The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-23
Il Mountain Missionary.
BY ALFRED R. CALHOUN.
Copyright. 1885, by American Press Asscc,a-
tion.l ~.
CHAPTER ii.
THE FIRST UNION LEAGUE.

Ihh fihSi tNioc LEAdpE
The war had come to Bradley's
Crossing. The little Salem meeting
house in which the Onion men under
Father Peters had so often and so fer
vently prayed for peace was a smolder-
ing ruin. The men who had burned IL
down were as savagely jubilant over
their work as If they had won a great
battle against great odds, and the Un-
ion mon were correspondingly despond-
ent.
Strong Dick Bradley and the men
who had been converted In the little
meeting house were startled at the de-
struction. They had come to speak Of
the place as ''the house of God" and
this meant to them not simply place
for worship, but a structure sanctified
by the divine presence and under the
divine care, and as such as safe against
fire as the hills themselves.
"Why did God let the house burn?'
"Why did he permit his people, and
particularly SO good q man as Father
Peters. to be persecuted?' "Why did he
not smite hip and thigh the profane
wretches who had done this thing?"
These were tho questions that puz-
zled the Union men who belonged TO
the church, and failing to receive a sat-
isfactory answer the most soundly con-
verted felt that he was falling from
grace, and that if the Lord did not af.
ford miraculous help at once he must
sever the connection, for the time being
at least, and try to help himself after
thu old mountain methods.
A habit supposed to be dead invari-
ably asserts itself with greater force
after il is resurrected. This was certain
ly the case with strong Dick Bradley.
tho blacksmith. He had been noted for
his profanity among people where
even the children lisp in oaths. He had
been famed as fighter in community
where tho ability to fight is regarded as
tho highest and noblest attribute Of
manhood, and where the desperate who
has killed his man or men is envied as
the wild Indians envy the warrior who
has taken the most scalps
1t was generally believed that the
blacksmith's religion. while making
him safer and so more desirable
neighbor. had entirely unnamed him.
and that even so arrant braggart as
Het Magoone could safely treat him
with contempt and set him at defiance.
But strong Dick Bradley's religion, or
at least that part of it that had curbed
his tongue and his arm, went mp and
vanished In the smoke of the meeting
house, and for four terrible years both
had full swing.
While Bradley religion had received
so severe check, the effect Of this at
tack was to turn his earnest mission
feelings into blind fanaticism that
was TO find delight in confagrations and
a soothing comfort in blood. Father
Peters, who had just been praying by
the blacksmith's side, and now stood
holding his arm while they watched the
play of the flames destroying the mis-
sion, forgot his own danger and his own
loss as he noted the old, black scowl on
the face and the devilish light flashing
up in the deep gray eyes Of strong Dick
Bradley.
IF Jesus Christ won't perfect the
place we uns hez fixed up snug TO him.
that's his look out Hill be d--d
long timo afoah he hez another so good
n show in these hills. But, by the great
Eternal, the men ez hez did this'll have
to pay-the insurance in blood! Hold
tharl aHet Magoone, God cuss yo' fo'
dog and cowardl I've got somethin
to say afoab yo' uns ride Off"
The last sentence was addressed to
Het Magoone. who was now about to
mount the horse on which he had come.
The people who had been praying
and the people who had been shouting
about the fire and Het Magoone himself
were startled by the blacksmith's voice
and manner All saw that the Christian
blacksmith had eone, and that the strong
and savage Dick Bradley Of few years
before had come back Magoone obeyed
tho summons, for he knew, as did all
his supporters. that the first sign Of dis
obedience would have been the signal
for a bullet in his heart.
Het Magoone had 40 tnen with him.
All were armed with rifles and pistols.
The very fact that they carried these
weapons showed that they were pre-
pared for fight and expected one.
Physically it is safe to say there was
not a downright coward in the lot.
Well led, there was not man Of them,
not even tho brutal, staggering Het
Magoone, who could not havo been held
in line against overwhelming numbers
till the last one fell in his tracks. and
who could not have boon carried on in
an assault, though certain that not one
could return, but at sight Of strong Dick
Bradley, and ut tho sound of his voice.
the strongest trembled and became for
tho time, more obedient than if not so
weak "a child.
Ignoring tho fact, If indeed he was
aware of it, that Father Peters was
clingipg to his arm, the blacksmith
strodo right through the crowd about
the church until he stood face to face
with Het Mngoone The Clergyman