Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-06-26
Ezra'S
Evil Spirit
By r. c. HarbaUgh
6cOpyrlght. By Joseph B. B0wIea.l J

/ A0 IGNlVdl 1DAAChUCll1 Aau4 UCQu
In progress three weeks, with vary
ing success. The young minister who
had recently taken charge pronounc-
ed 1t fruitful field; but some Of
the elders shook their heads, as
they had had more experience in the
Lords vineyard than he.
| Ezra Grubbs was one of the Oldest
citizens of the village. He was long.
lank, and had face that resembled
parchment In color, while from un-
der his chin peeped whitish beard.
which he seldom trimmed. He had
buried his first wife some years be-
fore, and afterward seemed to avoid
designing widows and old maids.
keeping pretty close to his little tink-
ering shop just back of the rambling
main street. His brief sojourn In
the vineyard Of the Lord had ended
with the runaway mentioned by Mrs.
Hinton, which occurred in this wise:
Old Ezra had borrowed team
from a neighbor for the purpose Of
replenishing his woodpile, and while
returning with the jag of wood, most
ly unseemly looking limbs, the horses
became frightened and dashed down
through Blackberry, distributing the
wood at divers stations along the
route.
Rage had full possession of the old
man, for he had a temper which the
soothing influences of the church had
not altogether curbed, and while he
whipsawed he let out some express
sions which simply Mortified the on
lockers. To be plain, he swore like
the army in Flanders and elsewhere,
and when he finally checked the head
long career of the team, and brought
the animals to a standstill, with
nothing lost but his Jag of wood and
good deal of his religion, he drove
back and reloaded.
There were those who thought the
old man should be brought before the
council for his language, and disci-
plined, for they argued that 1t was
a terrible example to the younger
members, any one of whom might
have runaway at any time. Old
Ezra heard of the movement which
certain designing persons within the
pale of the church had set on foot,
and one evening at prayer meeting he
rose in his seat and offered an ex-
planaticA
He di& not excuse himself, after
saying that frp was terribly tried on
the occasion of the runaway. He
admitted that he had temper which
broke out at times, and while he
said that perhaps he had used Ian
guage not entirely proper, he aston
.ished all by saying that he really be-.
tlieved that the horses began to slow
up when they heard his words This
was a little too much for the meet
ing, and when Elder Tompl1ins asked
him If he had anything to say why
he shouldn't be disciplined, he quiet
ly picked up his hat, and said that
they could jest wipe his name from
the books for the present" This
was solemnly ordered done, and Ezra
Grubbs was thus relegated to the
'beggarly elements OF the world"
A year had passed since these
events, which had been more than a
nine days wonder to Blackberry and
the surrounding community.
Now another revival was at hand.
and those who thought they could
discern the inner thoughts of man
imagined that Ezra Grubbs was In
the act of returning to his first
love-" The Widow Stebbins, whose
COW he drove to pasture, the widow
being childless, refused to confirm
or deny these prophecies; but when
the old man began to attend the meet
ings. very modestly taking a back
seat, those who thought he had been
again "smitten'' were confirmed I'M
their belief.
The last night Of the revival saw
the church we'll filed. All eyes were
turned upon Ezra Grubbs when he
came i'm and walked down the narrow
aisle. He looked neither to the right
nor to the left, but slid quietly into
seat Just in advance of the one oe-
cupied the night before.
The services did not warm up until
after the sermon, when the meeting
became thoroughly revivalistic, and
"amens'' rose from all parts of the
house, fnterspersed with parts of
hymns calculated to stir the blood Of
the older members and carry them
back to the days and nights of yore
Suddenly in the midst Of 1t all the
tall figure OF Joshua Grimes lowered
in front Of the altar, and he imme-
diately launched forth in one Of his
powerful exhortations. He had
voice like fog-horn, and more than
one sinner had turned pale within
its sound.
"N0w's the time" cried the old man.
''The south wind is BLOWN through
the mulberry trees. The chariot Is
ready. an the driver is waitin' fer is
load o. sinners. We want the old,
time religion; the religion O our IA.
theirs; the kind what cheered Paul an
siIas; the kind what strengthened