The sun., 1896-09-06
A GEORGIA CAMP MEETING
RELIGION, GOOD FARE, SOME POLL
JICs, AND A LITTLE SPARKLING.

Close sleeping Quarters II che Family
Cabins, ana if . Hairpin Drops Into
the Thick Carpet or straw IL IL Lost
rsrevsr-The "sporty" Young Farmer.
ATLANTA. Sept. 4.-Each return of autumn
throughout the far Southern States finds the
rn.idents Of the rural districts all excitement
nth preparations for the yearly camp meeting.
housewives are busy In cooking. and the men
folks are out in force patching up their little
,ent huts and tho great tabernacle that will seat
,omo 1, 500 souls. One especial camp ground
now stands on the very spot where number of
.p,sodes in Gen. Longstreets amusing book.
"Georsla Scenes" were enacted. A picturesque
plaee It is on tho creek bank At Jacksonboro
Bridre, near the Savannah River.
The great tabernacle 10 Just huge shed with
the ground for its floor. Pine benches, innocent
OF backs, stand in close rows on each side OF the
,r,de middle aisle. A high pulpit at the further
end completes the picture. According to the
er.t and sternest of camp meeting laws, the
rood brothers and sisters must never cit to-
rether That main aisle is the dividing line,
beyond which neither must trespass. oh, the
n,or,iecation OF some daring youth who has
ri,ksd all to sit by his lady love in far dark cor
ner, He is called mp and reprimanded amid
general litter. He never offends q second time.
The tabernacle In the centre around which
,h. tiny tent huts are built forming q great
open square.
unoue and most uncomfortable are those
family cabins called tents down here. They
contain Just two large rooms and 4 broad hall
between. The dirt floor Is strewn over with fine
str.w. Partitioned of from the centre hail. the
partition being only as high ~ ones head. are
the two bedrooms. One side is for women, the
iss closets. and no chairs The cracks between the
iSS Tss Seps "an os air ana light. But how do you
sleep? The process is just bit uresome. espe-
e1Yy Yon Il see You thar Ss onS table around two side,
Of the ag"rtmsps Mattresses and bed bed;
ding are sead iHia IL tp pseeommodSse we any nun
Der from eleven to thirty-th If they are com
pressed. Under the aforesaid table the fair
fass,es and matrons must crowd their satchels,
trunks and bandboKes; A small pine table
With - cracked mirror hung above il, a home
Of the task OF robing or ,disrooinE IN SUCH q
.siiow ali over. Bathing. further than a dao in
the little tin basin. is quite out OF the question
pins and toothbrush down in that thick pine
straw! The wind whistlinE through those cracks
. So1 Tns the mstsresses have facuity Of dividing
and leaving you on the hard boards beneath.
The wide hallway serves as both parior and
space. Two long benches on the sides are pulled
up 70 the table in lieu OF chairs at meal time.
Ssn.p.s Sns %sss a, meals. All form in line a. and sdie
along then plump down and draw up that
The cooking is an important feature. Behind
each tent. all day long this process Is In opera
sSS o9 eaee aGe SoIed esch over its
little ire of pine knots. The old negro mann:
are string tas'inE bs, and sda a.
share to the scene. Tall stands. with fat pitch
and log. piled high upon them. supply lprid
light al over the camp grounds. One Is choked
The %niiddlin'" ch urch members attend per-
fNr,- Ffrra~R aah Hav 3 thA
young bellies and beaux only one. or more likely,
none at ali. What a time the young couples
e1 .hns down she eFseF IN s
driving fast horses or stroIling in the narrow
Rs
pet :I horses, The races usually are followed BY
i: 'as b., s9saa, bis Esl haRgs day n
shaving The proverbs stick. while eIchsnstns :
viii nention the cotton crap but they soon
rever. TO politics. Meanwhile the housewives
MAKE .aasases. and horrors! many q one rubs a
sruf stick! sharp lookout is necessary on
sionary preaeaers who are sent out TO bring tns
stray sheep back to the tabernacle-
~.:ched his eoqrsss He determines betors
camp meeting that he viii get religion,
All Ile preachers opclLg HIH4. AM
usually a. arm OF some already converted
brother IS atfectionately thrown around bis
neck. The seeker regularly goes up 10 be
prayed tor under any and every proposition
from the eIhorters. He kneels and weeps By
to eoe to hm Whsh q. ensS
feel. that he is converted. what religion.
ha.lelutah does he create. Clapping of hands
shouting. and monotonous rocking.
These are happy days for the poor Method Isl
circuit rider. He forgets hard times and hi:
lie struggle to feed and bring up in the straig h
and narrow path of righteousness those nine
lAw!ess offspring At hcme. For the time beinG
he revels in the rare luxury of chicken pie and
rice pudding He breaches his very best sermon
with much eclat and goes about in the congre
CATION pleading with well-krown " lost sinners
10 turn now. ere It be too late.
Many are the reGretful fArewells spoken wher
the holiday Is over, and the covered wagons
are packed and the M ules hiLched. All pile in
And they begin their homeward journey TO thei
diiereu. farms, miles away Once more silence
and the razor back swamp hog resume posses
s!on Of the old camp ground.