The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-02-25

-,r;t, De Judgment day. fas I+aWo,
% ara Glory! Halieiuyah!
r.tEsnlv the straw on the deacon's
r,rrt into names and lemon
loose. : ~Weak.mindei sinner
..raamsd:
me flames CT He'll
turner's sInelled the smoke and
rroDf -Se floor with white staring
when they saw the fire and got
-. BEARINGS they made for the open
s,-onad on each others backs and
ror the door like madmeD. Those
r the windows sprang through.
uhan the lower part OF the window
Ismrned. big buck negroes jumped
~. backs Of the lower crowd and
---,rad through the two upper sashss
-z.th q crash that added new terror TO the
-a1lc.
~. 40 minutes the church was empty
- r1e ward full OF crazy, shouting ne
yr9-s.
tI..p efeuped from the gallery into the
..-.t rs The last ones emerged, ran up
ra- pulpit and stamped out the fire
- -aa straw with his bare feet. He
looked around to see If they had left
..gla.1g valuable behind in the stampede.
md saautered ieisurely out Of the church.
-[gT 0OE-SOuS Sm let Su yen. NO
r~.i.ered TO himself.
when Uncle Josh sufficiently recovered
s,, lenses TO think, and saw the church
.-.H landing with not even a Whit OF
.-ss4e 10 be seen, instead OF the roaring
-.ruaca he had expecte,. he was amazed.
5I- called his scattered deacons together
-r. tnev went cautiously back 10 ~investi-
gaia.
.uits no use in talkin' Brt'r Josh,
.., shn Qlz er fire." cried one OF the
4eaCons.
-sao's De Iawd's 10 heaben. 1 feel it
s.gln' on my fingers 70 l drap dat straw"
sasi another.
Hit mite noe fust right on top er
nv hajd!" whispered Uncle Josh in awe.
They cautiously approached the pulpit
aat there in front OF it lay the charred
o. the burned straw pile.
They gathered around it in awe-struck
e-onarr. one OF them touched il with his
"Doan 10 dat" cried Uncle Josh. lifting
his hand with authority.
They drew back. Uncle Josh saw the
immense power in that heap OF charred
straw. Some OF it was a little damp and
il had been only partly burned.
.04r's Sc mericle er dc Sperit.' he
soleuuly declared.
"Yas. LaWd!' echoed q deacon.
Fetch de hammer en- de saw en- de
uai!s, en- De boards en- build right dar
n altar ter de Sperit." were his
prophetic commands.
3ud they did. They got an old show
case OF glass, put the charred straw in
il and built an open box work around it
58ar where it fell in front OF the pulpit.
Then 4 revival broke out that COM
plrtely paralysed the industries OF Camp
bell county. Every negro stopped work
and went 10 that church. Uncle Josh
didn't have TO preach or to plead. They
came IN troops towards the magic altar.
whose fame and mystery had thrilled
every superstitious soul with its power.
The benches We're all moved out and the
whole church floor given up to mourners.
Uncle Josh had an easy time walking
around Just adding a few terrifying hints
10 trembling sinners. or helping TO hold
some strong sister when she had come
through With SO much glory in her
bones tina there was danger she would
hart somebody.
After a week the matter became SO
serious that the white people set in
motion an investigation OF the affair.
Dick had thrown out q mysterious hint
that he knew some thing that were very
funny,
"Doan you tell nobody" he would
solemn!y say to Charlie.
And then he would lie down ON the
grass and roll and laugh. At length by
dlnt OF perseverance and q bride OF a
quarter. the Preacher induced Dick to
explain the mystery. He did and it broke
UP the meeting.
Uncle Josh's fury knew no bounds. He
was heart-broken at the sudden collapse
Of his revival. chagrined at the recollec-
lion OF his own terror at the fire, and
fearful Of a avalanche OF backsliders
from the meeting among those who had
protested even with the greatest glory.
He demanded that the Preacher should
turn Dick over TO him for correction.
The Preacher took a few hours to con-
slider whether he should whip him or
turn him over to Uncle Josh. Dick heard
Uncle Josh'B demand. Out behind the
stable he and Charlie held a council OF
war.
You go see Miss Mar'get fur me, en-
st lp close to her, Gu tell her faint right
ter low no low down black niger ter
whip me-"
All right Dick. l will" agreed Charlie.
Case ef ole Josh beats me / gwine ter
run away. l nebber git obcr dat
DICK had threatened TO run away often
bet0Te when he wanted to force Charlie
I" DO something for him. Once he had
gone 4 mile out Of town with his clothes
Aed IN a bundle and Charlie trudgiug
AFTER him, begging him not to leave.
1he boy did his best to save Dick the
humiliation OF q whipping at the hands OF
Uncle Josh. but in vain.
When Uncle Josh led him out to the
@1able lot his face was not pleasant to
TOOK upon. There was a dangerous CLEAN
in Dicks eye that BODIED no good TO his
enemy.
You imp CT de debbIl.' exclaimed
~4eie Josh shaking his switch with
u|nnIion.
/ Iool you good enough. you ole bal
~9@1ea ape!' answered Dick. gritting his
teeth dehantly.
/ make Vnl, zinc or.,aAon 49,. e. w..