Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-19

Pappy Corn with a wiry
smile after one of his Philosophical
silences He and the Stranger were sit
ling in the cool of the evening before
he door of Pappy's house He may do
other things by trainin' and education,
out them two he does accordin' to his
ovn particular instincts. You can't
each him how to make love, nor you
amt cram the grace of God down him
~ any little catechism rule. He has
% learn both for hisself This idea first
,ame to me the year of the big revival
n old Zion Church. when we he'd sech a
crop of lovers afterwards. You can
count on that. too: soon as men and
women get right with God. they air
mighty apt TO take up with one another.
[ have kno~ed many a young Teller in
his valley who played cards. drunk
whisky and never spoke to decent
woman TO break loose from Satan and
,it religion: then. the first thing you
moved he'd be clickin his spurs. drag
gin his wing on the ground and cluckin'
around the incest little Sunday school
gal he could find.
Now the tale I'm fixin' to tell you is
% prove my text, that religion and
Toman-love air always the earmarks In
a man of originality. He don't jest
ketch 'em like an idea or Il disease, but
hey air laid away in him the way they
we're when the Lord first made him and
turned him loose naked in that Garden
If Eden.
Well. sir. to begin with three of the
widest young mon in the settlement
Bill Meeks and the two Stains boys.
Pete and Tom-sought religion durin'
that revival Bill Meeks amt never
some through yet though no man does
better part by the Lord than him
since that meetin'. He was the biggest
his head the way you have seen il curl
betwixt the horns of a yaller bull eyes
to match. and mouth like sword
slit in his face, il was so thin and tight
shet He was always ready to fight
anything or anybody. but the sorriest
coward you ever see approach the throne
Of grace. He had the feelin'. but no
more idea of religion than a hog has of
side pockets. 1t appealed TO him. but he
couldn't git none
I'VE all 'alked TO him. fore and aft,
but it done no good. He couldn't profess
4 hope the size of mustard seed
vas for takin' him into the church any
b,'w. same as you'd take a blind man
in out of the dark and cold. but Deacon
Snow wouldn't hear TO that. Lowed Bill
mought be predestined to torment for all
mixed up with him before the Lord. The
Stallin's boys Jared better. Tom was a
nervous. hatchet-faced Teller. with the
disposition of smart Alex. He was al
ways for layin his tail over the dash
beard and runnin ahead of somebody
else in the race. And when he got re-
ligion you'd have thought from the way
he took on that his was the first case of
redeemin grace We ever had in the
valley. He incurred deeper under con-
viction and shouted louder when he come
through than AIRY one of the other con-
verts. Pete was jest the other way.
While Tom was cavortin around gittin'
his religion in the meetin' house with
everybody to help him. Pete went off, got
down by stump in the old field and
prayed hisself through unbeknownst to
the church or preacher. First we heard
of ii was when he come forwards and asst
for baptism long with Tom and the
other brands that had been snatched from
the burnin'.
We'll. sir. no sooner was the reviva.
over than them three fellers went
>-onrtin', and they courted accordin' to