St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-31
FOR THE PROMISED LAND.
The Men Folk Were Willing, But
Their Wives Were Not to Be
Persuaded.

The Men Folk Were Willing, But
Their Wives Were Not to Be
Persuaded.
Memphis Appeal-Avalanche.
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
following:
"Yo' see, stranger" said the mount
aineer's wife as she drew a long Whit
from her corncob pipe and gave one of
the dogs a kick with her bare foot, "a
Mormon elder he cum up yere t. lead
we unS to the promised land. 1t war
way out West sumwhar, but he un had
been sent by the Lawd to lead us
through the wilderness. Reckon you've
met up with them MormonS?"
yes"
Got long tongue. Good on the CAB.
Git everybody stirred up in no time.
People all around yere got stirred up to
20 to the promised land. He un promised
every man four or five wives, and the
wimmIn folks was to sit and sing the
praises of the Lawd from mawnin till
7 night. First | knowed nv ole man was
hankerin' to go. Then he un got
Bill Raynor and Sam Bebee and jim
Taylor a-itchen fur to dwellin the tents
of the Lawd, as he un called 'em.
Lucy says my ole man as he sot
right yere one night, the Lawd is dun
a-callin' of me to 90, and We'll sell them
mewels.'
"'Sam, is the Lawd a-callin' of me,
too?'
"'Reckon not. Yo' is too ole to be
called!'
"'Has the Lawd dun called Mrs.
Bebee or Mrs. Taylor?'
Reckon not. They is too old and
humbly to be called to the promised
land.'
land how about Mrs. Scott and Mrs
Anderson and Mrs. BartIett?:'
Too ole and humbiy. Lawd don't
want EN- out thar
Stranger" said the woman, as she
uttered a chuckle of satisfaction, II
reckon yo' dun see the rabbit in the
holler Logo"
According to the elder the Lord only
wanted your husbands, eh?"
"Yo's hit it. They all was packin' up
to go when sumthin' happened. The
Whites. Toms wife was one of the
ole and humbly ones the Lawd didn't
want. Thar was fo'teen of us. They
all met we're bout 10 o'clock. See that
bresh over thar?"
Yes"
mighty fine place to cut switches. l
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 a clothes line. Powerful
scarf, he un was, while Tom was away.
Did yo' ever see a messenger from the
promised land git a switchIn'?"
ttIhnu rrt1o lan rn hi- ILL e. III
and a half, but thought it was meweis
brayin. We used up thirty switches,
He dun LATED and cried and hollered
and cussed. He called on the La wd. 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 q cut. He un never
did cum back for his clothes. Reckon
he un's still on the canter."
And what did the men-your hus-
b~ands-say?"
"He-he-he! My ole Sam sits right
down yere next day and smokes and
smokes and smokes. Bimeby he un say:
Lucy. l dun found out about that
call. ! thought it was the Lawd a-callin
OF me alone to the promised land, but |
was mistook. 1t was Sam Bebee a~-callin
of both of US to cum over and eat green
ON and coon meat fur dinner. Git on
yer bonnet, Lucy
".lze too ole and humbly. SAM
mo, yer hain't, Lucy-no yer hain't.
| was just a-lookin and a-tiggerin. Yo'
hain't a day over fo'ty. and yo's the best
loLkin' mi on all this we're Cumber-
land tumbliticatlon of hills and hollers.
Cum IN, Lucy!'
And SOP" I queried, after a long
pause.
That's jest ALL" she replied, as she
reached for some more tobacco, lest
all, except that when my Sam gifts a
leetle high-handed l jest say Promised
land to him, and he willis right down
like a cabbage leaf in the sun!" Q