Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-08-21
PAINTING THE
MEETING HOUSE,
BY M. QUAD.

copyright, 1909, by Associated Literary
Press.l
The village of HicksviIle contained
300 inhabitants, and yet there was
only one place TO worship. In the
earlier days the Methodists, Baptists
and Presbyterians had dubbed togeth-
er, and as time went on the three de-
nominations had agreed so we'll that
no move had been made for the cree
ton of another building.
From time immemorial it has been
the privilege OF the farmers dog to
accompany his master to church and
take up his station on the front steps
until time to go home again. The
question as to whether this had made
better dogs of them is not to be de-
bated here. 1t is sufficient to say that
on this particular Sabbath day there
were seven dogs occupying seven diff
ferent wagons and that when light
ming rod mans dog came along he
was looked upon as an intruder and
promptly attacked. Seven dogs pitch
ing into one must soon confuse things.
In this case after a moment it be-
came a battle royal. and the racket
stopped the sermon and was heard to
the limits Of the village. The worship
ers came out Of the church to see
and to interfere and to take sides.
and the affair broke up the services
for the morning and left a good deal
Of acrimony floating around Most of
the blame was laid on the man of
lightning rods, who was stopping in
the town over Sunday. He repudiated
it and had hot words and on Monday
was arrested for using profane Ian
guage and fined 81. Up to the mo-
ment he was fined he was defiant.
Then he changed to humility, paid his
fine and apologized all around.
There was no one in the town of
Hicksville who really knew lightning
rod mans other side or who even sus-
pected that he had second side. If
there had been, a note of warming
would have been sounded when this
man changed to humility. They ac-
cepted his attitude and his expressions.
and some of them rvon shook hands
with him and for2avp him for having
such dog. He went away and was
absent for three days and then re-
turned to say that he felt like doing
something for the church people to
show that no hard feelings ranked in
his soul. There was the old meeting
house. 1t needed painting badly I'm
der its shadow his dog had raised a
row and created temporary hard feel
tngs and he would beg the privilege
Of paying for two fresh coats. The
proposition fell like a thunderclap
on the town. 1t beat the coming Of
a circus all hollow. All the church
folks had to do, said the donor, was to
get together and decide on the color
and he would furnish the paints and
the painters-simple as A B c.
A meeting of the church people was
called for a certain night. and they
were there to the last man and woman.
All knew the issue, and all had come
prepared. The question to be settled
was one Of color, and it was a dead
easy one. The minister presided. as
was eminently proper, and he arose
to say that of course there could be
but one color for a frame meeting
house. That was white, to represent
purity. The lightning rod man could
be notified to have his painter on hand
next day. Was there anything further
before the meeting?
To the good mans surprise, there
was. Deacon Tompkins arose to say
that while art was in its infancy in
this country a plain white meeting
house did very well, but art had adj
vanced. Meeting houses should also
advance Speaking for the Methodist
contingent, his choice was chrome vel
low for the body of the building, with
dark brown for the steeple and the
doors and window castings. He would
move that those colors be adopted.
Deacon Williams arose to hope that
NO one would second the motion.