Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1908-01-09

Sledge wOuld come, if he came at all,
and every man whose head came III
sight just over the rise Of the distant
hill, was closely scrutinized.
More than once they said, ''Yonder
he comes that S him shore. But no,
it wasn't him
Some half dozen had old bullseye
silver watches, and they compared
time, and just at t0:55 O'Clock the Old
horse thief exclaimed:
Il see Tom Barker risin of the
hill. l hain't seed him for eleven
years, but gintlemen, that ar him, or
I'm liar. :"
And it was him.
As he got nearer and nearer voice
seemed to be coming with him, and
some said, He's talkin' to himself, .
another said, He's talkin' to God
Almighty and another said, II II be
durnel if he amt a preaching, but
very soon it was decided that he was
"a singin' of hime. "
Bill Jones was soon advised OF all
this, and coming up to the front said
"Durned if he ain t singing before |
axed him, but L II make him sing an
him for his onsulting message. I'm
not gwine to kill him, boys, I'll
leave life in his rotten old carcass, but
that's all If any of youens want to-
hear Old Sledge preach you II have TO
go ten miles from the road to do it. -
Slowly and solemnly the preacher
came. As he drew near he narrowed
down his tune and looked kindly upon
the crowd He was massive man and
had a heavy suit of dark brown hair,
but his face was clean shaved and
showed nose and lips and chin of
firmness and great determination.
Look at him, boys, and mind your
eye, - said the horse thief.
where will | find my friend, Bill
Jonesr inquired Old Sledge.
All around they pointed him to the
man.
Riding up close he said: MY friend
AMI brother, the good Lord has sent
me to you, and 1 ask your hospitality
for myself and my beast, and he
slowly dismounted and faced his foe as
though expecting kind reply.
The crisis had come and Bill Jones
met it.
'You internal old hypocrite: you
cussed old shaved faced scoundrel: did
MT you know that l had swored an
oath that | would make you sing and
dance and whip you besides if you ev-
er dared to pizen these crossroads with
your shoetracks Now, sing, id you
sing and dance as you sing" and he
emphasized his command with a ring
ing slap upon the parsons face.
Old Sledge recoiled with pain and
surprise
Recovering in moment he said,
''Well, Brother Jones, | did not ex-
pect so warm a welcome, but if this
be your crossroads manners | suppose |
must sing, and as Devil Bill gave
him another slap on his jaw he began
with:
My soul be on thy guard
And with his long arm suddenly and
swiftly gave Devil Bill an open handler
that nearly knocked him off his feet,
while the parsOn continued to sing in
a splendid tenor voice:
Ten thousand foes arise
Never was a lion more aroused tC
frenzy than was Bill Jones. With his
powerful arm he uade at Old Sledgt
as if to annihilate him with one blow
and many horrid oaths but the parsor
fendeu off the stroke as easily as &
practical boxer and with his left hanC
dealt Bill settler on his peppers as hi
continued to sing:
"Oh, watch and fight and pray,
The battle ne re give Ger.
But Jones was plucky to desperation
and the settlers were watching will
bated breath. The crisis was at hand
and he squared himself and bis clinch
al fist flew thick and fast upon tn,
parson frame, and for time disturb
ed his equilibrium and his song. Bu
he rallied quickly and began the cffen
fsive as he sang:
I Ne re think the victory won,
Nor lay thy armor down
He backed his adversary squarely t.
the wall of his shop, and seized hin
by the throat and mauled him as h.
sang:
Fight ON, my soul, till death. -
Well, the long and the short Of i
was that Old Sledge whipped him ant
humbled him to tine ground aud thel
lifted him up and begged a thousan,
TarfonS.
When Devil Bill had retired TO hi
house and was being cared for by hi
wifi, Old Sledge mounted box il
front Of the grocery and lrtache
righteousness 'and temperance an
judgement to come to that Teople.
He close his solemn discourse with
brief history of his own sinful life be
fore his conversion and his humbl
work for the LORD ever since, and h
besought his hearers to stop and think
stop, poor sinner, stop and think,
he cried in alarming tones.
There were u few men aud man
women in that crowd whose ewes, lon
: unused to the melting method, droppe
tears of repentance at the preacher
kind and tender exhortatiun. Bill
Jones wife, TOur woman. had creI
. humbly into the outskirts of the crow
for she had long treasured the memol
, les of her childhood, when she. to,
had gone with her good mother 10 hea
. preaching In secret she had pine
and lameuted her husbands hatred Ia
/ religion and for preachers. After sh
, had washed the blood from his swolle
face aud dressed his wounds. she a,ke
him if she might 20 down and hea
the preacher. For a minute he was s
lent aud seemed to I've dumb wit
, amazemeut. He had never heen whiI
/ ped before. and had suddenly lost COZ
fdeuce in himself and his infdehtv.
Go long, Sally. he answered. 90,
h. can preach like he can fight an
sing. Wryh" th' Lord lid send hin
II s 7ll lu z fF rrHr-H I. trr. sui O.