The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-18

But it was meeting day and the PEG
pie Jared to church there to make once
more their feeble prayer for rain.
AT the church a company was al
ready gathered, and presently some OF
the oder women came, mothers in
Israel whose counsel was to be regard
ed For a space all were silent, then
a woman spoke. Hit seem lax dc
Lord don keer,' she remarked detect
eddy. "IIe sholv don't keer any mo-"
Amos Cunnnlns shook his head and
groancG.
de Lord done sot his face ag'in Sod
om," he replied IAN dat bekase of sin
an bekase of much onrighteousness. y
There was a pause. A field sparrow
flew up from the ground and perched
on a nearby twig, but partly closing
its extended wings and with its mouth
open and painting. Amos Cummins
glanced at it and pointed.
You see dat?" he asked. "You see
dat burd? Ebn de beastesses an de
hyin' towels of de air suffers fer de
sins,of man He hesitated and look
ed around him. "Of one manw he add
ed almost fercely.
"A-a-hh-h!' The crowd knew now
of whom he spolethe preacher whose
wrists were Scared Yes, they knew
their Jonah, but they waited.
I'VE got ter pu'gc ourselves? the old
man went on impressiyely. eve got
ter cas- out dis man. We got ter mex
dis yer ehu'ch clean IN walk um'ly fore
our God. Den de hebben gwineter open,
open ter de drappin' Of de rain"
who gwinter move dat Amos?" they
queried. "Nho gwinter fetch hit ter de
notice of de chuch?"
II ISL he answered firmly II is dis
ve'y day
Down behind the church where the pine
straw lies deep in sheltering hollow the
preacher was down on his knees. lie
knew nothing of the plot up yonder nor
Of the sulen anger against him, but ne
felt that heaven had cast him off. and he
wrestled manfully with himself and with
God. In this his hidden place the last
rays of yesterdays sun had hidden him
good night, here IN the long dark watches
the little stars had lighted his upturned
face. and here the gray dawn had found
him. Now, even though the day was
passing, still he was here agonzing and
praying for 1t seemed to him that a great
sin encompassed him, that his guilt was
written large upon him and that Of
verify he was the Achan within whose
tent the damning wedge was hid, Know
ing this, he knew his duty. But it was
hard-so hard, For others he did not
care. but for Talithy to know, she whom
he loved Blindly he sought some easier
way. Almost he was resolved to slip away
in the night and TO see Sodom no more.
Very slowly the man arose and took his
way toward the church. With tense mus
cles and hard set jaw he went down the
aisle straight to the rude old chancel AS
he turned he saw but one face of all the
throng, and that was Talithy's.
Brethren" he began (the assembly
stilled-what had the man to sayD, "dis
congregation is a-sufferin' beliase Of sin,
an dat sin is mine" The woman in the
choir seat started and clasped her hands.
then sank back and sat very still The
congregation stared. Who could have told
the man of their resolve? us took my
trouble ter de Lord" the preacher con-
tinued. IAN / hopes he is p'intin' de way,
but don know. Hit seems like he is fur
from me now. Anyhow, Is come ter re-
sign dis church, fer | amt a-gwine ter
preach any more I oughtn't ter have
started, recK n, an de reason or hit all
is dis:
zone time, away back yonder, l TUX
some of a white mans cotton. l was
hongry. an my ole nanny was hongry,
too, but dat don matter now. l stole de
cotton. an / was cotched. Dey tracked
me wild dogs, de white folks did, an all
day long | run, a-dodgin of the dogs an
acktrackin an a-wadin, but long
bout night TUX ter de ribber De ribher
was a-risin dat night an de swift water
was a-lappin at de banks but a black
man clumb out on a tree jes de same ter
try ter stop me- an de tree broke, an he
fell right in de swiftes' water" The
speaker paused IL always thought dat
was a mighty fool man" he added re-
flectively.
Amos Cummns squirmed In his scat
HE was" he now CALCULATED crisply 1
"IIe was a plumb foo!'
But the other went on unheeding.
"TIe couldn' swim dat black man
couldn', an l had ter stop an gil him
out'n dar OATS how come / got cotch |
Men'-his voice almost sank to a whisper /
-"dey sent me ter jail bekase of dat steal |
In, an after l got out l come here ter /