St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-11-07

Raynor rid BY to ten me the news con
ceEnin the meetin. That good old man
was 20 happy. Rufus, till for . little
more and he would of shouted right
there In the big road. They didn't
have any new members ~ yet. he went
on to tell me, but from general ap
Eearments they had high hopes Of Z
mighty outpouring before long. Andy
Lucas full-blood grandson Of old Hi
ram Lucas-had went up to the mourn.
ers'- bench three times that day land
was now bowed down under his great
load,of guilt and fears and sorrow. And
with that thssoid parson rid on towards
home: sipgin and rejoicin. -.
Naturally. Of course. It was none Of
my business, Rufus, as my name il
writ on the books of another church,
and I didn't want to let my mouth e.
of too quick and hurt that good
old mans -feelins. But could see the
rale facts in the case as plain as plank
fence and hit painted. and it was .aN
could do to keep from teliin the parson
that II Andy Lucas was the only hope
for new recruits they mought rs well
to take out and quit. Rut f,elt back
and Andy he helt on. The meetin
didn't wind up till the next Thursday,
and when it broke and they closed the
church books onct more the name Of
Andy Lucas was not written there.
sandy then rid by and spent one
night at our house. After that he Iii
out for old Macedonia church over there
in the hill country, where the Free Will
Baptist had a big meetin goin on at
that time. Invent over there myself on
Sunday, and. jest a. I lowed. Andy he
was there with every foot up and coat
tails Ayin, and next to the preachers
he was the mainest man in the meetin.
The next followin Tuesday evenin old
Sister Hasseltine--which you under
stand she is the onlyst member Of that
church from our side Of the crcek-she
rid by to tell me what felonious good
time they were havin with their meetin
over at Macedonia.
"'And who would Of thought il, Ben
Chris ?-says the old lady as she
clapped her hands and brung a long
brcath-.Andy Lucas, a full blood grand.
son Of old Hiram Lucas-which they
tell me he died drunk and q cussin-
has mellowed down powerful in durin
of our meetin. The young man, from
all ! can hear, is . chip often the old
block. but nobody would think Il to
see him SO meek and SO humble bowed
down SO low in spirits kneelin
around the mourners bench 20 reglar
and so constant. No cross, no crown.
Ben Chris, and bless the Lord that wild
and hayward young man will soon be
bearing the cross in hopes Of wearin the
crown
"And by this time that good old soll
warmed up and waxed 20 happy till
blamed if she didn't break out with the
holy laugh right then and there. Al
the same time was achin and itchin al
over to tell her that so long as they
had three sermonts a day and dinner
on the grounds that Maynard an3
wicked grandson Of old Hiram Lucas
would lead the procession TO the mourn
ers' bench. and if they didn't watch him
when the meetin closed he would hold
four aces or straight flush, whilst the
good people of Macedonia wouldn't
have nothin better than two pair, II
that. But she was so joyful like AMI
happy till didhH have the heart to
throw cold water on her hopes.
$50 things rocked ON two or three
days longer, and whep. We got the new,
that the big meetin over at Macedonia
was closed we likewise also learnt that
the hayward feet Of. Andy Lucas still
wandered down the broad and easy
road which leads to death and ruinatiop.
about supper time that night Andy
he rid up in a swingin fox trot and
turned his horse in the lot. After sup
per ke.vaenf soR to tell-me what a tire
mendius big time he had been havin
over at Macedonia. But from the gem
eral run of his conversation I soon
found out what was the mainest think
with Andy. He had snapped horses
with the brethren four times, got back
the same horse started with, and had
SIS hid away in his tanks. not to speak
OF the three sermonts . day and dinner
on the ground"
n 80 wspag cs.vA
But on The next follow ing Saturday
the Old SelDd Hptists opened mp .
three days meetin down al Cool Springs
and I am here to tell you,
Rufus, there is where the famous
grandson of old Hirum Lucae backed
his fool self up agin a scandlous big |
snag. They had three sermonts 4 day