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

| ~ uut NerN NV Ot tn' toukrtkntiou
could read. hymn books were not used
The clergyman read out q hymn two
lines at a time, and tho singing that FOL.
lowei, which Ella Peters and her mother
tried a. lead. was not very high order
Of sacred music. Father Peters adjusted
his glasses. cleared his throat and was
atou, to announce the hymn when Het
MAgoone stood up near tho door and
callcl out;
Hold ON thar. Father Petersr'
What u ity' asked the Asionished
pastor.
"Afoah You uns ken do any noah
prcachin In these yar hills W. uns'd like
fo' % know jis, how yo' stand, and Ilet
Magoone fondled his rife a. . mother
fondlcs her child.
This Il certainly an extraordinary
proceeding In the house Of God, said
the old man tremulously. but with dig.
nifty.
$50 hit is continued Het Magoope,
"but these har IL mos' stormy times. 90
every onoll allow. Now. Father Peters
! want you 10 answer mo some qucs-
.ions; will yo' DO hiir'
Let mo hear them"
"iiaint yo' Q YAnkeey- this with .
wink Ia his friends.
II was born north Of tho Ohio; " that
makes me q Yank-e.- aid the old man
with spirit. Il suppose am one
"waal. yo' couldn't a. denied hit with
out lyin. Now some of We uns hez been
taikin this ovah. aud we allows that yo
KEN down here ten year or 20 ago 20 play
the spy
That IL false said the old man. his
eyes aglow and his form trembling with
excitement AS God u my Judge l
came here with my wife aud little one
that might be the humble instrument
% saving the people. What, ask you
could spy out that Il not Known
I'VE un. know ,ha, yo'r black Re-
publicanr' shouted Het Magoono. and
he aided an cath that shocked even his
associates.
Il am no, black Republican 4, is
PERHAPS. unnecessary for me 10 say that
neither In the last election nor. indeed
In any election within my memory ha.
. Republican vote been cast In Laurel
county. Kentucky"
Il was th. cas-. ~ the wolf and the
lamb over again. liet Magoone had
come prepared 10 worry and huiniliAts
Father Peters. and tho fact that he had
not the slightest ground for his attack
did not change him FROM his purpose.
"yo'd "a voted the Republican tieke,
ef yod hal a chance" shouted MAgoone
Then. with the manner ~ q man about
% play . carl that could not DO beaten
he aske,i. "Hain't yo' 30 the Unionr
Without moments hesitation Father
Peters responded;
Il am citizen of Kentucky. and a.
Kentucky 4. s,ill In the Union ! must be
Union man.
But II ~ bs Kentucky was 'o secele.
would yo' H. Union man them
"Gci giving Inc strength. would.
Was the feryent response.
Thar. Didn't tell you uns he was
fo' the Union. and man that's 10 the
Union |. black Republican and . Aboli-
tionistr shouted H.t Magcone.
And I say that's u I'D lie!'
That there might be no mistake as 10
the man who had given expression 10
this forcible opinion, Strong Dick Brad.
ley got up. and with HIS night hand
thrown back under his coat. a gesture
which even the children present under
stood, he walked over and stood beside
the preacher.
The women now became very nervous,
and many Of the men turned ashy PIE
and moved toward the door.
"Dick Bradley. this ain't no sarcus o
yourn.- said Het Magoone. but his
brutal bearing was toned down and
there was that In the eyes and the move
ments Of the thick lips that told hs was
not pleased with the bearing Of the
blacksmith. but gaining confidence as
he remembered that two-thirds Of the
sixty men present were his partisans, he
continued. I'VE uns who's 10 the south
ken wait to get even with you uns who's
10 the Union. Thar's plenty of time 10
settle them things. but what we want
now IL to get nd Of u man fom the moth
who comes down here en- u spy and pur-
teudin that hits God Almighty's rehgin.
Father Peters. yo'ye preached yo'r last
sarinint In these har hills"
"who says soy' demanded Bradley.
I'VE unA'
And who, you unsr
me and my friends."
Neither yo' nor yo'r friends owns q
splinter Of this house; from foundation
log TO clapboard hits owned by the man
ea built hit-the man eE KEN down heah
TO lead ne 10 do right-but thar's some
men 10 give ovah TO sin. Het Magoone
among 'em, that they're bound 10 be
damned. anil I'm mighty glad Of hit
Now you uns that don't want to heah
Father Peters preach IL free TO leave.
But, by Cd. the next man that tries
10 break up our worship will find him.
sels needin hull new top 10 his head!
strong Dick Bradley. although using
this strong language. appeared TO he the
coolest man Ia the meeting house; but
there was no one In the hearing OF his
voice who did not know that he was
making no idle threat. Motioning To
his friends to follow him. Magoone
strods out of the house and meeting
was held ut the door. The preacher and
his followers were denounced In Ian.
guage Of unquestionsbls vigor. every
worl OF which could be heard inside.
and men who hal through years 10
ceivsd favorS st the old mans hands
threatened that u he did not leave the
mountains ut once they would hang him.
But even those who remained back
with Father Peters were In no mood for
devotion. They saw that the dreaded
time had come. and that from this day
ON till the end the old friends, neighbors
and kinSmen must stand lace TO lace In
q life and death struggle.
A. Mr.. Pstsn' sugysstiou her hus.
bHnd's friends left the church and
gsthsrsd In tho study. but even here
thsy could hear the shouting and the