The Washington herald., 1912-12-22

! sustain me Blessed be de name OF de
Lawd. an blessed be dat oman dat is
hts ministah,'
She sank down IN her seat and wept
quietly while the impressionable Afri-
can temperament sent forth piOus ejac-
ulations: Hop LaWd!" "Fotch COM
fort" BLESS de mo'nahs," The school
mistress was in tears, and the stalwaH
young man near her Openely wiped his
eyes. Brother Moore bent his brows:
I even Brother Morrow winked hard; but
Sister Susannahs emotion was most in
evidence: she was sobbinE violently into
pink embroidered handkerchief. Pres
emily she rose to her feet. Now Su-
sannah was the woman who had lured
the wretched murderer through a brutal
passion to a brutal crime; and the eyes
Of the congregation were focused upon
her.
"Bruddahs sistahs." said Susannah, in
her wonderful voice. with its chords Of
pIaintivo music. which made her hear
, ers grin out Of sheer emotion. Il new
did aim to do dat pO' young man hurt;
but no sayd t'ings to me. tings-she
sighed and hung her head-'hc hadn't
ortsr have sayd. him bein a married
man: an ben right mad at him. an
own mp 7 done him right Onchristian
an OnmussifuI, for I didn't show no
sympathy or even 20 see m hanged
Now. I do repent. But 1t amt mare
prcaChin' OF Sist' Humphreys done give
me a brukin an a contrary HART. Her
scorchIn don make me mon, Hit cakes
up my HART. Rev. Bulkely Of dc Ridge
he does have a mighty big one ever
spring: you kin hear de screeches mos
mile, He toll me hisse'f he w'u'd be
willin' to minister a spell to dis sorely
tried flock, an, mO'ovah, he toll m" dat
we-all c'u'dn't have Sist Humphreys
nor no woman preach to US; for it ben
ag'in' de rule of de Baptis' chu'ch. Hit
ben forbid. We caynt be Baptis' an
keep Slst Humphreys
With meek grace SuSannah resumed her
seat and the sheltering support Of the
blacksmiths arm. She had won. Now
that a way of escape was Opened-a way.
moreover ending in a dazzling vista OF a
big revival''-nO sympathy for the Wild
ow MaCklin could induce Zion to face
the fiery chariOts Of the Seventh Com
mandment driven by Sister Humph-
reys.
In spite OF the schoolmistresS's elO-
quence and the stumbling speech of two.
boys who tried to tell that Sister
Humphreys had done a heap for them,
when the vote was put. only six of the
fOrty-eight persons present voted to re-
tain the preacher Brother Moore de-
ClGeu 10 vote.
Susannah watched the downcast faces
of Sister Humphreys supporters through
her half-shut eyes. and smiled her Ian
guild. mysterious smile.
But OF a sudden one of the two strip
lngs who had spoken for Sister Humph-
reys left his place by the window and
ran to the door.
With instant premonition OF peril. the
flock of Zion turned on the benches.
4 deep intake Of breath Signifed their
dismay as there entered a tall brown
woman in widows weeds She cast a
calm. full eye over the faces under the
lampliChts-taCes already stricken awry
with fear: for. notwithstanding their
numbers and apparent strength of posi-
ton. dread Of the pastor instead. as
light insists through closed eyelids.
Sister Humphreys walked with moi
pause to the platform. Brother Morrow
was so short a man and she was so tall
a woman that her handsome head tow
cred above his She was a brown negro,
but her lighter color and her regular
features and thinner. more sensitive lips
were due to no admiXture of white blood |
they came from dash Of the yellow |
races mixed long before her time in the
old world. where her ancestors were
barbaric princes. She stood with the in |
comparable grace that is given sometimes |
to the bearer o. burdens, tall, erect
shapely. She spoke in a mellow rich
voice not raised note above its speak
ing tone.
rs this heah meetin?" gently in.
terrogated Sister Humphreys OF Brother |
Morrow, "or' have you-all done ad. |
ju'ned?"
we done adjuned. sistah," Brother !
Morrow replied quickly, fiinching from
a possible trap.
in that case" Sister Humphreys ar
gued at once. will you kindly take |
you seat an let me speak fo' de las |
time to Zion Baptis' chu'ch?"
II was impossible to refuse a hearing. |
Brother Morrow shuffied into a lower |
seat.
my people. "a vague. Incompetent !
sible thrill of apprehension and mag .
netiC fascination stirred the attentive /
faces, all save the Widow AIacklin's; !
hers was bent on her own withered. !
toil-crooked hands while she prayed-"I
want to say. first. that l new did aim 1
to keep on hu'tiR' you feelins. But I |
am 'bleeged to save you souls You-aIl |
know how my po' husban' toiled an |
prayed. That's Of people who loved him |
an followed his teachin's. but they went 1
to their reward, an he was lef' with |
a generation of young niggers who fear
ed neither God nor man nor the grand /
iUry-lying, stealing, with no more morals 1
than pigs an no great cleaner. 1t broken /
my po' or mans heart. 10 he hadn't no
to stand the breast complaint, |
so he died. The last night I heard him
praying for you, an I come to him.
When he looked I'M at me I knoWed