The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-04-17
church in body and organized a neS

80
society.
And this is the origin Of what is
since known in UsceOIa aS the New
church, the church which III recent
years has been so marveIious!y blessed.
But it Ind a hard struggle in the be-
ginning. 1t began to prosper only
after the Rev. Mr.. Holiwcil took
charge. lie lisa natural pulpit orstor,
G. man thoroughly abreast with the
times. He began by prefaeing his ser.
mons with familiar talk on current
topics, and every three months he
preached asermon exclusively for men,
and another exclusively for women,
and one for tue young people. and by
these and other novelties he soon
awakened an interest which has con.
tinucd, until now the New church
congregation is much the largest and
wealthlest in the town. Then Andrew
Jarboe, a rich old bachelor farmer,
died and left the church SO, 900, and
that was great help to 1t. In life
Andrew had not been a notable sup.
porter of churches. but Mr.. Holt h:d
once rebuked him sharply for failing
to supply due weight OF butter, end
it is supposed that this had somewhat
to do with determining his surprising
bcquest to the New church.
Mr.. Holt, after the New church be.
gan TO como up SO conspicuousiy, suf-
fered certain decline in the regard
of his congregation. The members
were still free in expressions of 3evo.
ton to him; but it became evident
that in their feelings they had little
cooled, and Mr.. Holt finally sought
another charge.
There was q woman known Is Gypsy
Ann; kcen.eyed, disheveiled, shrill-
voiced, half.mad creature, held, as
her name betokenod, in q certain sus.
picion and fear, and often a word in
the mouths of inert mothers to intim-
idate wilful children. She dwclt alone
in a remote, ramshackle cabin, living
mainly on charity, but earning q little
money now and then by helping in the
rough work OF the kitchens. She Ind
always some special patrons.
They changed, however, from time
to time, for in her moods she was apt
to quarre! with Ter benefactor. Among
the most devoted OF them had once
been Mrs. Wampler and Mrs. Gears
but on some fanc!ed provocatlon both
were abruptly dismissed from her re-
gard, as number of others had been
dismissed and neither had had aught
to do with her for many wears. OF all
her dislikes the hitterest hitherto had
been OF the churches. at the name OF
any particularly hoaored member, her
wont was to cry ont, with q wild ges.
ture: "My hands a lily beside his
black heart" When, therefore, word
went abroad that Gypsy Ann had pre-
sented herself at the "morrner's
BENCH" Osceola quivered with interest
through oil it's members. The high
and the low, the full-roSoa and the
ragged we're alike excited; and at the
next meeting the swift runners after
sensations throngcd the church.
The object and hope of these in
truders were OF the vaguest, but the
entertainment they sought they found.
In the confidence that new life had
begun for her, Ann seized tho occa-
sion to renounce her past, item ny
item, in the presence of the congrega
ton. The remuneration lacked some
what of the humility that usually
chnracterizes such performances; but
aside from this, it proceeded quite
prcsaically, and would have yielded no
particular relish to the curious, but
that toward the end she disclosed
altogether incidentally and as a mat
ter of no more importance than any
other she had touched upon--that she
was the demon behind the mystery of
the hol]y-sprig spoon. A distinct muir
muir passed through the house as Ann
related how, in revenge for an injury
which she thought had been done her
by Mrs. Gears, she stole the spoon,
and then in revenge Of another which
she thought had been done her by
Mrs. Wampler, "tucked it away" as
she said, in Mrs. Vampires turkey.
"And I mind me to this day. said she,
"what temper had-the oven was
so hot, Mrs. Wampler gone from tie
kitchen only for minute, and the
spoon such an unhandy shape. But,
somehow, Satan let me succeed-as he
always lets us, ii only we tried hard
enough and little thought of all the
trouble it would make! But, maybe
it's done come good, too. On account
of it. ye might say, there's two
churches now where there was only
one before. So perhaps it'll be some.
wise forgiven me-"
The ice in the m1llponA was thicker
last winter than it had been for years,