The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-26

Il
1t was just as the driver said: Faith
er came into camp singing
Am / q Soldier of the Cross,
and after walking around the wagon
and seeing that wagon and team were
all right, he came toward our camp
fire singing the last stanZa:
when that illustrious day shall rise
And all thine armies shine,
In robes of victory thro' the skies,
The glory shall be thine"
Nov bows he said, 1.-The Lords
been mighty good to us today; we've
gotten along so well, l think We ought
TO thank him. so. let us kneel down
and pray"
The driver cut his big white eyes at
me, as much as to say, l told you so;
and we knelt down and father prayed.
| was beginning TO hope the habit
of swearing was going out OF style;
but little circumstance started the
suspicion that a new crop of profanity
is being raised up. ! saw a little boy,
six years old, / would suppose, stand
ing at the intersection of Blount and
Polk streets, not very long ago, look
ing after another boy who was leav-
ing him crying. What's the matter
with that boy?" l asked. 81 hit him" "
he answered. 20, you ought not to
hit little boy like that" / replied.
as ii an antagonist were approaching,
he said with emphasis: "l'll hit any
d--n rascal that curses me-
I'm afraid the boys-the little
bovS--occaSionally hear some pro-
family on the streets; maybe from
fathers also, or surely those two little
boys would not have been so we'll up
in the art. Little boys whose mothers
love 10 play cards better than looking
after their children and whose fathers
are two busy to bestow time or
thought upon them are orphans in
deed, and are to be pitled
Sabbath breaking has become so
common that many people. seemingly.
do not regard the day with any degree
of reverence. Remember the Sab
bath day To keep it holy" has been
scratched out of their Bibles--that Is,
If they have Blbles-and, as a sub
stitute for the Old Commandment,
they have adoDted the idea that the
Sabbath is the ia" set apart for sport
OF all sorts. but especially for driving
horses that ought to be allowed a day
of rest In some places in the colin-
try. it is no uncommon thing tn hear
the hunters guns, and not unTre-
quently / see. as l pass along. to or
from my churches, games OF baseball
being played. Selling cigars and cold
drinks are not regarded in these days
as violations Of the law. moral or
civil; and even horse swapping some
times takes place on the sabbath.
Speaking of horse swapping L am
reminded of report that gained cur
rency to the effect that preacher,
who went to q certain church in
Wake county to hold a protracted
meeting, so badly worsted one Of the
deacons Of that church In a. horse
trade as to throw a danDer on the
meeting, though it was not stated
that the trade took place on Sunday.
If Sam Jones tells the truth when he
says n man will tell enough lies in
one horse trade to keep him busy
praying a whole year, preachers had
better not go into the horse trading
business. j had all idea. notwith-
standing what Sam said, that d man
might be able TO trade horses with
out lying; but, an old trader, who
saw the error of his ways and turned
from them. told me. upon the honor
of man. that ii was simply impossi-
BILE. l must think he is Mistaken
hope so at any rate. as / am acquaint-
ed with some very clever gentlemen.
and think q great deal of them, who
make q living by trading in horse
flesh.
Coming back tn Sabbath breaking
| will give two circumstances to show
how scrupulous some old time people
were about observing and keeping
holy the Sabbath day Brother Jones
and brother Smith met at church,
and after preaching. it occurred to
brother Tones that he needed SOME
potato paintings, but it would not do
to trade on the Sabbath. so calling
brother Smith aside lie said to him. In
a low, pious tone of voice: Brother
Smith, If it wasn't Sunday, I'd ask
you IL you had any potato paintings
for sale"
Brother Smith replied: Brother
Jones, IL 1T wasn't Sunday I'd tell you
] did have n few"
Brother Smith" said brother
Jones. if it wasn't Sunday. Ia ask
you what you'd take for EN-
If it wasn't Sunday. brother Jones,
I'd tell you ia take fifty cents n
bushel," said brother Smith.
IF it wasn't Sunday said brother
Jones, I'D tell you, brother Smith.
I'd give you fifty cents bushel for
five bushels
eff it wasn't Sunday brother Jones,
ia say all right" said brother Smith
And they piously shook hands, con-
graduating themselves they had made
a trade without breaking the Sabbath
| used TO hear story told upon an
old neighbor of ours. lie, like broth
ers Smith and Jones' was very careful
about keeping the Sabbath holy. He
made tobacco. and. as was tho custom
in those days, he worked his tobacco
He'd stem it, twist it or put it up in
rolls. put his twists or rolls into a
gum, put his gum under cider press
and prize" his tobacco. making what
the negroes called '.malefact-
ed hacker The plugs or twists
would weigh half a pound or a pound
There being no tax on tobacco no
revenue officers to bother, he could
sell it to whom and when he pleased.
The negroes bought great deal Of it.
and much of the buying was done on
Sunday; in way, however, not to be
a down right violation. The negro
would say: "Marse John. | cum over
to see if you wouldn't let me have a
plug or yer good malefacted hacker.
"Tut. tut, tut, Charles; don't you
know / can't sell tobacco on Sunday
'But Marse John, I'm bound to
have some hacker. l think you mout
let a poor niger have one plug. as