The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-17
sWHAR'S M0SBYq''

methods Of the early church. Being called
to that neighborhood on business some
time ago, and being there ON Sunday,
decided to attend services, as the old gen.
tleman with whom was stopping was
one of the leading supporters Of the church
and pressingly invited me to accompany
him.
"You won't see no fine, highflerlootin
doins at our place of worship" he said,
with good natured smile lighting his
rough features, ''but you'll find folks that
believes in the good Lord, and tries to fol-
low his steps with the best lights they can
git in their hands.
The preacher was man named Penrod
Rev. Len Penrod-s man who, about
two years ago, achieved much national
notoriety for shooting at deacon while
engaged in fiery dispute over tho efficacy
of pedobaptism.
The house was crowded with large,
rough looking men, In their shirtsleeves;
young women In the glery Of gay ribbons;
matrons in calico of subdued colors and
with many varieties of little ones cluster
cd in bouquets hero and there.
When Rev. Penrod arose to preach all
whispering stopped. Every eye was bent
upon him, and every ear was poised to
catch the words that fell from his lips.
The sermon was just the kind Of an ad-
dress to stir the emotions-especially those
Of trusting, unlettered people. He dis
cussed no doctrinal points He used no
circumlocution. He struck out in short,
crisp sentences that went direct to the un-
Outstanding of tho simplest intellect.
Withal, he was eloquent. His tones
were rich, modulated, stirring and mag
netic
1t soon became evident he was reaching
the simple hearts of this emotional people,
in fact, the most cultured audience could
not have sat unmoved by his thrilling ap-
peals
A number Of rough men, / noticed, were
thumbs. Scores Of women had their faces
in their aprons and were weeping audibly.
Soon young woman about 18, Of beau
tlful face and figure, sprang out into the
center Of the floor, and setting her large,
dark eyes on the roof, gave startling
scream. The people all turned their faces
toward her. and encouraged her with
shouts Of "Amenl" and "Bless Godr'
She first moved about In slow, graceful
circle. Then faster and faster she went,
until directly she leaped high from the
floor, smote her beautiful hands together
and shouted, "Glory, glory, gloryP' Then
around and around she whirled, almost as
fast as a top, clapping her hands all the
while and shouting, "Glory, glory, gloryp'
There was a rapt expression on her beau
tiful countenanoe as if she viewed through
the veil Of sense face in paradise.
Finally she halted and stood still for
moment, her arms elevated and out
stretched and the seraphic expression still
fixed on her face. Then with a wild shrek
she started for the door.
"Whar's Mosbyp" was chorused aloud
by many throats
At that instant the crowd toward the
door parted and in stepped tall, hand
some, fine built man Of about 40 years,
with iron gray hair and mustache.
He stepped toward the half frenzied
girl, took her in his arms and eased her
down to q bench. He sat down by her
side and hss head fell over OH her shoul-
der. In that position she lay, seemingly
ly unconscious, until the sermon was
through
There was no more notice taken of her
by the congregation. When the meeting
was over, the man stroked her forehead
several times with tender PALM spoke to
her in low voice for moment when she
aroused herself and fixed for starting home.
As soon as we were o short distance
away, inquired Of my Old friend had
accompanied the meaning of this novel
proceeding and the cry Of "Whar's Mosby9"
"That has been cry familiar in church
here for 25 years." no said.
ut was cry long afore the girl was
just like her-a pirty, fine lookin gal,
mighty religious an fond of shoutin. She,
the MOTHER was in love with Mosby New
or cared for no one else.
"When she would take them shoutin
about to take what we call the jerks, it
was found that Mosby was the only person
tibet could stop her and keep the jerks off.
Every moctin she'd tako spell, an the
shout would go up as it did today, 'Whar's
Mosbyp'
'Thc mother of course wanted to mar
ry Mosby, but her father put in big OBJ
lection, sayin that no man who never
owned u coon dog or a still could have
gal of his. Mosby an the gal persisted,
an finally the ole man shot at him all
drove him outen the country.
"Soon arter that the ole man, arter
forcin the gal to marry Lon Peterson, his
partner in the moonshine business turned
up his ole trotters, gaped a time or two
an died.
"In the course of time Mosby came
back. His ole sweetheart he'd saved from
the jerks SO often was married an had q
little gal baby-the one that shouted TO-
day.
"Waal, soon arter he come home he
went to church one day an his ole flame
wuz thar, an would, Of course, shout
People wuz all Cd r to know what would
be the outcome.
'Soon arter the preacher begun Mrs.
Peterson got in. she kop' on an on an
on, an folks got uneasy. Her husband
worked with her, but he didn't have no
infoonce at all with her. Her eyes got
CLASSY and skearry lookin at last, an
then all the people shouted;
'Whar's Mosby?'
"Mosby como forward, mighty timid,
an took holt. She jst melted down in
his arms, an he eased her to the bench.
Hor head fell over on his shoulder an
then roll off like a ball 1t KEEP roilin of,
an rollin off, till finally we got uneasy.
WAL, some one placed her poor head back
again an looked in her eyes. She was
dead
1.-THE gal is jist like her mother in
everything As soon as she was old enough
to git religion she begun to shout like her
poor mother, an it WAS soon found, like
her poor mother, it took Mosby to save her
from tho jerks
"Her an Mosby will be married next
Sunday, an, mark my words, when the
preacher starts up, after tho ceremony, an
goes to preachin, you II sec the same capers
as you did outcn her today, an the same
ole cry will swell up:
"'Whar's Mosbyf' Noel johnson in
Louisville Courier journal.
Not Worth 1t.