Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1904-11-25
the older women came. mother. in

the older women came, mOtnerS In
Israel whose counsel was To be regard
ed. For space all were silent, then
"A woman spoke Hit seem lax de
Lord don keer" she remarked defect
eddy He sholy don't keer any mo-
Amos Cummins shook his head and
groancd.
"De Lord done sOt his face ag'in Sod
ON. hc replied. AN dat bckase OF sin
an bekase OF much OnrighteOusness."
There was pause. \ field sparrow
flew mp from the ground and perched
on a nearby twig, but partly closing
lis extended wings and with its mouth
open and painting Amos Cummns
glanced at II and pointed.
You see datT" he asked. You see
dat burdt Elm dc bcastcsses an de
hyin towels OF de mir suffers fer de
sins of man lie heSitatcd and look
ed around him "Of one man." he add
ed almost hercey.
"A-a-h.h-h" The crowd knew now
OF whom he spoke the preacher whose
wrists were SCARED Yes, they knew
their Jonah but they waited
We got ter pu'ge ourselves" the old
man went on imprcssivcly. we got
ter cas- out dis man. We got ter mex
dis yer chu ch clean an walk 'umly fore
our God Den De hcbbcn gwin,tor open.
open ter dc drappln' OF de rain
"Who gwinter move dat Amos" they
qu,ri-d "Who egint,r fetch hit ter de
notice OF de chu'ch?
Il isi' he answered firmly Il j.. dis
YES day.
Down behind the church whore the pine
straw Hes deep in "A shcltsring hollow the
preacher was down ou his knees He
hrl" l"fu.us IL tl' plot up Aoultr nor
~ tho sullcu anger against him. bat he
felt that heaven had cast him on and he
WrtstIcd maufuiy with himself and with
cod In Tins his hidden place t.o last
rays 81 Yesterdays sun had biddsu him
good night. here IN tho long dark watches
the little stars had lighted his upturned
face and here the gray dawn had found
him. NCw. even though the day was
passing still ~ was here agonizing and
praying. for IL seemed TO him that "A great
sin oncompasssd him. that his guilt was
written larg. upon him and that OF n
verify n was the Achan within whose
tent the damning wedge was hid. Know
ING THIS. ~ knew his duty. But 1t was
hard 80 hard, For others me did not
he loved Blindly he sought some easier
way Almost he Was resolved To- slip away
n tho night nj a. see Sodon no more
Very slow lN Tho man arose and took his
way toward the church. with tense mus
cles and hard set Jaw he went down the
aisle straight o. the rude old chancel As
ne turned De- saw bat one face of AL the
throug and that was Talithys
"Brethren he began Cthe assembly
Stillcd what had the man to sayO. dis
congregation is a-sufferin bckase az stu
ana dat sin is mine" The woman in the
CHOIR seat started and clasped her hands
then sank back and sat very still. The
Congrt cation stared IS no could have told
the man OF their resolve rs took my
trouble ter de Lord. the preacher con-
tlnued an i hopes he is pintin' de way
but / don know Hit seems like he IS fur
from mo now Anyhow, Is come ter re-
sign dis church. fer 1 amt a-gvine ter
preach any more oughtu ter have
started, ! reck'n an d. reason ~ hit all
is dis
zone time. away back yondcr. TUX
some OK white mans cotton. | was
hongry. an my ole nanny was hongrv
too. but dat don matter now stole de-
cotton an was cotched. boy tracked
me wild dogs de white folks did. an all
dav long / run. a-dodgin OF the dogs an
a-baC ktrackin an a-Vadin but long
bout night l TUX ter de ribber. De ribber
was a-rsn dat night. an de swift water
was a-lappin at de banks but a black
man cmmb out on a tree jes de same ter
try ter stop me. an de tree broke an he
fell right IN de sHiftes water. The
speaker paused II always thought dat
was mighty fool man he added re-
nectively
Amos Cummins sQuirmed in his seat
He was he now calculated crisply
"fc was u plumb fool
But the other went on unhecdlng.
He couldu swim. dat black man
couldn' an / had ter stop an git him
outn dar bats how come I got cotch.
Men his voice almost sank 10 a whisper
-"dcy sent me ter jail bekase OF dat steal
in. an after I got out I come here ter