The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-03-21
OLD KAlNTUCKY STORIES.
Somo Humorous Bits OF Bright Word
Painting.

somo Humorous Bits OF Bright Word
Painting.
"When 1 give out that l would
preach at the head O. Trace fork" said
Rev. Lcmucl Penrod the other day,
"my friends all upan' tolc me I'd never
git q congregashun. They sed thar
wuz never u rope Of savin' grace made
stout enough to drag them ar natives
to the fear NV the spirit.
''But I knowed better. Although
you may think l wuZ city born, an
havc wore out the backs NV many coats
against college walls, hits all cr mis-
teake. wuz born and fotchcd up in
the mountains. l know We don't be-
licvc hit. Hit looks unreasonable, but.
sub, Pm er self-madc man. cdcrcat-
ed myself. Ihain't got nobody but tho
Lord an myself ter thank fur the work
l hev done, sub.
This is goin' cr little out in the
brush from the road l started on. but
what | want ter 'splain il thet lSnowcd
the people. l wuz born among 'cm, an
know 'cm through an through.
"What did | do ter git the crowd?
That's what I'm swingin err round to.
Wall, sub, got me a spring wagin' an
set six four-gallon jugs in the back
part NV it. Every house I'd pass on tho
way ter preachin' grounds I'd lift up u
jug an pretend ter be drinlzin'. Then
I'd set down the jug, lift up mer voice
an shout: Come all yc thet famish
an thirst fer the blessed spirit ter the
head O Injun, and ye shall be tillcdp
The whole family, an all their visitors,
wud take artcr my wagin. lcp' re-
in5 l. ~,
house, an when got ter the place fer
preachin' l had the biggest gathcrin'
thet ever he'd been seen in thet neck of
the woods. A revival begun at once.
Forty souls war brought ter Christ, an
only one man killed durin' that blessed
week!'
I was stopping for tho night on Chris
ty creek, in Carter county. The cole
man an woman, six gals" four "boys"
(all grown), three hands and myself
made semi-oircle about great, cav
crnous fireplace filed with roaring
hickory and beech logs.
One great, strapping young giant sat
with his leftshoulder against one lamb
rack, while his sister Nloll braoed her
right against the other. They faced
each other, and saw them frequently
exchange smiling glances which they
we'll understood. They were holding
wordless conversation, and expect
1T related to my very sclf-important
self
Finally the young man drew in his
outstrctched legs, making his big boot
heels scrape harshly on the earth and
puncheon floor as he did so. He
stretched out his long arms, like wings,
yawncd and rose up. He then crooked
long, darlI-complexioncd index finger
toward me and said:
Il want ter sec We outside n mint
stranger"
l went out with him. Little shiyer
played hide and seek up and down IN,
spinal column as l stood, in frightened
perpleXity, below this tower Of muscl,
and Drawn. What could he want? NV
blood? Or a drink from u flask I had
in my pocket? He kept me in sus.
pcnsc several minutcs-many minutes
to me then. Then he drew in deep
inspiration and said:
"Strangcr, don't ye want ter marry
my sister Moll?"
"Why--I--er don't understand. What
do you mean?'
"Wal, hits jist this er way: Moll's
bound ter marry, that's all thcr IL
crbout it, She's the best field hand on
tho place, but she swars she won't
never strike another lick har So we's
all workin' ter git her satisfied. I
thought Sim Stadey wuz goin' ter take
her, but he went to log-rollin', soon
after they wuz ingaged, an beat over
man thor liften at er hanspilSc. That
got his name up, an ever girl in the
county was artcr him. That give him
the big head, an he dropped Moll out
an married Sal Bodkins fer hcr good
looks an two COWS.
"Then Ben Taylor an her made or
contract. They wuz jist er bout ter
hitch when his uncle died an left him
two good houses. That started all the
gals in the county arter him. Beck
Latimcr, who had jist raised the best
four acres of tcrbacl1er to be found on
the crick, an had two of the biggest
feather beds in the county, took CT no.
tion to him. Moll wuz left out In the
snow again. This kind CT thing keeps
happenin' with her time an time apin.
She talked NV hangin' herself, but
tolc her ter hold up CT while longer,
that If she couldn't git man right
big, stout, ,dcvilish-like Tom Stacy
or Bill Latimer-that some little war
ty, bowleggcd cuss, better than nuth-
in, would come CT long some time an
pluck her off. An now, stranger, II
you want u wife that can raise more
corn than any man you can scare up,
just clinch ycrsclf ter Moll I know
she'll take ye. I cud sec it in her cyc,
besides, you've got Il burned good look
in hoss. ."--Joseph Noel Johnson, in
Cincinnati Tribune.