The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-07-30
By
WILL N.
HARDEN
Auf6or Of
''6eIeSferfeH''

Coulu q SOue " livery an Or
dered out team, but believe thar's
mOre'n one way O. wearin' sackcloth
an ashes, an the sooner 1 begin the
better III feel"
Abner Daniel winked. The Scrip
tural allusion appealed to his fancy,
and he smiled impulsively.
THAT thar u.s." he said. "Thar's a
whole way an half way Some folks
jest wear it next to the skin whar it
don't show, with broadcloth ur silk on
the outside. They think eff it scratches
a little that'll satisfy the Lord an
hoodwink other folks. But l believe
he meant it to be the whole hog or
| none"
Mrs. Bishop was deaf to this philos-
ophy. II don't see," she said in her
own field of reflection-"I don't see.
say, how you got to Atlanta, attended
to business, seed Adele an got back
heer at sunrise Why, Alfred'-
But Bishop interrupted her. "Havc
you all had prayers yet?'
"No; you know we hain't," said his
wife, wondering over his strange man
ner. Il reckon it can pass jest this
once, bein' as you are tired an hain't
had Hothin' to eat"
"No; it can't pass, nuther. l don't
want to touch a mouthful. Tell the
rest of 'em to come in, an you fetch
me the Book
"Well'' Mrs. Bishop went out and
told the negro woman and her daugh-
ter to stop washing the dishes and go
in to prayer. Then she hurried out to
the back porch, where Alan was oiling
his gun.
''Somethin's happened to yore pa"
she said. HE acts queer an says sech
strange things. He walked all th~
way from barley this mornin' an now
wants to have prayers fore he touches
bite O breakfast. I reckon we are
ruined"
"I'm afraid that's it," opined her son
as he put down his gun and followed
her into e sitting room. Here the
two negroes stood against the wall.
Abner Daniel was smoking, and Bish-
op held the big family Bible on
quivering knees.
EFF you lean to keep it up" Abner
was saying argumentatively, "all right
an good, but l don't believe in sudden
spurts O. worship. Ny bosses is hitched
| up ready to haul a load O. bark to the
tannery, an it may throw me a little
late at dinner, but eff you are a-goin'
| to make daily business of it I'm with
| you"
| "I'm a-goin' to be regular from now
| on said Bishop, slowly turning the
| leaves of the tome. Il forgot whar
read last
you didn't finish about Samson IT,
in all them foxes tails together" said
| Abner Daniel as he knocked the hot
ashes from his pipe into the palm of
his hand and tossed them into the
chimney. '"That sorter interested me.
I wondered how that was a-goin' to
end. I'd hate to have a passle O. foxes
with torches to Their tails turned loose
in my wheat jest fore cuttin' time. 1t
must "a been a sight. I wondered
how that was a-goin' to end"
| You'll wonder how you're a-goin' to
end if you don't be more respectful"
said his sister.
Like the foxes, reckon" grinned
Abner-'With eternal torch tied to
me. Well, eff I am treated that away
III go into the business O destruction
an set fire to everything run across"
"Ain't you goin' to tell US what you
did in Atlanta fore you have prayer?'
asked Mrs. Bishop, almost resentfully.
mo, hain't!' Bishop snapped. "I'n
tell you soon enough. reckon l won't
read this mornin'. Let's pray"
| They ali knelt reverently and vet
with some curiosity, for Bishop often
suited his prayers to important occa-
| sions, and it struck them that he might
| now allude TO the subject bound I'D
| within him.
lord God Almighty" he began, his
lower lip hanging and quivering, as
We're his hands clasped in the seat of
his chair, thou knovest the struggle
| thy creatures are maxim on the face of
thy green globe to live up to the best
of Their lights an standards. AS
bend before thee this mornin' l realize
how small a bein' I am in thy sight
an that I ort to bow in humble sub
mission to thy will, an I do. For
many yeers this family has enjoyed
thy bounteous blessings. We've had
good health an the influence of a
Bible readin', God fearin' community,
an our Children has been educated in
way that raised 'em head an shout
ders above many O. Their associates an
even blood kin. I don't know exactly
whar an how I've sinned, but I know
have displeased thee: fer thy scourge
has fallen hard an heavy on my am
billions. l wanted to see my boy heer
good. obedient son an my daughter
thar in Atlanta able to hold Their
heads up among the folks they mix
with, an so I reached out. Maybe it
was forbidden fruit belt out by a snake
in the devils service. I don't know
thou knowest. Anyways, steered my
course out O the calm waters O. con-
tent an peace O. soul into the whirl-