The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-27
OLD ZEB WHITE.
= Sunday When He Said 'sDrat the
Church,

Church.
I had been to Sunday meeting with
old Zeb White and his wife at the log
church on the mountainside, and on the
way home he began:
Il can't say that I was powerfully sf-
fected by them remarks of the preacher,
and L can't say but what I'd rathrr
stayed home today and mended some
of my traps, but 1 dun had an eXper-
fence three or four years ago chat is
lastin' me yit.''
Mrs. White turned her head away and
smiled and 1 expressed my desire for
further particulars, and after getting
his corn-cob pipe alight the old man
continued:
Tt was that year that possums was
so plenty and there was so many fellers
around to buy up their skins Them pos
sums seemed to come over from Vir-
ginny and North Caroleeny in droves.
Nobody hadn't seen 'em so plenty il
twenty years. You couldn't come across
a boiler log without findin a dozen of
4 the critters slowed away in IT. They
sriv the wood chucks and coons away
kd bossed things with a high hand.
was kCOckin' 'em over by the dozen and
reckonin' on gettin' money enough to
buy another mewl when it was gin out
that there would be preachin of a Sun
day in the church back there. When the
old woman told me 1 didn't say nuthin'.
but I knowed how it would be with me.
Next mawnin' I got up feelin' that it
was gwine to be a great day for the
possum business with me- reckoned
on slayin' at least forty and nailin' UP
their hides AS we was eatin' breakfast
Mrs. White says:
..'Zeb, it's a Iongish way. and We'll
start for church a bit airly.'
who's swine TO church? says l.
. Both of us, of co'se-'
. You kin go along by yourself.
There's a hundred possums around yere
achin' to be killed and I'm goin' to git
oil IL
off with the change of the moon. You
kin go to the preachin' and tell me all
about it when you git home
e 'Zeb, you are gwine to church with
me. and that settles it, she says
'Drat the church, and that settles
that, says 1.
I'VE hain't had no preachin' for two
months. and If you stay home today to
gwine to lay His hand on you. Pos
sums kin wait. but the Lawd can't.
The man who puts possums first and
the Lawd next is singled out for sor-
rer. Grease up your butes and make
ready for church.
But 1 set back like mewl and re-
fused to bulge" said the old man.
THE old woman she coaxed and warn
ed me for half an hour. but 1 had pos
sums in mind and couldn't see any
thing else. She had to go off alone,
and in the door she turns to me and
. 'Zeb White. this day the Lawd is
shoreIy gwine to teach you that He
comes first and possums next. 1 dun
don't know jest how he's gwine to do
it, but I'm feelin' that you will be a
sad man afore the day is three hours
older
Il laughed at her and she disappear
ed among the trees. When she had
gone L loaded my rife and set it out
side the doah. and then I sot down to
put an aige on my ak with the whet-
stone. 1t happened that 1 sot with my
7 11f-A14 IT,
away and countin' on 40 possums, when
sonlethin' took me longside the head
and 1 was knocked clear across the
cabin and put to sleep for the next
sx4n 1 soon nggered out. what It was.
There was the biggest sort of a black
bar rampagin' around the room. He
had stole in as soft as a rabbit and
gin me a swat alongside the head.
! "Such a thing could not have hap
pened if my old dawg had been
around. but drat his hide, he had
taken sides with the old woman and |
left me alone. He was agreein' with |
her that It was better to go to church |
OF a Sunday than to hunt possums.
never knowed where he sneaked away, |
but, reckoned he was still sittin' on |
the doah-steps. He had sneaked, and |
SO the bar had a chance to walk in |
on me
wall, sub, the ak had gone fyin' |
and the rifle was out doahs. and there I
Ilay. Feared to me that blow had |
caved in my head and / was helpless.
reckon the bar thought he had I'm
ished me for good and all with one
swipe, for he wasn't payin' me no mo-
attenshun. He was investigator the |
house. He began on the bed and
clawed all the clothes off on the floor
and then ripped EN- to pieces. Lordy.
but you orter have seen the feathers
fly, 1t was like a snow storm for
about ten minutes, and the bar was
tickIed half to death. Then he tips
over the cupboard and gifts at the
bacon and milk and meal. When he
had got through with them he burns
hisself agin the hot stove. That made
him mad, and he seizes it and pulls it
down. pipe and all. and it was a mercy
the cabin didn't take fire at once. He
GOT mo- burns and he got madden and
madden. and If ever a bar started in
to clean out the shanty he was the
one.
'I kin tell you what he didn't do a
heap easier than I kin tell what he
did He didn't leave enough in that
cabin for the old woman to sit down
and cry over. 1t was smash, crash
and destroy. In ravin' around he
stepped on the hot Goals and burned
his feet, and every time he did it he D.