New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-05-13
THE TRAYERs OF OBADIAH
POoRDEVIL.

Obadiah Poordevil was one ut
those sy-going good people who
attended TO his own business amt
had hut little To say to any one.
His education was acquired ny
Jerks IN one of the little old fash
toned log school houses, a sample
Of which we find yet in some of
the new settlements Of the South
western states. He seldom al
tended church. hut when he did
he wore such a solemn look that
It excited the suspicion that he
possessed religion Acting upon
this suspicion one day. old Deacon
Twenty per cent invited him to
pray. Obadiah said he didn t have
wotds enough to pray, and they
must excuse him. But old Deacon
Twenty per cent and Deacon
Skinflmt told him he didn t have
t. have words: the Lord furnish
vd them. all he had 10 do was To
get down on his knees and open
his heart and the Lord would put
IN mouth TO express his
feelings. for of the abundance of.
the heart Of the mouth spealleth, >
sad Twentvpercent.
Obadiah said he'd try IT lick
anyhow, aud having placed HIM
self in the proper attitude. he
poured ont his heart in the fol
lowing manner:
q, Lord they tell me that You
viii give me words to express the
feelin's of my heart. @ Lord,
send EN- right down now, for I've
soi a whole lot to say. .. Lord
I'll tell y~u who am. and mebbe
YOU won't want TO listen TO ma,
for I'm poor and hain't got much
education I'm just plain Obadiah
Pourdevii, | hain't been a very
bad sinner nor very good Chris
ton .. Lord mebhe I'm wrong.
but il seems to me that thi, world
is wrong Nearly everybody is
going TO the devil or else ! am.
Mehbe | haven't got the right
kind of a bible. but it's Just like
old Deacon Twentypefcent.
O Lord. | want to know about
n whole lot of things. want TO
know who YOU made this earth for
anNhowf My bible says the
earth is the Lords and the full
ness thereof" but old Twentyper-
cent claims to own half of this
township, and us poor devils that |
do the work have to pay him the |
" fullness thereof. +" o. Lord, /
want to know if he pays it over to
youf ! don { think he does, for
seen him sell it and put the money
in his bank, where he loans il out
for per cent.
q, Lord | want to know il YOU
didn't make mistake when YOU
commanded the people not to col
leet usury from their brethren
is mistaken. and il you
meant what you said, some PEG
pie who stand mighty high in this
community are going to 60 TO hell
SINE and this church will lose
SOME of IFS mighty pillars.
q, Lord, | want to know if YOU
make some people to work and
some TO play: some to wear fine
clothes and some to go nearl,
naked. some TO drive in fine ear
rlages and some TO work in the :
hot sun every day. | want to
know if you done this on purpose.
" if these fellers are runnin a
,luff on use
And. @. Lord, want to know ,
Why we have to divide mp with 9
he fellers that don't work. re
want to know why old Deacon
rwentypercent lives in fine /
rouse which he didn't make. and
have to live in little old shantv
which | had to make. | want to I
know why his gals can 90 off ON ! |
N excursion with lot Of zine t
laired dudes and not be talked i
bout, while if mine happens to c
peak to a Young man they are n
'ad medicine. | want TO know, O. Y
@rd, il yen mean what YOU said h
ehen yeu declared that lit is {
asler for a camel to 90 through v
he eve of needle than it is for |