Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1905-03-18

Decides to Begin Preaching.
At last he yielded to the impulse of
his heart. There was a half-fnished
grocery store in a central location, that
seemed adapted to his plans, and he
got permission to hold a service in
1t on Sunday morning. The grocer
helped him place rough boards on
empty boxes and nail kegs for pews,
and. as they had no organ or hymn
books. and Tom did not need a pulpit.
the preparations were soon and easily
made.
The next thing was to get an ar-
dience, and Tom literally went out
into the highways and the hedges and
compelled them to come in. He caught
a team Of horses by TIE bride
and dragged an old farmer from
his seat. He met a carpenter who
was returning from the river with
a string Of trout, and exhibit
ing them to some friends. Were
going to have church. Come along
he said, With a sudden conjunction
OF conscience the fisherman hid his
catch behind his back, and, entering
the store, dropped them into a barrel.
There were good ONE that came
gladly and brought reluctant hus-
bands, There were men that came UNI
Willingly, compelled by shame.
Fawn Interrupts the Service.
Considering all the difficulties to be
overcome, Tom was in a state of gen
uine exultation when 90 people assem-
bled for the first religious service ever
held in this infant city. II was any
thing but an easy place to preach in,
The audience was overpowered by the
novelty of the surroundings, and its
attention constantly distracted. Tho
rear wall Of the store had not been
completed, and one could look oat int1
the woods. The floor was piled with
sides of bacon. The ceiling was deco
rated with hanging hams. The shelves
were loaded with ans Of every de-
scription. Odors of molasses, kero-
sene and Goldfish filled the air. Tom !
training stood him in good stead.
Whether he really had anything more
interesting 10 say than the people had
expected, or whether they were in a
more serious frame of mind than he
had believed. they listened. 1t is trua
that nov and then he detected some
M furtively counting the can on the
shelves or the hams on the ceiling, but
then he knew how very hard it was
not to do that, for he could hardly
keep from it himself. On the whole,
they were doing very well, and he was
feeling a little sense of self-satisfac-
ton. when suddenly he saw a smile
break out on the face of his audience,
He had certainly not intended to say
anything funny, and he wondered Il
there could be anything wrong with
his necktie or hair. Instead Of ceac-
ing to smile, some of the people ge-
gan to laugh! lie now heard a pc
cuiiar tipping sound on the floor. and
had hard work to keep from. looking
around. He was at last saved the
trouble of doing so by a queer sen
sation in his left hand, which was
hanging limp at his side. He felt some
thing cold in his palm. Looking down
he saw a spotted fawn belonging tc
the grocer's son had come quietly into
the Westinghouse, and was affection
ately licking it! He had enough
sentiment in his heart to be a
good deal moved by this touch
ing act of confidence on the par
of a wild creature of the woods, and
it fell in with his mood and his dis
position to be so close to brute ma.
ture and to human nature at the same
moment.
Indian Calls for "Terbacker."
The audience had scarcely lapsed
into sobriety after this interruption
before another occurred. The from
door opened and an Indian who had
just ridden up entered, He gazed
around the room for a long time, and
as the st%orekeeper did not rise tc
meet him. he pointed to a shelf and
grunted the single word-"terbacker!'
1t was a fair question as to who was
the most embarrassed-the preacher
or the grocer! 1t was hard for the
latter to lose a trade, and perhaps a
customer, but he felt the inconsistency
of posing both as a d%oorkeeper IN the
house of the Lord and a money
changer in His temple. He blushed
and looked foolish, but as the Indian
kept granting, Tom assumed the re-
sponsibility of breaking the letter OF
the commandment in order that he
might preserve its spirit, He beckoned
the proprietor to wait on his GUS
toner, and that badly ratified individ-
ual, amidst the whispered jeers of his
n%eighbors, chopped off a piece OF
plug" and dropped a quarter in his
till!
TO the disappointment of the minis
Ter anu lHe utllSHl VI Tue llult II
reverent portion of the congregation
the Indian did not leave. He leaned
against the door, bit off a large piece
of the weed and chewad it noiBily
while pondering on this new and in
comprehensive scene. Whathe thought
will lev be known because (by what
seemed a special interposition of Prov
id%ence), at the very moment when his
presence was becoming intolerable, &
hound that had been chasing a rabbit
dashed around the corner of the store
and frightened the Indians pony
With a loud Whoa" and a most UNI
religious oath, its owner opened the
door and disappeared.
Copyright, 1903, BY Joseph L. Bowles.)
What a Question.
Mistress-Did the fisherman who
stopped here this morning have frogs
legs?
Nora-Surs, mum, | dinnaw. He
D..It tv.I..