Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1906-06-28
The Church
II, the Swamp
loopyrIshl, By Joseph D. BOwlssJ

In. But the streams OF population nave
changed their course since the coming
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 lonely
dweller waving his hat or q pine knot
from a stump In the edge OF che
swamp.
One autumn day about ten years
ago. was put ashore nearly 1S0 miles
below Augusta, and struck In through
the swamp to the higher levels for
wild turkeys. II had been beautiful
October weather. but the game was
scarce. At the end OF two days wan
derings had not heard q gobble, and
when night of the second day came
down with dreary drizzle. was back
along the river awaiting for the re-
turning boat.
Just where I was did not know.
did not relish the prospect Of an
other night In the swamp. not In this
neighborhood, anyhow. alone, in the
rain and reeds. and among the snakes,
malaria and other beasts lodging there
about. | dared wait no longer. and,
shouldering my rifle. made my way
back to find higher. dryer bed.
had not gone far when found !
was following an old path-a hog trail
probably-and. with just n hope that
1t would lead to a clearing. kept on.
With the extra sense of woodsman.
felt was nearing something or some
where; and. turning bend over the
rising ground. | saw through the tree
what seemed like number OF pi:e
olazed by the pitch gatherers. But, on
approaching, the pitch pines proved tc
be. not pines. but gravestones. had
stumbled upon an ancient graveyard.
only a few OF the names could be
made out. They were all in Freloh
md guessed 1t must be an Old HUI
;uenot buryins ground.
Peering In among the cedars that
had rooted out many Of the stones. I!
aught a glimpse of white house
nd hurrying forward as though hac
lot done one of my 40 miles that day
wondering II 1t was white-wa shei
abin, turpentine still or-I suddenly
stood before a Westinghouse, Older
md a thousand times more spectral
han the graveyard. II was on knoll
md had been in sight of the river be
ow once; but now the br ish and trees
completely hid 1t, except when. on
night happen to run upon It; and II
ooked In the gloom as II | might b:
he only one to have done that In hall
/ century. The door was locked.
.ried the windows. They were faste?.
ed, too; but on the river size the end
window was partly torn away. leaving
IN opening large enough to admit me.
climbed inside and CROPPED my way
,bout with the last Of the light. A
lozen or more plain benches were
lrawn up parallel with the platform
md close together. There was an
unique swallow-nest pulpit hanging
high up on the wall, with a kind oil
unnel stairway leading down from II
20 the platform. 1t was a hollow
nusty place. and from the odor ]
| ,dged the bats must have recently
Is. Ssmbled in large and frequent con-
IRE cations here. II was spooky, too;
but Il was a shelter, and any kind OF
shelter-a house at that!-was the
widest kind Of luxury In such a place
l laid my rife on the platform and
prepare my bed; whistling a tune fl
to wake every old ghost about tn;
place. The back bench was out OF the
lraft of the broken window, an
spreading my rubber blanket on this
with my game-bag for a pillow. I lay
down to sleep.
The wind freshened in the trees and
he pines broke out aloud in Their
.ternal dirge. The rain began to pat
.er in drops .yainst the loose panes. II
vas pitch dark. What fit place to be
dead in-the graveyard outside!
coughing pines, moss-hung cypresse'
n ,ght and storm and everlasting soil
ude'l Rather. how unfit!
I fell asleep and dreamed l was one
IF a lar ye and happy congregation
listening % a good old father pleading
from the lQlpit overhead. Then the
scene chang. "a: the congregation van
shed. the m prning sunlight and the
yood-faced pl eacher disappeared, and
was alone. In the dark with satal
making ready from the pulpit to swoop
Town upon M. woke with start
md shiver. For a mome.N tne cream
was SO real could still see ne glean-
ng eyes OF Shtan staring down u ms
The wind WIS high outside. the ra~
had ceased. the clouds were broken
md driving a cross the moon. and now
Ind then a {; Int food OF yellow light
ell through. the curtainless windows.
was wide n wake now and still gazing
I'D at the iiei dish face in the pulpit II
vas no lonet r a dream. A heavy cloud
covered the moon, and two burning
,alls OF gre ei glared uown at me. The
loud passe d, and a great cats head
howed aga Inst the wall II rose lit
lie, then di sappeared inside the pulpit
There co, I'D be no mistake about the