Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-08-10
The Church
in the Swamp
Bv DALLAS LORE SHARP
&0epyrisht, BIZ Sssepb 3. RoWles.)


1hsre was a dns when the little
0ks-bottomed cotton boats touched It
Almost every woody bend as they pad
died down the Savannah from Angus
"a. But the streams of population have
changed their course since the coming
q the railroad. The low-lying swamps
are nearly deserted; and now, except
ot the few regular stations, the boat
turns her shovel nose into the bank
only when she smells a barrel of resin,
bale of cotton, or sights some lonely
dweller waving his hat or pine knot
from a stump In the edge of the
swamp.
One autumn day about ten ye.rs
ago, was put ashore nearly $50 miles
below Augusta, and struck in through
the swamp to the higher levels for
Wild turkeys. It had been beautiful
October weather. but the game was
scarce. At the end of two days wan
derings had not heard a gobble, and
when night of the second day came
down with dreary drizzle, I was back
along the river awaiting for the re-
turning boat
Just where I was l 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 a higher, dryer bed.
l had not gone far when I found l
was following an old path-a hog trail
probably-and, with just a hope that
1t would lead to a clearing, kept on.
With the extra sense of woodsman,
felt I was nearing something or some
where; and, turning bend over the
rising ground, saw through the trees
what seemed like number of pines
blazed by the pitch gatherers. But, on
approaching, the pitch pines proved to
be, not pines, but gravestones. l had
stumbled upon an ancient graveyard.
Only few of the names could be
made out. They were all in Frent h,
and l guessed 1t must be an old Hu-
5uCAoC OuIyAAS 6IOuuu.
Peering In among the cedars that
had rooted out many of the stones, I
caught glimpse of a white house,
and hurrying forward as though I had
not done one of my 40 miles that day,
wondering If 1t was a white-washed
cabin, turpentine still or-1 suddenly
stood before Westinghouse, older
and a thousand times more spectral
than the graveyard. 1t was on a knoll,
and had been In sight of the river be-
low once; but now the brush and trees
completely hid It, except when one
might happen to run upon it; and it
looked In the gloom as If might be
the only ono to have done that in half
q century. The door was locked.
tried the windows. They were fasten.
Cd. too: but on the river side the end
window was partly torn away, leaving
IN opening large enough to admit me.
climbed inside and CROPPED my way
about With the last Of the hight. A
dozen or more plain benches were
dawn up parallel With tho platform
and close together. There was an
antique swallow-nest pulpit hanging
high up on the wall, with q kind Of
tunnel stairway leading down from it
% the platform. It was a hollow,
0usty place. and from tho odor
Judged the bats must have recently
assembled In large and frequent con-
gregations here. It was spoo1y, too:
but Il was shelter, and any kind OF
sAoltoc-a house at that!-was the
widest kind Of luxury In such Q place.
la3d my rife on tho platform and
Despared my bed: whistling a tune At
% wake every old ghost about the
Dlaeo. The back bench was out of tho
lra6 Of the broken window. and
sproad1ng my rubber blanket on this.
With my game-bag for a pillow, I lay
down to sleep.
The wind 1reshened In the trees and
he pines broke out aloud in thoig
eternal dirge. The rain began TO pat-
toe In drops against the loose panes. Il
was pitch dark. What 1T place to be
dead in-the graveyard outside!
soughing pines, moss-hung Expresses,
night and storm and everlasting SOIL
tude! Rather, how unfit!
foil asleep and dreamed was one
OF large and happy congregation
listening to good old father pleading
from the pulpit overhead. Then the
scene changed: the congregation van
ashed, the morning sunlight and the
good-faced preacher disappeared, and
vas alone. In the dark With Satan
1laking ready from the pulpit to swoop
doWn upon me. I woke With start
and Shiver. For a moment the dream
Was 20 real could still see the gleam-
ing eyes Of Satan staring down at me.
The wind was high outside, tho rain
had ceased. the clouds were broken
and driving acroas the moon, and now
a1d then faint food Of yellow liGht
fell through the curtainleos Window.
Wa vide awake now and sim easing
up ct the hendish face In tho pulpit It
WaS no longer dream. A heavy cloud
covered the moon, and two burning
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