St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-08-07

Iccoi ied fact that they are but small
potatoes and few in the hill, with the
rows six feet wide.
\ Lively Prayin Match.
mo doubts, RUFF, but what you have
tended spellin matches and shootin
matches and wetllin matches, but now
did you ever hear tell of SIGH thing as
! prayin match? Well, that is what the
people over there have now come to,
and the great question is which side
will win out on the last rattle of the
box.
You recollect how Gum creek runs
down through the hills, RUFF. splittin
the settlement about half and half on
one sid. and the other. Now, from the
| mainest leadin facts in the case il seems
as if the people on yonder side of the
creek got seriously afflicted with a
smart spell last year and sowed their
cats in the fall. whilst them on this
side didn't sow till the regular time
her. since Christmas. So, consequent
tally lie people on the other side cut
thei. orts in May, whilst them on this
side are now chin-deep in that most
hel,acious hot and unpleasant job. with
their oat fields wasin ripe and yellow
into the harvest, as it were.
For six long weeks they have been
Eufferin from a dry drought. with cool
nights and hot days on both sides of
the creek In the main time the corn
crop is now bunchin for the silk and tas-
eel, and the thirsty earth is calm for
rain water. In durin the past few days
it has been thunderin around in the
distance considerable, whilst the gen
cral appearments showed forth signs of
f;.llin weather. The people on this side
of the creek wanted the weather man to
postpone for few days SO they mought
sit their oat crop cut and put up dry,
whilst them on the other side wanted
The rain on their corn-wanted it rale
bad. and wanted it right now.
so there they are, Rufe. Last Satur-
day morning bright and soon old Par
son Hadford rid through the settlement
on Wonder side of the creek and norated
i, around that there would be prayer
meetin for rain at his house that night,
and sannt the word for everybody to
come Inside of two hours the news
had spread to this side of the creek,
where, you understand, the people
didn't want no rain right away imme-
tiiatcly. And there it was.
"You see. Rnfe, over there in the
Hill country when it does rain, it is more
than probable to rain upon the just rs
well as the unjust-but more in partic-
uiarly the unjust, from the fact the;'
haze got a whalin big majority every
tine the convention tofhes to order.
And when it rains Cd one side of the
creek it rains on both sides of the creek
ut the same time. In their churches
anil religious notionsi ahd in all man.
ner of earthly devilment. the creek il
the border line whiohu3ijdes the settle
mcnt half and half. But they can't fuss
and fall out and split up and quit pra-
in together in regards to the weather,
and that is what ha9 brung on them
lively .pr9lih matches.
Now, when the news of what old
Parson Eadford MAS drivin at leaked
out sufficient. Cal Sturgiss-which as
you know he is a deacon in the church on
this side of the creek-he didn't do a
blame thing but saddle his mule and 90
forth through the settlement on his
eide. giyin it out as urgent and promis-
Gus as he could that there would be q
prayer mcetin at his house that night
10 pray for dry drought to hold on till
the people could save their oats. In 9TH
er words, Rufe, Parson Radford had
offered resolution to suspend business
and adjourn for refreshments, and now
Cal Sturgiss made motion to lay the
resolution under the table.
Who Would ana who wouldn't.
well. in answer to the call, the peo-
PIE come together that night-some
met with Parson Radford, on yonder
side of the creek, and some met with
Deacon Cal Sturgiss, on this side
some to pray for rain, and some to pray
agin the motion for fallin weather.
That was the general lay Of the land
as far as l found it when rid over
there Saturday night-which, of course,
il was none of my private business how
them people would ruther take their
weather-and didn't try to poke my
finger in the pie one way or the other.
Hit vas way long towards IL o'clock
when the meetins broke up Saturday
night. BY this time q big bank -6f
clouds had piled up in the west, and
oncst in awhile you could see pale
streak of lightnin in; the dim distance
BUT vet still it was four bits with one
side and so cents with the other as to
who would and who wouldn't. Whereas
both of the meetins adjourned TO re
sumo business at church the next day,
and the prayin match run on through
Sunday. Monday mornin when left
for home twas lookin a right smart
like the people on this side of the creek
mought win out and git their oats in
ahead of the rain. l can tell froSs the
run of the clouds that the dry drouth
has not been broke as yet, and If il
dom, rain by this time tomorrow Par
IN Radford's motion will be indefinite
u lost. so to speak.
AS to me. Rufe, l would rather not
bet my money an what the weather
win do. Only the good Lord knows
about that. and He don't have to tell
poor human beins in this valley Of dry
bones everything He knows. But il
they keep on with that prayin match
it wouldn't be no ways surprisin to me
IL He was to send a cyclone or a water