The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-05-04
EVANSVILLE, W. VA, TUESDAY, MAY 4. 1897.
church in body and organized new

cnurcn IN Douy ana organized new
society.
And this is the origin of what is
since known in Osceola as the New
church, the church which In recent
years has been so marvellously blessed.
But it had hard struggle in the be-
ginning. 1t began to prosper only
after the Rev. Mr.. Holliwell took
charge. BE is "a natural pulpit orator,
man thoroughly abreast with the
times. He began by prefacing his SER
mons with familiar talk on current
topics, and every three months he
preached sermon exclusively for men,
and another exclusively for women,
aud one for the young people. and by
these and other novelties he soon
awakened an interest which has con.
tinued, until now the New church
congregation is much the largest and
wealthiest in the town. Then Andrew
Jarboe, rich old bachelor farmer,
died and left the church $40, 900, and
that was great help to 1T. In lifc
Andrew had not been notable sup.
porter of churches. but Mr.. Holt had
once rebuked him sharply for failing
to supply due weight of butter, and
it is supposed that this had somewhat
to do with determining his surprising
bequest to the New church.
Mr.. Holt, after the New church be.
gan to come up so conspicuously, suf-
fered certain decline in the regard
OF his congregation. The members
were still free in expressions of devo.
ton to him; but it became evident
that in their feelings they had a little
cooled, and Mr.. Holt finally sought
another charge.
There was woman known as Gypsy
Ann; keen-eyed, dishe yelled, shrill-
voiced, half-mad creature, held, as
her name betokened, in certain sus-
picion and fear, and often word in.
the mouths OF inert mothers to intim-
idate wilful children. She dwelt alone
i'll n remote, ramshackle cabin, living
mainly on charity, but earning little
money now and then by helping in the
rough work of the kitchens. She had
always some special patrons.
They changed, however, from time
to time, for in her moods she was apt
to quarrel with her benefactor. Among
the most devoted of them had once
been Mrs. Wampler and Mrs Gears !;
but on some fancied provocation both
were abruptly dismissed from her re.
gard, as a number of others had been
dismissed and neither had had aught
to do with her for many years. OF all
her dislikes the bitterest hitherto had
any particularly honored member, her
wont was to cry ont, with wild ges.
ture: "My hands lily beside his
black heart" When, therefore, word
went abroad that Gypsy Ann had pre-.
sented herself Mt the "mourner's
BENCH" Osceola quivered with interest
through all its members. The high
and the low, the full-robed and the
ragged were alike excited; and at the
next meeting the swift runners after
sensations thronged 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 the occa.
sion to repounce her past, item by
item, in the presence of the congrega.
ton. The remuneration lacked some
what of the humility that usually
characterize such performances but
aside from this, it proceeded quite
prosaically, and would have yielded nc
particular relish to the curious, but
that toward the end she disclosed
altogether incidentally and as a, - no
ter of no more Importance thi bond
.ihove arm. He will t tbs n,1stn1 SUI
- eS1JTicyys~ ~posilipp.s. A distinct muir
muir passed through the house ms AM
related how, in revenge for an injur,
which she thought had been done he
by Mrs. Gears, she stole the spoon
and then in revenge of another which
she thought had been done her b,
Mrs. Wampler, "tucked it away" a
she said, in Mrs. Wampler's turkey
and mind me to this day." said she
"what temper 1 had-the oven wa
so hot, Mrs. Wampler gone from tn,
kitchen only for minute, and th,
spoon such an unhandy shape. But
somehow, Satan let me succeed-as ht
always lets us, il only we tried hare
enough and little thought OF all tn,
trouble it would make But, mayb,
it's done some good, too. On account
of it, ye might say. there's two
churches now where there was onl,
one before. So perhaps it'll be some
wise forgiven me"
The icein the millpond was thicker
last winter than il had been for years.
but it cracked again and again under
1 the weight of the crowd that oatbarad