New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-20

JANUARY 20, 1895. INVENT
nv the hearth and throw it upon the fire.
This fire filled the cabin with a glowing, yellow
flare The men spat into the Goals lhey uiu
not talk much There were more women than
men, but these were seated; they We're 700 -
weary to spend any energy IN MOVING
about. And they were not goSd.looK n,or 3,
like so many OF the men: they Were
wrinkled and sallOw and toothess' lheir Eyes
were dull They passed their lives In bearing
children: in co liking hog and hominy': In plod-
ding along mountain burrows behind the pIouen 1
I'm smoking in some rare moment OF resi- u! ,n0
chimney: In rolling a lump OF snun lovingly De
meath a loose under lip; in drinking ilcitly maze
whiskcy. These also wanted religion. Releion
TO them was like a sort OF whiskey tlat was NJ
SO common as what they Kept III d jug !" 'o''0
corner. #, -.
And black men and women were there 100
There was a kind of scintillating animation III.
their faces. sort OF SHINE, as Oh Hsht 6ia'N''e
u, or rourse. the cabin door was open. The brill
lance of the burning fat wood mingled with inc
cold. bright moonlight that was lying IN iohs
bars wherever it found an opening among 'he
The smell Of spring was filling the night with
fragrance. There was all about among ,lle
woods the odor OF the arbutus which was now
mast its prime Frogs peeping IN nooW
places where water stood. There was no wind
The trees barely moved their leahng tWlss'
Two or three times big negro sittlnS DehlhI
had struck the first notes of a hymn ana had
/ been jcined by the others
They were now rolling out the words
Re my themer I shall last,
Jesus, Jesus crucitied.
The svIlablea went roaring outward into the
night. ard then died away TIL, .
What had those words meant! Impossible 10
tell Did the singers know? 49,,
Presently from outside. and coming constantly
nearer. was heard contralto voice singing
strongly:
De little chillen's feet so weary.
ii, In
very world appeared TO be iliied Win ''e "''o"'
So weary so weary Lord! ,,
Clll de little chllen Lord!
Come, Come, Little chillen. come to me!
Before the last line reached Temple CraW-
ford appeared In the doorway. she had on uie
big hat and the velvet coat. Her hands were IN
the coat pockets her head was thrown back
her eyes shonc She stood still. just within the
door and finished singing. She repeated thc
phrase Come 10 Me-" with an abandon of
rorvor that made the two women behind her
silver with "A sort of fearsome ecstasy. one OF
these women Laura Ammldown. ascribed TINS
ecstasy merely to her own susceptibility 10 Ger
tain phases Of emotion. The other woman. Al
mira Drowdy believed this emotion to be part
Of religion .......,o,,oo ,o-,ib,
she thought with cxutatiOn.
She looked with wonder at Temple She hoped
that some time she should know what 10 make 9f
that girl She watched her "a she shook nanns
here and there with those horrible-looking noun
tain people Almira felt that she couldn SNAKE
hands in that way The long-legged. braWny
men clustered around Temple They asked her
about her pony: they inquired what KIND OF
craps she WAS "gwine 10 make this year. IheN
recommended turning over mat therc pil er
land ter thur west one OF 'hese mn !ou'S'
vim hair which appeared ~ have been combed'
and which lay sleek and yellow back from ms
temples and behind his ears. pressed oashiuliS'
but rcsolu;cly. up near 10 the girl. ,. 49,.
Mrs Ammidown. standing ny the hTc WIN he'
,icran, wrap now held uegl!gently on her arm
watched this young man with instant Interest.
She had never seen him brtor" put Sn' va" va,
aware that she liked him Directly ~ was III
,inctl,n ID be- clean and well groomed among 'nls
nerd. herd was the term the lady 'len'""S
used $500 .,r,. ,.hi,e
his rycs clearly blue and transparent. his cheeks
,nrncd \ siraw-rolorcd musiache swept away
tn ~ nm. curve ON either side II his upper MP
You plumb promised me. Miss Tempe 'iIS.
,.,,,Iiny,n hoard him say. that you'd let me
rfo,,yh mo west slope with my new oxen. You
t,d Miss Temple sally an Bart carn't MAKE no
Roadway ploughin of that S', ,,.. rcr,,le. saw
Say may curm ter-morrer' Miss Temple say
Tempe looked at him ard smiled .,..
when will she learn not II smile IKE tha'
Mr.. Amrid1Wn asked Of herself
r.. Young man flushed with d"light-
SOU. Lincoln" said Temple. that's Jusi "ha'
I was wanting your oxen Tor nat slop', tou
know our mucl can't DO hit. sally was SAYING
r.-,erdav that II she could only gct Lincoln I,aI-
vcckers oxen to'turn urp that 500 she u oar l,
rot,ld make "A mighty fine crap. DO wish N""
,,',rl1 come We en- swOp work somehow" ! r'ch-
on " $500, ,,,..., ,o,ch
The young man gave a little dehsh'ed iaus"
which made his face charming.
Il amt Amin 10 swop work. ne answered.
"fll be shore a. be- there by sun-up ter-morr'r'
Link Dalvrcker's alters In luck. cNCiai'heu
one man but 50 may jos know. Miss Iemple,
as thur amt a man nowhars on the mounting
i'm Car'Iiny but a jump AT thur chance 10 pI'us"
that slopc Now. boz thur?
Tho SPEAKER turned toward the group OF men
a. he put The question. ,.., -.
There WIS laugh and shout or .Sa"' ma"
Th,f's thur gospel trewth-tis'
ty.n tho women Joined tn this. though they
aid II more languidly. having no spare srehs'"
t. put into anything. ,t,
Temple thanked them with simple sincerity,
she turned and glanced at Mrs. Anmidown ana
Alinira as II 20 say.
These be my mountaineers." In another mo-
ment a voice asked: 40
WARS thur preacher? Amt we gwine ter
have no preachln'? I'll be- dadburned II l warh'
nn preacher ter be foolin' ~ me. curin To
ur.achln'. curm fur three mile tother sides
i,usb.c To Kit religion. My oman tole me NOT yer
darst 10 curm back 'thout brung religion. say
now IT., i, - ro,,.
There was q darby smoker at THIS IN the rear
~ the room But il hushcd instantly ~
Mercer appeared In the doorway.
He was dripping wet, and his face was hush'u
almost to purple hue.