Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1906-05-31
L h e G hurch
in the Swamp
BY DALLAS LORE SHARP
Copyright, by Joseph B. Bowles.)

/ There was a time when the littl :
Hat-bottomed cotton boats touched at
almost every woody bend as they pad
died down the Savannah from Angus
IA. But the streams of. population have
/ changed their course since the comiag
OF the railroad. The low-lying swamps
are nearly deserted; and now, except
at the few regular stations, the boat
turns her shovel nose into the bank
only When she smells barrel of resin
bale OF cotton, or sights some lone y
dweller waving his hat or pine KIN
from stump in the edge of the
| swamp.
One autumn day about ten. years
ago, was put ashore nearly $50 miles
below Augusta, and struck in through
the swamp to the higher levels for
wild turkeys. 1t had been beautiful
october weather, but the game was
scarce. At the end of two days wan
behring's | had not heard a gobble, anL
when night of the second day came
down with a dreary drizzle, was back
along the river awaiting for the re-
turning boat
Just where l was I did not know.
did not relish the prospect of an
other night in the swamp, not in thi:
neighborhood, anyhow, alone, in tie
rain and reeds, and among the snakes
malaria and other beasts lodging the e
ABOUT. I dared wait no longer, and,
shouldering my rifle, made my way
back to finu higher, dryer bed.
| had not gone far wnen l fourd
was following an Old path-a hog trail
probably-and, with just a hope tn
it would lead to clearing, I kept on.
With the extra sense of a woodsman, I
felt was nearing something or some
where; and, turning bend over the
rising ground, saw through the tree
what seemed like a number of pi
blazed by the pitch gatherers But, tE
approaching, the pitch pines proved to
be, not pines, but gravestones. | had
stumbled upon an ancient graveyard
Only few OF the names could be
made out. They were all in Ere |; h
and | guessed it must be an Old HUI
guenot burying ground.
| Peerlng in among the cedars tina
had rooted out many of the stones,
caught a glimpse of a white no e.,
and hurrying forward as though l h a
not done one of my 40 mics that day,
wondering if it was white-wasse
cabin, turpentine still or-1 suddenly
stood before Westinghouse, older
and thousand times more spectrAl
than the graveyard. 1t was on knoll,
and had been in sight of the river be-
low once; but now the brush and trees
completely hid it, except when on
might happen to run upon it; and it
looked in the gloom as if might b
the only one to have done that in h ALI
a century. The door was lockea. l
tried the windows. They were taste l.
ed, too; but on the river side the end
window was partly torn away, leaving
an opening large enough to admit me.
l climbed inside and CROPPED my way
about with the last of the light. 4
dozen or more plain benches were
drawn up parallel with the platform
and close together There was an
~rtique swallow-nest pulpit hanging
/ high up on the wall, with kind
tunnel stairway leading down from it
to the platform. 1t was hollow
musty place. and from the odor |
judged the bats must have recently
assembled in large and frequent con
gregations here. It was spooky, too:
but it was shelter, and any kind of
|shelter-a house at. that!-was the
widest kind OF luxury in such p,ac :.
laid my rifle on the platform a.6
prepared my bed; whistling a tune I'll
to wake every old ghost about tn :
place. The back bench was out Of the
draft of the broken window, and
spreading my rubber blanket on this,
with my game<bag for a pillow, I lay
Flown to sleep. ~, .t@ r~ II
The wind freshened in the trees a &
the pipes broke out aloud in the r
>ternal di~se. The rain began to pat
ter in drops against the loose pane. L.
was pitch dark. What a fit place to !.
dead in-the graveyard outs !!
Soughing pines, moss-hung espresso,
night and Storm and everlasting sell
tude! Rather, how unfit! -
| fell asleep and dreamed | was one
Of a large and happy congreg tion
listening to a good old father pleadi e
from the pulpit overhead Thea t e
scene changed: the congregation van
ished, the morning sunlight and ta,
good-faced preacher disappeared, and
was alone, in the dark with Ss.ta !.
making ready from the pulpit to swo .
down upon me. woke with a Ma t
and shiver. For moment the dream.
was 50 real could still see the gleara-
ing eyes OF Satan staring down at m ).
The wind was high. outside, the raj !
had ceased. the clouds were broken
and driving across the moon, and new
and then a faint flood of yellow light
fell through the curtainless wind WIS.
was wide awake now and still gazing
up at the fiendish face in theapulpt. It