Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-12-14
HIS PRAYER WAS ANSWERED.


lumbus, Ohio. In the penitentiary at
that place there are about 1900 pris-
oners serving sentences for various
crimes against the United States gov
ernmcnt. Services are held in the
penitentiary chapel every Sunday,
and Just before the regular service, it
is customary to hold prayer-meeting
in which the religiously inclined con-
victs take part in good old fashioned
style. At this prayer-meeting on No
vember 13, the chaplain took occasion
to refer to the near approach ofThanks-
giving Day, and told his hearers that
thew should let their hearts fairly
throb with emotions of gratitude to
God. Moses Allen, colored mail
robber from South Carolina, was par
ticularly touched by the chaplain's
talk, and arising from his seat, he an
nounced that he would lead in prayer.
Then, in loud tones, he addressed the
following to the throne on high:
"My beloved brethren and sisters.
I thank de Lawd for dis heah beauti-
full Sabbath mornin.' You all know
dat glorious day am comm called
Thanksgivin.' Some'll have turkey,
some'll have chicken, some'll have
duck, some'll have lamb, and some'll
have sheep; but us niggahs, bress de
Lawd, would rather have dat good
OLE % possum. Good Lawd, we want
YOU to cotch him, put him out two
nights an let him frost, bring him in,
parboil him, stuff him, baste him
like you would a turkey, put him
in de pan, put sweeten taters all round
him, put him in de stove, shut dat
stove doah, 90 way, think bout Lin
coin, jeff Davis, Lee and Grant then
open dat stove doah and look in. He
will begin to git brown on de back,
old gravy drippin' down in de pan:
Then shut dat stove doah agin and
think bout everything else, but doan
yo' forget dat poss. Open dat stove
tloah agin, put dat poss on de table,
but doan cut him while he's hot, an
do all this for Christ's sake. Amen J"
The congregation of prisoners sat
dumbfounded during the colorcd mans
extraordinary prayer, but at the close
of it they gave way to their feelings
and made the old chapel resound with
laughter, in which even good Chap
lain Dudley heartily joined. 1t re-
uuired the utmost efforts of the oiil-
cials to restore quietude.
The story was printed in the news
papers, and on Thanksgiving day,
sure enough the negro had 'possum
and 'taters to his hearts content.
From different parts of Ohio and Ken
lucky, he received five 'possums, and
many bushels of potatoes. The gov
ernmcnt, as usual OH such occasions,
furnished several thousand pounds OF
turkeys and numerous other good
things, and the thanksgiving dinner
enjoyed by the convicts was far better
than many of them had ever had be-
fore. The South Carolina negro was
accorded special honor. He presided
at separate table from which he and
the other South Carolina negroes par
took of their 'possum and 'tatcrs.
pay" Martin Van Buren, had the rcpu-
tation of being unable to give plain
answer to plain question. One day,
when he was OH board Il steamer, the
passengers were talking of this pccu-
liarity, and one of them observed, "lll
wager that if one of us shall 80 and
ask Mr. Van Buren, the simplest qucs-
ton that can be thought of, he will
eyadc direct answer. Yes, and III
give YOU leave to tell him why the
question is asked, and that there is Il
bet depending on his reply"
This seemed fair enough, certainly
for to be forwarncd is to be forearmed.
One of the party was deputcd to try
the experiment. He found Mr.. Van
Buren,, and said to him, "Mr. Van Blu
rem, some gentlemen on the upper deck
have been accusing you of non-com'
mittalism, and have laid wager that
YOU wouldn't give plain answer to
the simplest question. Now, Mr.. Van
Buren,, let me ask you-where does
the sun rise - Van Burcn's brow con-
tracted. lie hcsitutcd Il moment, and
then replied, "The terms east and
west Mr.. -, are conventional
but -"
"That'll do" interrupted the inter
rogator; we've lost the bet.