The morning call., 1893-09-10
THE PROMISED LAND.
A Cumberland Mountain Lady Who
Has Opinions on 1t.
Memphis Appeal-AvaIanche

II was in a cove on the berland
Mountains that / sat on the doorstep of a
mountaineer's cabin in the twilight of a
summers evening and listened to the fol-
lowing:
"Yo' see. stranger" said the noun
taneer's wife. as she drew a long Whit
from her cOrn-cob pipe and gave one OF the
dogs a kick with her bare foot, "a Mormon
elder he cum up yere to lead we'uns to the
promised land. 1t war way out West
somewhat, but he'un had been sent by the
Lawd to lead us through the wilderness.
Reckon yo'ye met up with them Nor
mons?"
Yes"
'Got long tongues. Good on the CAB.
Git ybody stirred up in no time. Peo-
pie all around we're got stirred up TO go to
the promised land. lie all promised every
man four or five wives, and the wimmin
folks was TO sit and sing the praises of the
Lawd from mawnin' till night. First |
knOwed ny old man was hank rim to go.
Then he'un got Bill Raynor and Sam
Beebee ana Jim Taylor a-itchen fur TO
dwell in the tents of the Lawd, as he'un
called 'em.
"Lucy.' says my old man, as he sot
right here one night, the Lawd is dun
a-callin' of me to go anu we'll sell them
nevis
"'Sam. is the Lawd a-callin' of me. too p
Reckon not. Yo' is too ole to be
called
HAS the Lawd dun called Mrs. Beebee
or Mrs. TaylOr?"
Reckon not. They is too ole and hum
bly to be called to the promised land.
And how about Mrs. Scott and Mrs.
anderson and Mrs. Bartlett?
Too ole ana humbly. Lawd don't
want 'em out thar
stranger" said the woman, as she ut
tered chuckle of satisfaction. Il reckon
so dun see the rabbit in the hOller Logo"
According to the elder the Lord only
wanted your husbands. ELI 90
"Yo's hit it, They all was packin' up
to go when sunthin' happened. The elder
was st0ppin' UP yere at Tom Whites.
Toms wife was one of the ole and humby
ones The Lawd didn't want. Thar was
fo'leen of US. They all met yere about 10
o'clock. See that bresh over thar?'
Yes"
Mighty fine place to cut switches. I
had fifty cut and ready. We'uns marched
up to Toms and took the elder outer bed
and tied him up in the back yard with the
clOtheSline. Powerful smart he'un was
while Tom was away. Did you ever see a
messenger from the promised land get a.
switchin'?"
'rhey'uns heard him holler fur mile
aud half, but thought it was nevis
brayin'. We used up thirty switches. He
dun LATED and cried and hollered and
cussed. He called on the Lawd He
promised us fo' husbands apiece in the
promised land. We marched him down to
the forks, turned him to the left and
everybody Civ him a cut. He'un never
did come back fur his clothes. Reckon
he'un's still on the canter."
And what did the men your hus-
bands-say ?"
"He-he-heI My ole Sam sits right down
we're next day an smokes an smokes
Bimeby he'un says:
Lucy, dun found out about that call.
| thought it was the Lawd a-callin' of me
alone to the promised land, but | was mis-
took. 1t was Sam Beebee a-caIlin' of both
of us TO cum over and eat green con and
coon meat for dinner. Git on yer bonnet,
Lucy
lie too ole and humbly, SAM
No, yer hain't, Lucy-no, yer hain't
l was jest a-lOokin' and a-fggerin' Yo'
hain't a day over fo'ty, and yo's the best
lookin' woman on all this yere Cum ber-
land qualification of hills and, hollers
Cum on, Lucy"
And so ?" queried, after long pause
That's jest ALL she replied as she
reached for some more tobacco. lest all,
except that when my Sam gifts IA leetle
high headed jest say Promised Land to
him and he willis right down like cab
bage lie af in the sum-"