The National tribune., 1897-08-05
CHAPTER II.

r not have this resource He was typical "po
white trash, either sneak or bully. HI
lee ed .familarly at Miriam, whose face man
tied with n hot flush of anger, and be turned
to give Pollock look of defiance. But hi
eyes dropped the instant they encountered the
hot biazs in the young mountaineer's, which
was so fierce that he fumbled for his revolver
and then. prudently refraiHing from laying
his hand upon it, turned and shamb!ed down
the path after his master.
Biidad-Reu beu-don't you want TO come
an tote mother out on the porch ?" called
Mrs. Inrue. and the two boys sprang up with
loving quickness. went inside the house, each
grasped one side of her rocking chair with
their strong hands and tenderly, as if she were
the most precious and delicate thing in the
world, carried her to the best spot on the porch
where she would be sheltered from any too
rude breeze, and yet have all the coolness and
the view of the landscape, pranked in the full
glory OF fresh Spriugtime. Bildad hastened
back after her fo0tstoOl, and Reuben to get q
blanket to lay over her knees.
As she sat there in the splint- t-bottomed rock
lng-chair, she seemed well worthy all the
aHectionate care her family lavished upon her.
| Genilcness and love shoue from palIid face,
which must have been very beautiful in youth,
and was yet very fascinating from its delicate
purity of outline and active sympathy of eX-
preston. Abundance of soft, fine hair, slread y
whitening smoothly conibed over broad,
low forehead.
A large ball of blue yarn lay in her lap, and
every moment her fingers irdu5trieu5ly piled
the knitting needles upon warm stocking for
Winters wear.
Hits so good t be ont agin," she said
softly, in 4 voice which pain and suffering had
not robbed of any of its music. When she
spoke il was clear whence Miriam Inrule had
gotten her fute-like tones. The d0gwood an
the peach blossoms are all gone. / didn't see
| on M N n
| minnit."
Yes, mother" replied Miriam chit wuz
too bad. | never seed the dogwoods purifier u
this year But look at the puccoon on that ere
| bank Did ye ever see anything so soft and
white? They all come out in one night,
| an when | looked at 'em in the mOrnin hit
seemed ez if hit had showed. And thar's a
world O the purtiest johnny -jump-ups down
! thar by the spring; Reub, run down an pick
mother a handful"
| Reuben sprang away on his errand, and
| Miriam continued
The dittany's Jest beginnin' t. smell.
Thar We ketched q breath of hit. An the
| hickory buds never knowed 'em to smell SO
sweet"
8 Hit is certainly one of the Lord Gods own
days" said the invalid who seemed to be drink
ing in renewed health and spirits with every
breath.
But when He maketh his arth t. smile
most abound" said the Elder solemny.
60 Tell IS what ye done at the Conference ?"
asked Mrs. Inrule.
Well, I'm t stay on this circuit =
That's monty good news" said Mr.. Inrue.
Brother McGraw goes to Tazewell, an
Brother Anderson T. Jellico. But / think it
is of little consequence where any of US air
sent this year. He has some mighty purposes
in His hand and we must wait their revealing.
The main things to have our lamps lighted,
our feet shod, our loins girded aad staff in
hand when He shall call"
why, Elder, yo' skeer u.s."
Sister, when the watchful shepherd sees the
fierce. raging wolves approaching, it is his duty
to alarm his flock"
=" Do tell US what yore afeard of, Elder" said
Robert lnrule, who had q strong, healthy mans
depreciation OF dangers that were not actually
in sight.
Brethren and sisters" said the Elder grave
ly. " I'm not afeared of anything. You'ns all
know that Pm not the man to have my hair
rise when an owl boots at night"
Il know that, Elder / know that" said
Robert Inrule.
"A day has opened whereof no living man
can see the ciose-nay, not even that of the
first hour. l doubt if God has allowed the
angels to know it,"
Why, Elder" said Pollock, "yo don't
think them fre-eaters down at Charleston are
aE,
yo? don't know nothin' bout this new
President, but he sartainly haint a-gwine t.
let them feilers play hoss with him very long
Im mouty sartain wouldn's if / wuz PresI-
dent"
My son, Pm much older'n yo', and I've seen
a great deal more O. the world. Pve been
rassing with this subject more years than
yo've been in the world, aud every year it
has growed darker and more terrible. If
IL WASN'T for the strength which the Lord
gives, my souPd faint before it. 'Taint poll
tics, faint nigsers, faint Sectionalism, 'taint
the North agin the South, 'taint slavery in
the Territories, faint the Fugitive Slave
Law. 'Iaint any O the things that it is pre-
tended 1t Is. It's the abominable wick edncss |
and pride, vaingiory and blasphemy of the
men who own niggers. It's the provoking
the wrath OF God by men who have waxed fat |
on the aIrnings of other men, who eat bread |
that has not been ARMED by the sweat o their |
own brows. as the Bible orders, and who wear |
purple and fine linen for which the. have |
toIied not nor spun. Yo' know | went down
to their great city of New Orleans last Winter
to study EN- thar by the light o Gods word.
and read the book o Revelations under the
lamps that burn 10 show them the ways of
ihiqulty. l became SO frightened that made
haste to git out o the city. as Lot did from
Socom and Gomorrah, for feared any minute
might come deluge of fire and birthstone [
couldn't understand why God stayed His hand.
where lie IS Knocked at and iusulted every
minute. Coek-hghting. hosre- racing, dueling
prize fighting on the Sabbath-day, with the
whole city present. Gambling-dens on the
principal streets, as open aud public as the
courthouse. Theaters and dance. houses i'm full
blast OH Sunday, and crowded. Drinking and
carouslng, fighting and numbering everywhere
20 turned. Good men say that tho wick ed
hess o New Orleans is sinking it every wear
The Mississippi River is now several feet higher
than the town, and they have to build the
ievees higher every year. to keep the Mssis
sippi River from running over them as in
Cod Justice 1t ought to. | came back by the
way OF Memphis and Nashville It's almost
as bad there. Gamblers, drunkards and adul-
tercrs sit III the high places and men who
openly forsake God in authority How
can 1t be otherwise, when human beings are
sold III the mark et- place. and men live i'm idl le
ness anu luxury upon the labor of those who
have been torn from their homes to work for
them? These men say in their hearts, There
is no God aud they defy Him. There is not a
doubt in my mind that New Orleans is the city
foretoId in the 18th chapter of Revelations
that sitteth upon many waters and is figured
as woman upon scarlet beast full of names
OF blasphemy, having seven heads and ten
horns LISTEN"
He drew his we'll worn Bible from his poclxet
and read:
And the woman arrayed in purple and
scarlet color and decked with gold and precious |
itone aud pearls