The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-10-17

certain recognizable features. The peo
ME were mainly farming folks of the
more ignorant sort, rude in dress and
hearing, hard and bent with toll. They
yvere recognizable of a class subject to
these low forms of religious excitement
which were once well-nigh universal.
The outer fringe continued to smile
scornfully and to jest, yet they were
aW~d, in way, by this suddenly reveal.
ed deep of barbaric emotion.
The girls were appalled, by the in
creasing clangor. Milton was amused
but Ben grew bitter. Something strong
came out in him, too. His lip curled in
disgust.
Suddenly, out of the level space of
bowed shoulders, tossing hands and
frenzied, 'up-turned faces, young girl
leaped erect. She was strong and hand
some, powerful in the waist and shout
ders. Her hair was braided like a
child's and fell down her back in a sin
gle strand. Her head was girlish, but
her face looked old and drawn and tor
tured.
She moaned pitifully; she clapped
a quivering motion. The action grew
to lightning like quickness. Her head
seemed to set in its socket. Heb whole
hody stiffened. Gasping means came
from her clenched teeth as she fell to
ia ground and rolled under the seats,
following in the muddy straw and beat
ill.,; her feet upon the ground like a
dyi-'; partridge.
lie people crowded about her, but
one of the preachers, a powerful man,
with harsh, domineering voice, roared
above the tumult:
b 1"S' down! Never mind that party:
She's all right; she's in the hands OF
the Lord!' .sf
The wild tumult went on and the peo-
nile settled into their seats again. Ben
rose to go over to where the girl was
and the others followed. ;.
A Young man seated by the struggling
girl held her hand and famed her with
his hat. while some girl friends, scared
I and sobbing, kept the tossing limbs Gov
cred She rolled from side to side rest
lessly, thrusting forth her tongue as II
her throat were dry. She looked ike
a dying animal.
Maud chung to Milton. %,
'Oh, can't something be doneF,
"Her soul is burdened for you! crieu
wild old woman to the impassive
youth who chung to the trenzled girls
hand. ~ =.
A moment later, as the wild chorus OF
veIls songs. incantations, shrieks
Sroans and prayers swelled high, a far
mer's wife on the left uttered hoarse
crv and stiffened and fell backward upoI
the ground. She rolled her head from
side to side. Her eyes turned in. Hel
Inns wore a maniac's laugh ana mel
troubled brow made her look, like the
death mask of a tortured murderer the
hell horror frozen on 1t.
She sank at last into hideous calm
with her strained and stiffened hands
pointing wierdly up. She was like mar
BILE. She did not move hairs breadtf
during the next two hours.
Over to the left q young man leaped
to his feet with a scream:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!'
The great negress caught him in her
arms as he fell, and laid him down, then
leaped up and down, shrieking:
ooh, Jesus, come. Come GOD
lamb
Around her dozen women took up
her cry. Most of them had no voices
Their horrifying screams had become
hoarse misses, vet still they strove
Scores of voices were mixed in the pan
demoninum of prayer. -,
All order was lost. Three of the
PREACHERS now stood shouting before the
nourners' bench two were in the alsles
One came down the aisle toward the
girl with the braided hair. Ae he came
!. he prayed. Foam was on his lips, bu
his ewes were cool and calculating; they
betrayed him.
AS he came he fixed his gaze upon .
woman seated near the PROSTATE girl
and with q horrible cutlery the victim
leaned into the air and stiffened as il
some scared boys. who let her fall, strik
ing her head against the seats. She
too, rolled down upon the straw. They
looked like sisters. They had round
pretty, but childish faces.
Milton and the rest retreated. They
smiled no more; they were horror
stricken.
Squads of workers now moved dow1
the aisles; in one they surrounded two
people, q TALL fair girl and young man
"Why, it's Grace!' exclaimed Maud
Ben turned quickly. "Where?
They pointed her out.
"She can't get away. See! u, boys
don't let them"
Ben pushed his way toward her. His
face was set in q fierce frown, bitter
desperate.
j, Grace stood there. On one side was
enc of the powerful elders; woman OF
the same sort was upon the other. Con
rad, oyerawed had fallen into trem
Ming stupor. Grace was alone.
The elders hand lowered over mel
head. on her face a deadly pallor hac
settled, her eyes were cast down, sh'