The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-11
"HENNIE.'
Marco rlorrow, i'm The Lotus.

The Beulah camp-meeting grounds
were ankle-deep in mud and water. and
the rain still fell, not in lively showers
that are energetic and interesting, but
with dreary, penetrating persistence
that promised long continuance, and
boded i'll for the success of the annual
camp-meeting. Elder dolefully shook
his head at elder and sighed:
well, brother, there amt no signs
o. lettin' up yit!"
Those families who camped under
canvas folded their tents and stole
away--not silently, like Arabs-but
with much grumblng and loud COM
planning. Some few took refuge with
friends who We're more fortunately
lodged in rough tenements of wood, but
the majority went home, discouraged
and disgusted.
Elder Jenkins, who was a member of
the board of trustees and secretly felt
personally responsible for the excessive
moisture, stood at the big gate as
Brother Hank Hawkins and his family
drove up to begin the unwilling home
ward journey. The elder tried to seem
cheerful and resigned, but the smile he
forced was a sickly one, and had 1t
been ever so hearty. it's effect would
have been spoiled by the water that
accumulated on his face, ran down the
bridge of his nose and dropped with a
splash to his chin.
We'll ye're gorn, Brother Hawkins?"
he said. I'm terribly sorry, am So
But" he added piousy, "the ways of
Providence are considerable past md
in out, an If He wills wet weather, l
reckon we've got to take it along with
the dry"
but l reckon" came a thin, high
voice from the rear seat in the wagon,
that's no reason fur settin' the meetin
when We knowed it were a-gorn to rain.
Providence may be mysterious, but the
ways o some men are mighty sight
mysteriouser!"
why, Sister Hawkins!" exclaimed
the elder, in an aggrieved, injured tone.
What on this yearth do ye mean? One
would think we'd a-done it a-purpose,
to hear ye TALK"
We'll" came back the voice, "wheth-
er 1t were a-purpose or not a-purpose,
all 1 say is that there amt none so
blne as them what won't see, an none
so deef as them what won't hear!
Didn't l tell ye it were gorn to rain
Say, didn't l tell ye?"
kns," said the elder slowly, shifting
his feet in the mud, whether you
told me it were gorn to rain or not.
haint got no call to keep track O.
what all the wimen in the county say,
an reckon that you hain't got no call
to keep track of the weather, nuther.
We sot the meeting in a dry time, an
at every Wednesday-nig prayer
meetin' we prayed for pleasant wealth
er. We done our part. Sister Hawkins,
an the Lord hain't seen fit to favor
us, that's all; an when ye set there
proud an stff-necked, a-findin fault
with the humble servant in the Lord S
hand, the meek instrument O. His will
1t hain't me that ye're angry with
Sister Hawkins; it hain't me that
ye're flndin fault with an a-castin
slurs at. but the Lord"
mo, I hain't-" began the woman
in still higher voice than before
Her husband, who had sat in an un-
easy silence throughout the CONVEX
sation, suddenly said:
Now, nam, don't! Stop yer argyin
an let the elder git in outer the rain.
The mans injunction was seconded
by look of appeal in the eyes of the
eldest of the seven children in the wag-
on-a pale-faced youth of 16 or II
who seemed too frail for his surround.
ings. But the woman, If she heard
her husbands words or saw her sons
look, gave no sign.
mo, / hain't a-fiindin' fault with
the Lord" she said, but with His
unfaithful servant. Ye didn't know II
were a-gorn to rain? Well, ye might
a-knowed. Didn't Hicks Almanac
prophesy 1t a year ago? Rain an
stormy weather the first two weeks il
August Look out fur fallin weather;
them's the very words, an now W
stand there in yer blineness an try
fur to fine some excuse for yer short
comin's. I tell ye, Elder Jenkins, tn,
souls what's lost on account o. the
failure O. this meetin' will cry ou
agin ye at the Judgment Day, an
l shan't lift up my voice to shield
ye. cause / tor ye it were gorn tt
rain"
Elder Jenkins almost doubled UP hi.
fist in anger.
AN 1 tell ye, Sister Hawkins" HI
shouted, that I'm not a-gorn to Civ,
ye many more warnings agin then
what shows you signs and mysteries
an if ye don't forsake the evils of ye
ways. an cease fur to foller after falls,
prophets an sich, I'm a-gorn to have
ye before the church for discipline,
am SO. Hicks Almanac! Well, II
never stir! One ud' think ye read tha
an its prophecies morn ye do you
Bible"
Sister Hawkins was ready to annihi
late the elder with her indignant reply
but the pale-faced lad at her side pu
his hand on her arm and said, II
weary, drawing tones, to his father:
Hadn't ye better drive on, pap?"
The heavy man suddenly bethough
himself of the fact that he held tn
lines and might have ended the tryin.
conversation long before. He cluckec
to the horses, which with difficult!
started the heavy wagon that haC
been sinking deeper and deeper int,
the mud before the gate.
AS the wagon pulled out of the stick!
- clay, upon the hardly less sticky BIZ
road, the woman burst ir<o tears.
Hank turned around and looked a
her in dull surprise, and the pale
.----------------------