The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25
WEIRD QUALIFICATION AMONG
 THE BAHAMA FALLER0
6eni-Babare Religious Ceremony Where the 0Donger5 and (onchDWef5 Keep Ru5hn' Tiff the
 Dancers Faif Exhausted.

from right to left, the crowd kept swirling, every moment | growing warmer, noisier and closer to de Lawd,' as one old 300-pound exhorter expressed 1t. Before many minutes had passed the bottom of the wicker contribution basket was covered and tuppence by tuppence a pyramid of sil- yer and copper pieces commenced to grow in front of the parson. If some doubtful darky, with more courage than coin, was caught in the act of dropping in a wire nail or other sub stitute, or .rushin too many times without the grace to ane up. he was promptly stopped and called to &C., count.
 !" You tricky niggah, you tink dat you can fool dis church wid you trash! I'se got on my long distance specks an if yo' could fool me yo' can't fool de Lawd. He knows a tenpenny nail from tuppence jus as well as any store keeper on Andros Island. What's mo e won't stan no humbuggin'. To go down in yo pocket fo' de right kind of cash or surrender yo' partner to proper gentleman what respects de re- Quifements of de Almighty. Now, my good breddrin and Sistern. go on W1d dat rushin' an let de spirit ob de Lawd an de pure silver ob salvation DO fo'th'
 The rushin was resumed. On swept the dizzy throng of black and brown bucks and belles again, their voices raised note higher and the skirts of the women uplifted as they shouted and shuffied around the church. Little by little the excitement grew more intense. Some. the older and stronger ones, whirled. swayed and sang in the middle of the room. The parson himself soon came under de influence but he kept a sharp eye on the pyramid of coin. as it rapidly assumed promising proportions Here was a new start from Nassau in sight already. Sing, oh, sinners, an let yo' souls hab free communion wid de Holy Ghost and they sang.
 Suddenly a big, bouncing wench threw her arms aloft, gave theolog- ical shriek and fiopped fiat on the floor.
 De Holy Ghost hab, entered de do of de meetin'. house, praise Gawd! sol emnly announced the parson.
 T looked toward the door. but saw no one save Sam, the siX-foot pilot. the fainting female. Kind friends of both sexes drew her from the outer rushin' circle path to the center of the room, which was comparatively clear, and there she lay flat on her back apparently envied by the entire assembly, but peace ana Qu1et were not in her soul. She shouted and groaned. sang and struggled.
 With shoulders. elbows, heels and back she hunched along the floor. Sometimes she tackled to starboard. sometimes to port then with a ceta- cean founder she would wriggle away under fair wind. T7o enthused souls of the male sex followed and famed her with their straw hats. while sev- eral women stood lose by singing praises to God for .annuder sinner saved.
 "The, woman's name was Betsy Pritchard, and she was the first fall CT of the evening. It was not many minutes, however. before another glory shout sounded from near the platform. It came from the plentiful lips of young candidate, and the parson him. self being near. caught her in time to break the fall, and his best go-to-meet- in spectacles at the same time. She, like her predecessor and all other fall ers,' was dragged to the center of the room and laid out for de visitations ob de Holy Ghost
 After the second 'faller' had suc- cumbed to de power' the contag zion spread rapidly Women and occasion