The Detroit times., 1910-12-24

To a Stranger the shy. deer-eyed
people are as hard TO approach and
understand as any of the other wild
creatures Of the mountains. And
that is why II is so wonderful the
Sunday Lady of Postum Trot could
win their confidence and tell them
! about Christmas again.
That was 10 years ago. The Sun
day afternoon three of the wild chill
dren, with the curiosity common TO
/. them and TO brown rabbits. came down
from Lavender mountain into the Flat
woods, that same Sunday afternoon
4 the Sunday Lady, who wasn't the Sun
day Lady then, but was Miss Martha
Berry. of Rome, Ga. sat reading in her
cabin den on a tract of land her
father had given her just at the edge
OF the Flat woods.
Miss Martha felt strange eyes upon
her and looked up, then rose with an
exclamation at the sight of three tous-
ley heads at the window regarding
her. There was a scampering OF feet.
When Miss Martha reached the door
the three children were peeking at
her from behind trees.
III you have ever tried to lure the
park squirrels to your side with pea
nuts, you know what job Miss Mar
tina had getting the mountain children
into her cabin. First she tried coax
ing, but the children only stared.
Finally she stepped back into the
cabin and reappeared with three rosy
apples.
This bait was irresistible. The chill
dren approached fearfully. snatched
the apples, retreated step, and then
as Miss Martha showed no signs Of
pursuing, followed her timorously into
the hut They ate with woltish bites,
for they were hungry. There is
always hunger in the mountains.
Miss Martha stuffed them with
cakes and apples. Then she
questioned them, found they lived
along ossum Trot, the brook that
tumbles down Mount Lavender. form
Ing pools TO which the possums come
to wash their faces. They had never
been to school, knew not how to read.
had never seen a book till that day,
had never heard of Sunday school,
knew of the Bible only in a vague
way.
So all that afternoon Miss Martha
told them fairy stories. and the chill
dren listened breathlessly. as though
fearful lest a breeze might blow this
great happiness away. Then, because
II was Sunday, she told them the old
story of Jesus and His love for chill
} dren.
Said Minty: I'm 'bliged not TO
b'lieve Jesus was ez pore an low
down ez l be.
Marin lows hit pears like thar
hain't nobody ez plumb pore ez We
uns." echoed another small skeptic
They came again the next Sunday,
bringing their ragged brothers and
sisters to hear the stories. Succeed
. ing Sundays packed the hut, for visit
ful men and women. starving for
knowledge, came along with their Off
spring. A few weeks later found n
Sunday school established on Postum
Trot, and Miss Berry, driving old
Roney. the Sunday school horse"
\ through the mountains, meeting tx.
Y norance half way. The few weeks
> had transformed an idle society girl
4 into a woman. herself and her fortune
dedicated 10 the work of making the
land that forgot remember again. And
|. 10 the mountain folk she became sim
4 ply the Sunday Lady
Faces were hastily scrubbed. for
that was part of the lady's teaching.
! Then little hands caressed her skirts.
and tears sprang smarting TO eyes
Z unused to them as faded, hopeless
4 women and faded, helpless men told
4 OF their yearnings for better things.
The weeks passed. The Postum
4 Trot Sunday school became day
Y school. too. The first good school
4 teacher ever In the Georgia noun
4 tains was hired The people came
"tromping down out OF the noun.
& tings' TO attend. There were boys
OF ten and men OF thirty, all learning
TO say b c. The average age in the
school was twenty.
4 II Is terrible when people forget
+ II IL terrible when they keep on for
4 &etting for hundred years like The