The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-02-21

6llc0G lauRnVof. Inc crown COulQ nOG
hold itself. It did not want to offend
the leading man Of the community, but
It had to guffaw. Raynes and Mont
gomery Stuart were the only ones who
kept their faces straight and went on
talking.
The whistle of the incoming train
soon made diversion. 1t came sweep.
ing along as il It had forgotten to stop,
then slowed up suddenly, and the peo.
pie streamed out A stranger would
have thought there was surprising
number Of arrivals for SO small place,
but the habitues Of the platform knew
that half these people had merely step.
ped off the train to hear the governor
pray. Some travelling man had thrown
him q coin already, and he had fallen
on his knees, lifting his long bony
hands and his resonant voice to heaven.
"What's he saying?" asked q man
who had never seen the governor before.
"Ask him when he's done" said the
man who had tossed the coin.
1T sounds like mighty earnest pray.
ing, but can't make out word Of IL
except Lord now and then," said
the new man, turning to some one else.
"Can anybody understand him?''
"Nobody unless it's the Lord" re.
sponded the other. "But don't worry
about what he's saying Hear him and
watch him, won't you? It's the best
nickel show you'll ever get, and don't
you forget it when he passes the hat.
The old mans face worked with ex-
| ~ Iso - ~
and fell to intonations of remorse,
while his long hands reached farther
and farther upward. grasping wildly at
the air, as if he would seize the very
garments of Deity.
''All aboard!" shouted the conductor
after the long pause in which several
truckloads of fruit had been passed into
the express car.
"Amenl Ameni Amenr' cried the
governor, leaping to his feet Then,
with smiles and genufections, he pre-
sented his tattered cap to all who had
not prudentiy retreated.
| "Now's your chance" the man who
had given -he first money said to the
new man. "Ask him what he prayed
about
II couldn't make out quite all you
said, uncle" said the questioner, drop.
ping dime in the cap. "What were
you praying for?"
Praying to save you from the witch
es and the DEVIL" answered the old
man glibly. The gratified auditors, who
had been expecting this explanation,
gave shout of laughter, in which the
questioner joined as he hurried into the
train.
As the crowd dispersed, Adams found
himself standing by Mr.. Hallam, the
old Baptist minister, who had been
listening in quiet amusement to the
governors prayer. Adams looked at
him in surprise.
"You here, Mr.. Hallam?' he said.
"Yes. Why not?" the old man ask.
ed, comprehending perfectly the re.
proach which Adams did not express.
"It's good thing once in awhile tc
see oneself as others see one I've
been told that the governor takes me
for his model, but tell Brother Parish
I'm sure the old fellow has more the
Methodist style"
Adams shook his shoulders impatient.
ly. "Well." he said 'if you ministers
don't mind being taken off like that,
suppose it would be officious for any
'one to interfere in your behalf"
you've adopted our ways and con
verted us to yours until there's not
much difference left between u.s." Mr..
Hallam said, with soothing laugh
"But there's one thing that marks yor
for northerner yet, Mr.. Adams, an6
that is the way you call our darkies tt
account as if they were white men,
You'll learn in time that the best Of
them are not exactly responsible. Al
for the old governor, he has been crazy
for years.
"You say they are not responsible
and yet you trust even the crazy one'
at large"
"The governor is perfectly harmless
and in certain way we are fond Of
him. Can't you see that as long as W,
have him about we are all of us kings
with him for fool? We don't mind il
our dignity suffers little. The old fel
low is healthy for u.s. He is shrewt
enough to hit all our weaknesses.
cts very pleasant and kind to taxi
that forbearing view of him." Adam
said, "but I feel that the communit,
will regret its course some day. He il
untrustworthy, and he's likely at an!
time to make trouble either by unex
pected violence or by pure lack of sense
Mrs. Adams thinks I'm hard hearted no
to let him hang round our place any
more since we've had the children, bu
tell you don't dare to have him will
them, and my minds not easy whil
he's at large. suppose take hin
more seriously than other people d'
because he's so devoted to my family. ;
II don't think you have cause to, ;
said the minister. "Even if the govern
or were to grow violent-though h
never will-he would not hurt hal
on your wife's head or touch the chill
dren. He would die like dog for an.
of your father-in laws people. dom
believe he would ever have gone Graz,