Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-19

with Railway. The two made dive for each
other. Big Abe he got one arm around FAl-
ways waist, with his hand a grippin' Fal-
ways belt ahind: then he put one foot
atween Railways feet and tried to trip him.
Railway he gave so student and so easy that
it took Big Abe often his gyard. Railway
slapped one arm around Abe's neck, twisted
his hip into Abe's stummick, and tumbled
Abe over his head and to the ground plumb
fiat on his back. Then he got acrost Abe,
and held him there minute.
Big Abe he got up lookin' like he didn't
believe it. But his pap, bein' a straight
man for all o his faults, motioned him out o
the way, and then turned to the stranger.
you're mighty uncommon sort of a
preacher, he says.
Il hain't been preacher all o my life,
replies Railway. "Ive wrastled afore more'n
one big audience
Rrsfin Eek Barlow decided that his time
had come to prove that he was blame sight
stronger man than Big Abe Raines, his inc
N.Y. He was dead shore that he could soil
Railways back in the winkin' of his eye. He
busted in, grabbed Railway around the waist
with both arms, with his head a pushin'
az inst Railway chest, and tried to bend him
back ards by main strength. Railway he give
so quick that Eek couldn't catch him afore
he'd turned; then he played the same trick
he'd played on big Abe, and tharby won the
whole match-for nobody else didn't have no
hankerin' to wrastle with Teller who could
do the things that the preacher had jest done.
Il reckon" says Railway, srnilin' good
natured like at the open-rnouthed crowd,
that l can build the meetin house whar l
please, if understand it right
you've got it correct agrees the two
old grandpaps, with heavy jaws. They was
the worst beat men in the world; but they
wasn't o the stripe that goes back on what
they've done said.
With that Railway reaches for his AK, and
goes ahead with his notchin' o the ends O.
the black oak
AND the way the man Railway worked
was a lesson to anybody who ever had
a lazy drap o blood in his body. He worked
from daylight until dark at cuttin notchin',
and raisin' the logs; he rived lots o the
roofin' boards at night down thar in his little,
lonesome cabin: he carried the floor planks
two at a time from Sawmill three miles
away. And as he'd work he'd sing two hymns
that he knowed by heart. Now, it shore does
look funny that a man can be preacher and
then not know but two hymns by heart!
When the meetin house was done it was
rough lookin' buildin' that CANT be
denied. The winders was little, and the
seats didn't have no backs, the door was
homemade, and swung on a pair o wooden
hinges, and the pulpit was more pore than
any other part O the whole thing. But thar
was wooden cross on the top O the roof
that made man feel like takin' off his hat.
That's a fact, shore!
On the first Sunday after the fnishin' O.
the meetin house Railway walked in with a
very small Bible in both hands. Nobody
else was thar but him. He waited more'n a
hour; still nobody else didn't come. 1t
shore was enough to take the heart out o
the pore teller, after all O. his hard work
think o carryin' planks three miles, two at
a ti1nei
And it would took the heart out o the
ordinary man; but John Railway he lacked
thunderin' big sight o bein' the ordinary
kind. His stripe was the stripe that jest
won't be beat. He stood up thar in his
rough pulpit and sung one o the two hymns
which he knowed, Rock of Ages it was,
then he took his text and preached to a
empty house. That's what he done! After
the sermon was over he sung his other hymn,
"There Is Fountain and said the bene-
diction. Then he went a walkin' slow and sad
like down towards his little, lonesome home
Durin' the follerin' week he went to every
person in Flintstone Holler, and invited em
all to come to meetin' on the next Sunday