VA - out
spoken. the r-,icence of Father Peters
told against him. and the stories ~ his bc-
ing an Abolitionist. which were - rife on
his frst coming. were again revived, and
this time with more bitterness, for the
ieople believed the charge was true.
One night ~ Father Peters was reading
In the little log annex he had built for .
study. the door opened without any pre-
lilninary knock and Strung Dick brad.
ley came softly In. and with an air u
grca, mystery noiselessly closed tho door
behind him.
Il am glad 10 see you. Brother Brad.
Icy aid the clergyman. -Sit down
AMI tell m. the news. for you are In q
position To learn what Is going ON here.
about"
The blacksmith pulle.i his chair nearer,
and with his big hands % the sides of
hi. mouth to shield his voi,e. he whis.
Jsr-i;
"Im sorry 20 tell yo'. Father Peters.
that there's trouble brcwin harabout.
and lots % hit"
"Trouble TO whom. Brother Bradleyr
"Can't yo' gucssy'
IL cannot"
"waai. hit. 10 yo' and yours said
the blacksmith. with an emphatic shake
of the head.
"But surely no one could wish 10
annoy me. I did not think ! hal an
enemy In the world" said the alarmed
clergyman.
That's Jest hit responded Bradley.
Thar haint no one "a doesn't allow yer
the bs,t preacher In the mountains. but
the boy. say they don't like yer politics
aud ~ they'll make trouble"
Father Peters protested that he hal
no, m~idled In politics, and that since
the breaking out of the war . few
months t-fore he had guarded his words
that he might not give ofiense.
That's hit: that's why they've got 30
doggone se-pichis. Now. Father Peters,
20 know I've allus been . good friend
of yo'r.. er I should H. q blamed dog not
a. L., seein that You took me by tho
hand and lei me up 10 the light. bless
the Lor, But thar's dainjah all about
we uns. mos rowahful dainjah. es me
and the wif. allowed this night. And
we said II - b. yo' could go moth 90
awhile till the trouble kinder blows ovah.
that hit'd b. bettah 10 you and 20 yer
friends"
More than once Father Peters and his
wife and daughter hal discussed this
very question; but the old mans strong
sens. IL dnty and his innate courage
lei him io draw back from the serious
consideration of course that meant the
abandonment of his missionary work.
for be knew that II he left under the cir.
cums,ances. he could never return with
the hope Of being useful. lie pointed
out these arguments 10 Bradley. and
aided;
If I were 10 fly north with my family
at this time ! have no assurance that
they would let mo depart In pace. II
l. not six weeks since teacher named
white. who was trying 20 make his way
from Tennessee % Portsmouth, Ohio.
was murdered In these hills. and his
bcdy might have bleached upon the
mountain II you aud had not carried u
down and given l, Christian burial BE-
hind the meeting house"
That's u fac, Father Peters. and hit
was jest coz we uns buried that thar
pore feller Christian. es we did. that
made some Of the folks 90 doggvne mad
and sespichis. OF course they know
I'm q Union man clar through and
through. but they reinembahs the time
whin wasn't Christian 10 shucks. and
could lay out rcegment OF EN-, two at
a time. They kinder 'spects. and mebbs
they're not ~ fur outen the way. that
thar. right smart Of the old Adam
about ins yit. Now ef ySlthink that
the good Lor would ruthsr yod stay
right har and do yo'r plum squar Sooty
I reckon VOL find me ON his side and
yo'm. let the wind blow high or the
wind blow low. And bless the God Of
Israel. Father Peters, thar's my hand on
HIT"
The two men shooh hands. and then
they knelt down and, TO use Bradley's
expression. "wrastled powahfully with
the l,or In prayah."
This conversation was had on Friday
and the following Sunday being . pleas
ant Indian summer day. the people be-
gan 10 swarm down from the hills earlier
than usual. and the old clergyman noted
with pain that nearly all the men car
riei their rifles. habit that he had In.
duced them 10 give mp for some yean
before the war.
Heretofore these people. for whom he
had toiled 10 long and % hard without
any compensation. always saluted him
with Q boisterous heartiness, but this
morning they met Father Peters salu.
tations with curt mods and clouded
brows. Even the Union men held alcof.
for they were In the minority and Enew
that the slightest indiscreet act might
precipitais the trouble which was proph-
ssiei every day and sxpscted at any mo-
Hsi Magoons was st meeting this
morning. lie was . great, hulking
brutal desperado. He had killed . mum.
ber Of men. and the moro peaceful stood
In awe Of him. for at the best of times
Law was only name In the mountains.
but at this time u had not even sshadow
OF existence.
Het Magoone was the leader OF the
desperate element that had como 10 the
conclusion that Father Peters was q
black Abolitionist, and - this 70 their
brutal and ignorant minds wss the
greatest crime Of which any man could
b guilty, they could mot receive With
respect the religious teaehings Of ths
old man. Il wss known that Hst Aa.