The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-03-08
UNCLE TOM BARKER
How He Went TO Meeting and Was Con
verted.
[PabHshed by request. j

cd aud cussed more furiously than
usual, and ,swore that anybody who
would come expecting to see sold
Sledge" tomorrow was an infernal
fool. for he wasn't coming. He laid
bare his etroDg arms and shook hie
long hsir, aad eaid he wished the
lying, deceiving hypocrite would
come, for it had been nigh on to four
teen years since he had made preach
er dance.
Saturday morning by 8 O'Clock the
settlers began TO gather. They came
on foot and on horseback, and in carts
men, women and children, and be-
fore IL o'clock there we're more people
et the oross-Toads than had ever been
there before. Bill Jones was mad at
their credulisy, but he had an eye 10
business, and kept behind his counter
and sold more Whiskey in an hour than
he had sold in month. AS the ap.
pointed hour drew near the settlers
began to look down the long, straight
road that cold Sledge'' would come,
If he came at all, and every man whose
head came in sight just over the rise
Of the distant hill was closely soruti-
nized. More than opts they said,
"Yonder he comes that's him shore" ;"
But no, it wasn't him. Some half a
dozen had old bulls eye silver watches,
and they compared time, and Just at
1925 o'clock the old horse thief ex-
claimed: i sec Tom Barker risin'
Of the hill. Iahain't seed him for
eleven years, but gintlemen, that ar
him, or I'm liar ..5
And it was him. AS he got nearer
and nearer, a voice seemed to be COM
ing with him, and some said, ..He's S
talkin' to himself" another said,
I"He's o talkin' to God Almighty"
and another said, s'Tll be burned If he
ain 't'a praying" but very soon it was
decided that he was 1ssipgin' Of a
hime. Bill Jones was soon advised
of all this, and, coming up to the
from aid: Darned if he amt sing
ing before I axed him, but I'll make
him sing another enne Til ne is tired. !,
Ill pay him for his onaulting message.
I'm not a-gwine to kill him, boys. I'll
leave life in his rotten old carcass.
but that's all. If any Of you n want
.tolhear "Old Sledge'' preach you'll
have to 60 ten miles from the roads to
/ do it. ~ ~. n F5# Isl
Slowly and solemnly the preacher.
came. AZ ne drew near ne narrow.
ed down his tune and looked kindly.
upon che crowd He was q ! massive.
man in. frame, and had q heavy suit Of
dark brown hair; but his face was
clean shaved, and showed q nose and
lips and chin Of firmnaaa and gsass
dissemination. Look at him, boys.
and mind yonr eye, , said the horse.
thief.
w here will ! find my friaad Bill,
Jones 2'' inquired & Old slod dae, All.
round they pointed him ID the man. d s
Riding mp close, he said y friend
sand brother, the go0ds Lord haa sa.s
me to- yoa, and. q ask your. hospitality;
Us, for myself aud ny beast, and .Ehe
ssslowly dismonnted and faced HE foe
as though expeo eotipg q kind reply The
crisis had come and Bill Jones met IL.
NV y ], op 3, Internal i'd s s hypoerite; You
1yoyusaed old shaved iced spcsoundrel.; !;
didn't yon know that r had swored an
1, that ] would make you sing and ana
dance, and whip you begid les igs you
seYersd Jared TO pizsns these crosssroadsl
wit your shoe tracks Nov sing
80 ~ yop,5 sin and dance as You
sing and he en- phasized his COM
;inand y. aith 4 ringing slap with his
g sopsn hand upon the parsons & ! face face
ss0 0ld :sledge' 'Ss recpilsd with pain and
y ssnrprise coysring il, q onaf,t;3
sshe said 3 s. v u, Brother Jones, 81 Ii aid.
snot sx poet 10 warm q welcame, But m i;fs
this be- your ssrDads manrers ll,ist I
pposs I must ain .a and as Devil Bill
save him anot ther slaI on his other;
iaW he ebsgan Nit b .15 4 's'sss
So soul be on thy guard ssSs3 S
nd 10th Hid fong s arm astid dden III and nd
STIFF TIL rave Darif III 3 \, Y !, = a