The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-27
BIZ KaMLIs GARLAND.

mea easier. Now the cor;sctousnesS
- ms love made the simplest question
-. hAe the great question
teams were abroad laden with
Peopie, some returning. some going
amp meeting had come 10 mean a
go % great amusennents, like a circus
80 young people from ell over the co4Jn-
- uroys down on Sundays. as IL 10
so,ne- celebration with fireworks
=, inere's the lane" said Milton. see
s1lat team goin' iu?''
Ben pulled up and they looked a. :.
99ooo'fniiy. II locked dangerously rniry-
.. rs quite dark now and Ben said:
Inats a scaIy piece OF road
On. that's all right. Harkw'
as tney listened they could hear the
so'ees or the exhorters nearly a mile
away IL pushed across the cool sra,e~
~I1Ii a WIG and savage sound The young
peopae thrilled with excitement
Ihere they are; that's the roadr'
insects were singing in the grass Frogs
VITA deepening chorus seemed 10 marx
the coming OF night. and above these
rssceiul sounds came the wild shouts OF
the lar-of preacher. echoine through the
cool green arches OF the splendid grove.
. ne klris sat silent listening 10 the
voices growing louder
Lights appeared ahead. and the road led
UP slight hln TO a gate. Ben drove on
under a grove OF oaks, past dinaly-llghted
tents. whose open flaps showed turnbled
beds and tables laden with crockery
Heavy women were moving about inside.
their shadows showing against the tent
wall ike figures In pantomime.
The young people alighted in curious
silence AS they stood a moment tying
the team, the preacher lifted his voice in
a brazen, changing. monotonous reiteration
OF worn phrases
Come TO the Lord-conne now-come 20
AZ .~{,v &
appointed time-come to the light"
From tent near by came the groaning.
gasping. gurgling scream OF a woman in
mortal agony.
20, my Godr'
IL was charged with the mos. piercing
distress. 1t cut the hearts palpitating
center like poniard thrust. 1t had muir
der and outrage in II.
The girls clutched Ben and Milton. 80.
let's go homer
mo. let's go and see what IL all is"
The girls hung close to the arms Of the
young men and they went down to the
tent and looked in.
1t was filed with a motley group OF peo-
pie, most OF them seated on circling
benches. a fringe OF careless or soothing
on-lookers stood back against the tent
wall.
Occasionally a Norwegian farm hand.
or bevy Of young people from some near
district, lifted the flap and entered with
curious or laughing or insoient faces.
The tent was lighted dimly by kerosene
lamps. set in brackets against the tent
poles. and BY stable lanterns set here and
there upon the benches.
Ben and Milton ushered in the girls and
seated them little back. The girls
smiled but only family. The undertone
of women's cries moved them in spite OF
their scorn of IL all.
What foolishness!' said Ben TO Mil
ton.
Milton smiled, but did not reply. He
only nodded toward the exhorter. a man
with hideous tumble OF features and
the form OF a gladiator, who was utteriag
wild and explosive phrases.
"Oh, my friends ! bless the Lord for
the shall in the word. You shall get light.
You shall be saved. oh, the shall in the
word. You shall be saved"
AS he grew more excited his hoarse
voice rose in furious shouts. as IL he were
defying hell Foam lay on his lips and
few from his mouth. At every repetition
OF the word shall" he struck the desk
a resounding blow with HIS great palm.
Hes a hard hitter" said Milton.
At length he leaped. apparently in IN
comfortable excitement. upon the mourn
ers' bench and ran up and down close TO
the listening. moaning audience lie walk
ed with furious. Rhythmic, stuunplng ae-
ton like an Indian in the ghost dance
Wild cries burst from his audience, an
tphoBal with his own.
"He shall send iightr'
Send Thy arrows, oh. Lord"
"oh. God. Gomez
Tile shall keep His word
one old negro woman, fat, powerful
gloomy, suddenly arose and Ittered
scream that had the dignity and savagery
OF mountain Hons cry. 1t rang far cut
into the night
The exhorter continued his mad furious
humping, bar5aric walk.
Behind him a row OF other exhorters
sat relay ready 20 leap 20 his aid. They
urged on the tumult with wild cries.
Amen. brother
yes. brother. yesr' clapping their
hands in rhythm.
The exhortCr rcdoubled HIS fury. lie
was IKE a faded actor rising at applause.
out OF the obscure tumult OF faces and
tossing hands there cane ar last certain
recognizable features. The people were
mainly farming folks OF the more ignorant
sort. rude I'm dress and bearing. hard and
bent with toll They were recognizahly OF
a class subject 10 these forms OF religious
excitement which were once well-nigh
universal
The outer fringe continued - smile
scornfully and 10 Jest. yet they were
swed. in way by this suddenly revealed
deep OF harharie emotion.
The girls were appalled, by the increas-
ing clsmor. Milton was amused. but Rem
grew bitter. Something strong came ont
IN him. too. His lip curled in disgust
Suddenly. out OF the level space c.
bowed shoulders. tossing hands and fren-
zicd. upturned faces, a young girl leaped
erect. She was strerg and handsome.
powerful in the waist and shoulders. Her
hair was braided like a child's and fell
down her hack IN a single strand. Her
head was gtrlish, but her face locked old
and drawn and tortured
She moaned pififully; she clapped her
hands with wild gestures. ending in a
quiverirg motion. The action grew "a
nghtning-Iike uuic huess. Her head seemed
90 set in its socket Her whole body stiff
feued Gasping means came from her
clenched teeth as she fell 10 the ground
and rolled under the seats. wRiiowinE in
the muddy straw and beating her feet up
on the ground Ike q dying partridge.
The people crowded about her. but one
OF the preachers. a powerful man. with n
harsh. domineering voice, reared above
the tuTnult:
- down, Never mind that party. She's
all right: she's IN the hands Of the Lord,'
The Wild turnult went on and the people
settled into their seats again. Rem rose 10
50 over where the girl was. and the 9TH
ers followed.
\ Young man seated by the struggling
girl held her hand and famed her with
his hat. while some girl friends. scared
and sobhlng. Kept the tossing limbs cover
ed. She rolled from side 70 side restless
lv thrustiug forth her tongue as II her
th.1at we're dry. she looked like dying