Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-01-03


now fairly got his steam up. proceed
ed to discourse. Providence upon mat
tiers of more general interest. Tntrc
had been terrible hail storm in the
nelghborhOod few days before, doing
a great damage to the crops, whereup-
on the worthy parson discanted to
Providence:
can ah OH Lord, he hail-a, hits
Almost ruined the craps-a. The Ia
tiers air spilein an rottin' in the
greund-a, an the cotton is IL yaller'n
fur waa o the suna. The corn's all
beat down rs flat as a niger fOota
an thar amt peach left in Brother
wilkins orchard that's fifteen fur the
still-a. o, Lord eff you don't come an
90 to the dogs, like old Jimmy Toole,
what's always in the grass a. But
thank God, my brotherin, nit amt too
late fur the Lord to set things right.
Hit amt too late fur God to save the
peas-a, an the taters, an the punkins,
an sech-a, an hit amt too late fur God
to save the cot. Yes, Lord, l for
got, he added parenthetlcalIy, COM
Tag TO sudden pause and shaking his
head. I'm afeerd it's most too late
TO 60 much with the cotton, fur it's
already begun to shed. But blessed
be the Lord" bursting forth in his
former strain of eloquence, ave kin
git along without the cotton. The
Lord what sent the ravens to clothe
Elijah in the wilderness, an rained
down manner on the Iserltes, kin
give His servants vittles an clos
somehow or nuther-a, though the dew
il do git inter the crops-a. o, Lord,
do Thou come an be bush in the gap
atwixt Thy people an satan, who 60
eth a roarin' around like Brother Billy
Taylor's ole black bull, a seekn'
whom he may devour-a."
After dscoursing the Lord in this
style for some minutes longer, the
preacher concluded his prayer and be-
gan the sermon. He had just got fair
ly under way, and an occasional snore
from the congregation announced that
al was proceeding satisfactorily, when
Il low rumbling of thunder gave warn
ing that II shower was approaching.
and caused even the snOrers to start
up and strain their necks to see from
yt.b or nr.ta tho n1n,,I
Soon the big round drops that form
the advance guard of summer shower
began to patter on the roof, and the
men left their seats and hurried out
to put their saddles and other gear un-
der shelter. The preacher remained
in the pulpit, but called 10 one of the
deacons who was hurrying toward
tie door: Brother Maddox, tell my
boy Jeemes to take my gray mar ont
o the harniss and tie her under the
Big hickory above the spring. and to
bring the seats out O. the wagon inside,
to keep 'em from gittn' victim.
For the next few minutes all was
hustle and confusion. while the men
were bringing their saddles and har-
ness in the church tor protection, and
even the women ran out to look after
lunch baskets that had been left in the
conveyances. After some half-hour
or more the shower passed away, and
the lire of Brother Ducker's eloquence
began to flame up once more, when
a sudden yawp from without announc.
ed that difference of opinion had
arisen among the dogs left by their
masters around the church door,
Again the snorers returned to con-
seriousness. The congregation pricked
up its ears, as it were, and directed its
attention with pious earnestness to the
doors and windows. The masters of the
disagrecing CANNES, without standing
on the order of going, hurried to the
door, followed by all the dogs in the
congregation, and the engagement
outside soon became general. Each !
reinforcement of the dogs to the fray
was followed by stampede OF men |
from the church, till there was nobody |
left except women and children. The |
preacher, however, stood manfuilv at |
his post. 1t is true his eyes were di- |
rccted Ottener toward the windows |
than to his congregation, but the
louder grew the fracas outside, the
louder roared Brother Quicker inside, |
and he seemed in fair way to come |
off conquercr in the vocal strife against !
the united efforts of the dogs. when
voice was heard above all |
the uproar, crying: "By gosh! yonder
goes Preacher Ducker's bobtail bitch
agin Tom Ransom's yaller bourf! My
new jackknife an four plugs o. to-
hacker on the WALLER houn'!' The
preacher came to sudden halt. He
looked this way and that in desperate
conflict between the gospe! and the
devil, when loud yelp from the bob
tail bitch ended the strife. Leaping
square ever the pulpit the preacher
darted down the aisle at three bounds
and was heard to shout as his coat |
tails disappeared through the doorway:
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