The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-10-04

thing, for we had been SrleNouSlg pun
upon. and | believed the God OF lSraeI
should avenge our wrongs as he mad
avenged those of His older Zion. And
hear me now-so long as | believed
this, | was no coward; while YOU
sir
A long forefnger was pointed
straight at the amazed Brigham.
while you, sir, were a craven
contemplate in your coWaFdlce'
would have fought in Echo canyon TO
the end, because | believed. But you
did not believe, and so you were AFRAID
to fight. And for your cOWardlce ana
your wretched lusts your name among
all but your ignorant dupes shall pc
come a kissing and a scorn. For marx
it well. unless you forsake that heaIh'
on God of Battles and preach the oil
vine Christ of the New Testament,
Won shall come to hold only the lSnor-
ant, and them only by keeping them
! ignorant
The commOtion among the people in
front was now all but panic. On the
nIatform the Sires of Israel whispered
one 70 another, while Brigham gaZed
as if fascinated, driven to admiration
for the speakers power and audaclty.
For the feveriSh, tieetlng moment,
loci Rae was that Veritable Lion OF
the Lord he had prayed to be, putting
upon the people his spell OF the ola
DAYS. Heads were again strained up
and forward, and amazed horror was
on most of the faces. Far back, Pru-
dence trembled, feeling that she must
he away at once, until she felt the
firm grasp of Folletts hand. The
speaker went on, having turned again
to the front.
Instead of a church you shall be-
come Justly hated and despised as a
people who foul their homes and dis
honor beyond forgiveness the names
of wife and mother. Then your pun
ishment shall come upon you as 1t has
already come for this and for other
sins. Even now the Gentle is upon
us; and mark this truth that God has
but now given me to know: we have
never been prosecuted as church,
but always as a political body hostile
to the government of this nation
Even so, you had no faith. Believing
as | believed, | would have fought
that nation and died thousand bloody
deaths rather than submit. But you
had no faith, and you were so low thai
you let yourselves be ruled by cow
ard-and l tell you God hates
coward"
He stopped, waiting as If he were
not done, but the spell was broken
The life, indeed, had in the later mo
ments been slowly dying from hi
words; and, as they lost their fire
scattered voices of protest had beer
heard; then voices in warning iron
behind him, and the sound of two o
three rising and pushing back thei
chairs.
The little bent man tried again t
smile, hoping for friendly glance
perhaps a hand-clasp without word
from some one of them. Seeing tina
he was Stunned, he stepped down OF
the platform at the side, twisting hi
hat in his long, thin hands in embal
e rassment. A moment he stood 81
turning to look back at the group {
priests and Elders around the Prophe
. seeking for any sign, even for glanc
20 that should be not unkind. The littl
- panied smile still lighted his face, BIT
". no friendly look came from the other
:, Seeing only the backs turned toWar
- him, he at length Strengthened out hi
crumpled hat, still smiling, and sloWI
nut it on his head; as he turned ava
y he pulled the hat farther over n
eyes, and then he was off along tn
:, dusty street, looking to neither sid
"a still with the little smile that mac
~ his face gentle.
80 But when he had come to the er
n of the street and was on the road l
the hill, the smile died. He seemed
-. at once to shrink and stoop and fad
~ no longer a Lion of the Lord, but
- poor, white-faced, Mortified little ma
" who had meant in his heart to give
great revelation, and who had succee
~ ed only in uttering blasphemy to Il
~ very face of Gods prophet.
- From below, the little groups of
=, cited people along the street looked
- and saw his thin, bent figure alone
~ the fading sunlight, toiling resolute
I'd upward
70 Other groups back in the squa
no talked among themselves, not few
81 whispers. A listener among the
~ might have heard such expressions
ar He'll be blood-atoned sure"
NO They'll make breach upon him."
INF They'll accomplish his deceased"
~ He'll be sent over the rim of t
ad basin right quick" One indigna
nd Saint, with a talent for euphemis
ha was heard to say, Brigham will ha
m his spirit disembodied!"
III =