The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-16

NY father never spoke" to me
about religion; he was always trying
to convert others, but never spoke to
me about it. I remember when my
brother Jim and my sister Sarah Jane
were converted, but never was. When
my sister was converted at meeting
held in the church in one corner of
our field, they all came home singing
and shouting. L heard them coming
| through the corn field, and hid under
the bed. When my brother Jim was
converted, he groaned good deal
after we had gone to bed, and, when L
made some contemptuous remark
about his conversion not being sincere,
we had a fight, and mother was com
PEELED to come in and part US. Jim
used to say 1 was responsible for him
not being preacher.
One of the songs we used to sing at
| the meetings was known as "congrega-
| tional;" with the exception of one
word, the verses were all alike, and
easily learned. l give the verses as we
| used to sing it:
'Our camps in the wilderness a few
days, a few days; our camps in the
wilderness a few days, and then We're
going home. o won't that be delight
full; yes, that will be delightful. when
we arrive at home. And we'll hail our
fathers there, We'll hail our fathers
there, We'll hail our fathers there,
when we arrive at home"
In singing the next verse, we would
substitute mothers" or "neighbors,
or children" for fathers" and thus
keep the song going as long as de-
sired.
Another song of the same character
we sang in this way:
1--WE have children over yonder; we
have children over yonder, We have
children over yonder, on that other
bright shore. BY and by We'll go and
see them; by and by We'll go and see
them, by and by Wen go and see them.
on that other bright shore Won't we
have a happy meeting. won't we have
la happy meeting; won't we have a
happy meeting, on that other bright
| shore"
For the following verses, we would
substitute fathers" or mothers" or
''neighbors," for the word children, >"
and thus keep the song going as long
as was thought necessary.
Song for Funerals.
For funerals we had a song begin
ming, "Hark. from the tOmbS, doleful
sound" but 1 could never sing it for
crying, the occasions when they used
| it were SO sad.
A peculiarly about that country
was that nearly all the women had
their upper front teeth out 1 never
noticed this in any other women
ever know. A good many years ago
went back there to visit my mothers
sister, and rode out to the farm where
she lived from the railroad, in a buggy
met her driving to town. She was
seated on the front seat with her sor
George, and sitting on the rear seat OF
the wagon were two of the women
living in her neighborhood. 1 recog-
nized my aunt at once, and she finally
recognized me. When she introduced
me TO her friends, and they smiled,
saw that their upper front teeth were
out. They were nice looking women
but they could not get away from the
popularity of that country.
His ShiftIess Kin.
Before meeting my aunt, I met {
shiftlesss looking man driving little
mule and big lame horse to ricket!
wagon. He had a load of poles on tn
wagon which. was an old one, and tn
entire outfit was tremendously shiftles
looking. After I passed the man.
thought about him and his shiftlessness
and finally said to myself: I'll bet
am related to that man. My kin hav
always been shiftless. and L said to my
self, as a joke: TN bet am related
to that man"
After meeting my aunt, she PROPOSED
that her son drive my buggy back t
town, and that I ride with her, an
we would visit on the way. I accepte'
the proposition, and climbed up into tn
high seat beside her, and set the creak
drove to town. We had quite a mic
! visit. and enjoyed the experience
There were baskets and buckets on tn
floor of the wagon, and I asked her:
Butter and eggs?"
Yes" she said; they are for m
daughter Ellen. who is married. an
! lives in town."
When we arrived in town. she di
rected the way to her daughter Ellen
! house 1t was located down by tn
depot; there are always a lot of littl
houses down by the depot in countr
town, and my cousin Ellen lived in on
of them.
When we drove up, Ellen rushed GU
to see her mother, and was introduce
} to me. She insisted that come in, a
; she wanted me to meet her husband.
ssae will be here in a little while,
Ellen said. HE would never get owe
1t If you didn't watt
: So / put up the horses, and So
, around the house, and waited. wit
, poor grace. Finally. Ellen said: