Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-11-10
MISCELLANY,
The Promised Land.

1t was in a cove on the Cumberland
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 mountain
GERS 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 Nor
mon elder he cum up we're to lead we uns
to the promised land 1t war way out
West somewar but he'un had been sent
by the Lawd to lead us through the wilder
ness. Reckon yo've met up with them
Mormons2'
"Nes.n
"Got long tongues. Good on the CAB.
Git everybody stirred up in no time. Peo-
pie all around we're got stirred up to 60 to
the promised land. He 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 my ole man was hankerin to go.
Then he'un got Bill Raynor and sam
Beebe and Jim Taylor a-itchin fur to
dwell in the tents of the Lawd as he'un
called EN-
Lucy, says my ole man as he sot
right we're one night, the Lawd is dun
d-callln OF me to 60. and Wen sell them
nevis
sam, is the Lawd a-callin' o. me, tooo'
Reckon not. Yo' is too ole to be
called
Has de Lawd dun called Mrs. Beebe
or Mrs. Taylor
Reckon not. They is too old and
humbly to be called to the promised land
"'And how about Mrs. Scott and Mrs.
Henderson and Mrs Barflofto'
"'Ioo ole and humbly. Lawd don
want EN- out thar"
stranger said the woman. as she ut
tered a chuckle of satisfaction 81 reckon
yo' dun see the rabbit in the holler log.
According to the elder the Lord only
wanted your husbands, eh9"
"los hit it. They all was packin' up
to 60 when sunthin happened. The elder
was stoppin up we're at Tom White S.
Iom's wife was one of the ole and humbly
ones the Lawd didn want Thar was To-
teen of us. They all met we're bout IL
O'Clock. See that bresh over thar?
Yes
Mighty fine place to cut switches
had 80 cut and ready We uns marched
up TO Tom and took the elder outer bed
and tied him up IN the back ward
with the clothesliue Powerful scarf. b,
I'm was, while Tom was away. Did yo
ever see messenger from the promised
land Git a switChiu' 2'
NO"
"lhey uns heard him hollpr fur a mile
and half, but thought 1t was nevis bray
in. We used up thirty switches He dur
LATED and cried and hollered and cussed
He called on the Lawd, He promised u,
70 husbands apiece in the promised land
We marched him down to the forks. turn
ed him to the left and everybody Civ hin
cut. He 'un never did cum back fur hi.
clothes Reckon he uu's still on the can.
ter
And what did the men-your husband.
-sayo'
"He-he-he. My ole sam sits right down
we're next day and smokes and smokes and
smokes. Bimeby he says
Lucy, dun found out about that call
l thought it was the Lawd a-callin' OF III,
alone TO the promised land. but was mis-
took. 1t was sam Beebe a-callin of boil
OF us to cum over and eat green con and
coon meat tur dinner Git on yer bonnet
Lucy.
lie too ole and humbly, sam.
Ono yer hain't. Lucy-no. yer hahn e.
was lest a-lookin and a-hggerin Yo
haln' day over to'ty, and vo's the best
lookin' woman on all this we're Cumber
land qualification OF hills and hollers
Cum on. Lucy.
And 500 l queried after a long pause
That's Jest all she replied as sh,
reached Tor some more tobacco ~iest all
except that when my sam gets leetl,
high headed l Jest say. Promised land tC
him and he willis right down like cabbage
leaf in the sun I-MmpLiS Ippeut-IrG
tGHchc.