The Falls City tribune., 1909-07-30

Gramma kept on cumming and kept
calmer than most of the rest of the
folk.
The basement of the church where
these spiritual executions were held
themselves on the Lords side. The
preacher, gaunt, grim, and gray, sat
stern al the little desk which did duty
as a prisoners dock. Gramma Pleas
ant was very near his side and was
smiling at the honor that had been
done her in setting her near the
preacher at this meeting.
The meeting hung fire; no one
seemed willing to accuse until one
old lady who was said to be weak
minded, and hardly accountable for
what she said, started UP a half song,
half chant:
Here, thou poor criminal, where's
thine accusers?"
Then the Rev. Mr.. Simpson arose
He put his hands together with the
ends of his fingers very carefully
Joined and began:
"My dear brethren and sisters, we
have met here upon a very important
occasion" s1f
Gramma Pleasant went On cumming
and smiling.
1--WE have assembled ourselves to-
gether for the purpose of making an
example to the young members of the
flock of one of the old mothers In
Israel"
! Gramma Pleasant grew anxious and
alert.
"We can forgive" and here the min
lister raised his eyes piously, "the
shortcomings of the young, but when
it comes to frivolity-frivolity, l say"
and he stretched his long arms far
out of his coat-sleeves, lin our older
members, we feel that the time has
come to call a halt say, to call a
halt. Mother Pleasant has been among
us for many a long year, and we have
looked up to and esteemed her, but 1t
comes to us upon good authority that
lately-yes, even within the present
week-she has been heard by those
in good standing in the church sing
ing upon her own porch Comm
Through the Rye and Hoe Corn and
Dig Potatoes and we feel that 1t is
our clerical duty to ask the church's
opinion upon this matter"
There was a gasp Of establishment
on the part of the church, with the
exception Of Seraphiny, Mis-. Gillian
and Mis- Warner, and then n old
soured sister arose and said:
II move that Sister Pleasant, old as
she is, be disciplined for the good of
the younger members, for what she
will do, they will do and wuss."
Someone equally sour seconded the
motion, and then way back In the
church a slender form arose and the
preacher said:
II recognize Brother Nathan Eos
ter"
Nathan cleared his throat. 81 amt
no speaker" he said, but ! just tell
you / wish to the Lord o had
a-heerd Gramma Pleasant a-singin'
them songs. You kin call it conduc'
%unbecomin' a Christian II we want to,
but it give me a mighty Christian
feelin', and / amt goin' to tell no lie
at that, and | went home and tried to
sing 'em to the wilder, but the wilder
made me stop cause ! never could
carry a tune"
what was she singin'?" somebody
asked.
Then S%eraphiny had to up and
speak:
1.-The first l heerd her singin' was
Comm Through the Rye" and then
Sandy Sanderson, the only Scotchman
in the community, rose slowly and I'M
folded his gaunt length.
"If there Is ony mon here that
takes exception TO thot song, Comm
Through the Rye he can just come
out of the dure wi me-" and he sat
down.
No one accepted the cordial invita-
ton of Sandy, and then Gramma
Pleasant got up and plead for her
self. She did not know, nor did she
care, that Rye was a river and not a
field of grain; it was all one to her;
It was the music, 1t was the swing
of It, 1t was the love of melody in
her old age, and she said:
"Well brethren and sisters, IL We
want to turn me out, all right, but I
don't know that a body could be any
closter to Gawd than by bein' closter
to whatGawd made, and didn't know
that there was any difference in sing
in Comm Through the Rye an
When All Thy Mercies, Oh My Lord
That's the reason | sang it. ! thought
l was gettin' clost to the Lord, but if
you people feel that you're closter,
why, jest shet the gate on me, an l
reckon sometime the Lord himself's
goin' to open it."
Nobody knows whether it was old
man Judkins or Nathan Foster that
started praise God from Whom All
Blessings Flow" but did,
and Gramma Pleasant found herself
standing up by the preachers side
getting right the right hand of fell
lowship.
N.~..x AT.< NaaN