West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-09-24
TALES OF JERICHO.
Pap Perkins. Postmaster, Tells or
tircus and Scandal Involving
Prominent Man.


over his narrow escape. There was
to be circus over at Darby's Ferry,
and good many of the simple
people of Jericho calculated on
going. The ministers and deacons
and other Christian people frowned
upon the idea, of course, and
Deacon Spooner in particular used
all his influence to keep people at
home.
Whatever got the matter with him
on circus day he himself could
never explain, but he got up at day
light and walked seven miles and
when the performance opened he
had front seat. A hundred Jericho
people saw him there, but he didn't
seem to care. In fact he appeared
to be having the best time possible
and diden't even get conscience
stricken over it when he got home.
Of course such a break could not
pass unnoticed. When Deacon
Tyler heard of it he called on
Deacon Williams, and the two
together called upon the minister
and others, and it was decided to
bring Deacon Spooner to book
He got scared about it and wanted
to go to Iowa and visit his sister,
but he was held onto and put on
trial. When he was asked il he
wanted to make statement he lose
up and said:
81 said wouldn't go to the
circus, and l advised others not to
go, and whatever got into me 1
can't understand. l went to bed
feeling that circus performances
was invented by Satan to trap the
unwary, and that my face was set
again 'em like flint, but got up
at daylight and headed for Darby's
Ferry and struck gait of four miles
an hour. / was there to see that
circus come in. / was there when
the ticket wagon opened; i was the
first man inside the tent"
deacon Spooner, does insanity
run in your family" asked Deacon
Tyler, in very serious tones.
'No, it don't"
"Could you truthfully say that
your mind was unhinged for the
time beingf Did you seem to be
yourself or somebody else1 If you
was crazy of course we can't hold
you to blame"
"No, | can't say was crazy" re-
piled the deacon. "There was a
buzzing in my ears a good deal of
the time. but / guess that came
from kicking the bedclothes off and
catching cold. remember of buy
ing lemonade and peanuts after /
got there, and of teller trying to
pick my wallet out of my pocket.
No, / don't think was out of my
mind.
"But do you lay it to sinful
curiosity1"asked ID eacon Williams.
al guss I'll have to. I'd been
hearing about circuses for the last
SO years and had never attended
one. / heard Abner Jones telling
about the lions and tigers and
elephants and spotted horses, and il
didn't seem SO sinful as I'd allus
thought for"
"But you found it sinful when
you got there1" asked Moses
Shermerhorn, who rings the bell for
prayer meetings and thinks no wind.
mill man can be saved in any shape.
"No, can't say as I did" slowly
replied Deacon Spooner. "ThaPs
the amazing part of il. had more
fun than in chasing down a wild hog
or cleaning out humble bees, and I
didn't see single sinful thing.
That's my defense-that come
home uncontaminated and untouch-
ed. I'm feeling every bit as good
as before I went"
There was a long-drawn sigh and
a shudder all around, and the
minister said:
deacon, you may tell us what
you saw there"
"Wsll, the FIRST thing run up
again vas four elephants. They
was tapping their ears and eating
hay, and didn't feel no sinful
thoughts as stood and looked at
them. Can't a body see elephants
and be saved, too2D
"Go on, deacon"
"Then took IN the camels and I
zebras and CRATES 7 looked az
them over and over agin, but I
didn't boil over and want TO swear
and fight Fact Is, felt powerful
peaceful over it. Is it agin me to