The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-22

"But ef SO be Kentucky was to secede,
would yo be a Union man then?"
GOD giving mo strength, would" F"
was the fervent response.
"Thar! Didn't tell yo' uns he was
To- the Union, and man that's TO- the
Union is black Republican and abo-
litionist," shouted Het Magoone.
"And say that's id liei"
That there might be no mistake as TO
the man who had given expression to
this forcible opinion strong Dick Brad
ley got up, and with his right hand
thrown back under his coat, gesture
which even the children present under
stood, he walked over and stood beside
the preacher.
The women became very nervous, and
many Of the men turned ashy pale and
moved toward the door.
"Dick Bradley, this amt no sarcus
o. yourn. /" said Het Magoone, but his
brutal bearing was toned down, and
there was that in the eyes and move
ments OF the thick lips that told he was
not pleased with the bearing of tho
blacksmith. But, gaining confidence as
no remembered that two-thirds of the
60 men present were his partisans, he
continued: 1--WE uns who's To- the south
ken wait to git even with yo' uns
who's fo' the Union. Thar's plenty Of
time 20 settle them things, but what
we want now is to git rid of q man
f'om the moth who comes down har ez
spy and purtendin that hits God AL
mighty's religin. Father Peters, yo've
preached yo'r last sarmint in these har
hills"
"Who says SOP" demanded Bradley.
"We uns."
"And who's yo' uns?'
'Me and my friends"
Neither yo' nor yer friends owns
splinter Of this house. From foundation
log to clapboard hits owned by the
man ez built hit-the man ez ken down
heah to lead us to do right-but thar's
some men so give ovah to sin, Het Ma
goone among 'em, that they re bound to
be damned, and I'm mighty glad Of
hit. Now. yo' uns that don't want to
heah Father Peters preach is free to
leave. But, by G., the next man ez
tries to break up our worship will find
himself needin hull new top to his
headp'
Strong Dick Bradley, although using
this strong language, appeared to be the
coolest man In the meeting house, but
there was no one within the hearing of
his voice who did not know that he was
making no idle threat Motioning TO
his friends TO follow him, Magoone
strobe out of the house, and meeting
was held at the door. The preacher and
his followers were denounced in lam
guage CT unquestionable vigor, every
word Of which could be heard inside,
and men who had through years receiv-
cd favors at the old man s hands threat
ened that If he did not leave the noun
tains at once they would hang him.
But even those who remained back
with Father Peters were in no mood for
devotion. They saw that the dreaded
time had come and that from this day
on till tho end the old friends, neigh
bors and kinsmen must stand face to
face in life and death struggle.
AT Mrs. Peters suggestion her hus-
bands friends left the church and gath
cred in the study, but even here they
could hear the shouting and the swear
ing, punctuated low and then by the
startling discharge of pistols.
Following the old mans example, all
who could crowd into the little room
knelt down, and those who could not
knelt within hearing outside. As Father
Peters called on heaven for help and
light, the men and women, with eyes
closed and bodies swaying, wrought
themselves mp to q state Of camp meet
ing excitement till at length the appeals
OF the preacher wero drowned in shouts
of "Halleluiah. GLORY to God,"
"Send down the light, o Mastah,"
"Amen aud Amen" and "Heah the
prayahs of sinners. T"
AT last the fervor died out from ex-
haustion, though still the kneeling
women sobbed and the men groaned.
Father Peters had just risen 10 his feet
when he heard cry outside-a cry
that was taken up by the men, women
and children. All rushed out to see a
black pillar of smoke shooting up from
the meeting house. It had been fired by
Het Magoone and his friends, who now
danced abort the burning building and
fred of their pistols end howled like
60 many drunken savages.
iContinued Tomorrowl