Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-12-05

So long so long
bin lear SO long
she chanted in weird, pathetic voice
and every person in the congregation
who was able to lift his or her voic
chanted the refrain at the end Of ever.
three lines:
"'Gin me little time ter pray
Every one was in motion. SOM
swayed their bodies backward and for
ward, some shuflled their feet in tint
to the music, and the very happy one
clapped their hands and shouted
Glory, my Lawdr This kept up fol-
hours. Several PROSTATE forms WERE
carried out, and number were left il
the church, where they lay until mex
day When got tired and went away
that night the little preacher, utterly
worn out, had curled herself up in 6
splint- bottom chair, and was enjoying
the sleep of innocent childhood.
could hardly sleep that night for think
ing about that meeting, ! tell you
boys, | was impressed"
II always thought you were above
such superstition, squire" remarked
some one, as the squire stopped to refill
his pipe.
well, anyway, went back the next
night" resumed the squire, land for
the first time got good view Of the
little preacher She is a perfect child
in looks and ways Her complexion is
about the color OF an old mustard
ground ginger cake, her teeth white
and even, the whites of her large,
mournful eyes prominent, and she
doesn't weigh more than sixty or seven
ty pounds. There were lot of white
people in the congregation, but she
took no notice of them. Curiosity
prompted me to GO to listen to her, but
interest held me there. She spoke
right out in the most earnest way as
if her only thought was preaching the
Gospel, Her delivery and gestures
were easy, and, in fact, what she SAID
and the way she said it beat nine
tenths of the preachers-especially
these evangelists--w white or black
"She opened service with very good
prayer, and read, or rather recitcd,
chapter from the Bible, which did not
bear on the sermon in the least. Her
one thought seems to ne to prepare FOR
the Great Beyond, which she desig
mates as way over yonder.' She talks
about the hereafter In most pathetic
way, and remember on that particu-
ar night her text was: Business in
Heaven
"'I'll meet you there, sinner she
said, for | got business with Capt.
Jesus, | must tend to it. must go
where partin' is no mo- got to put
IN long white robe, a starry crown,
silver slippers, and sit at my Masters
eet III meet you over yonder, way
,ver yonder, for we all got to cross
Jordan stream dry shod and go over
ronder. I'll meet you there, sad
hearted mothers. III meet you there,
wicked fathers. I'm going to get in
de those pearly gates. Are you? Are
'ouP Sinner, you must get right.
earn it now. Now is the time Way
'ver yonaer may be too late for you,
nd SO on. Night after night went,
nd each time she had new sermon,
ach one containing SAD strain.
"She made pathetic figure, always
lad in deepest black without the
lightest touch of color that children
Owe SO we'll, or the faintest suggestion
I An ornament. When occasion de.
handed she rebuked thoughtless per-
ons for bad behavior in few clear
ut, kind sentences, and went right on
nth her sermon. If the Gospel grind
RS would only learn that it isn't these
taggering truths, which cannot be
rasped by the average mind, but a
octrine OF simple, earnest faith that
rouses people to better living. But
ley never will, Now it was the sim
Gritty of the little niger, and the
of her followers, that i'm
ressed me, and, while can't say that
lie converted me, she certainly set me
thinking, and concluded to leave
i doing certain things.
II wanted to give her something, and
'uldn't make up my mind what to
ny her. She reads poorly, and can
arcely write at all, but somehow
lie didn't seem like child that would |
lre for toys Finally, in a sort of
! settled on large wax
III with highly colored cheeks and a
ass of yellow hair. If you could
I've seen her antics Of delight when
lie found that it was all her own. She
asped it to her as if she would never
t it go, and then she told me that she
'ed always to preach sermons to her
Ills, and that the people who over
lard her persuaded her to preach to
'ople, which was the very thing she
I'd always longed to do
Every body agrees that she is won
r. and tell you she is. Many white
ople think her inspired, and the
acks believe that she is sent directly
ON God as warning, and that the
dgment day is coming soon. don't
low, because I've never thought a
eat deal about such things. But
think she is entirely different from
y little child that I've ever seen, and
shall never, never forget her, with
r solemn ways and her unceasing
irnings about what we must do and
lst not do If we want to meet each
her when we get home, way over
nder.'"