The Madison journal., 1913-03-15


ND tionable whether there had
IS been any such meeting had
she been likely to attend,
since how to dispense with the minis
try OF Sister Humphreys was its OBJ
iect, and the sister was a woman of
power. But she had gone to the store
for her semiannual settlement OF ac-
count. Therefore the disaffected in
Zion raised their heads, perceiving
that their hour was come.
The "church-hou (of a weekday
the schoolhouse) crowned a gentle
rise OF ground on the outskirts OF an
Arkansas plantation. 1t was basked
by the great gum forests, where the
sun rose, while on one side, winding
toward the reddening evening skies,
the cypress slash had eaten its way
through the brown clay to the Black
river. Full OF mystery and uncanny
beauty was the slash, its sluggish
CLEAN Of water creeping darkly under
solemn expresses and monstrous hack
berry-trees, tinseled with cow-lilies in
summer, spattered with blood-red ber-
ries in winter, green with delicate
beauty when the cypress is In leaf. or
gray and softly brown when its short
leaved foliage falls. Did one care to
deal in mystical analogy, one might
find in the slash suggestions Of the
Africans undeveloped soul, where
brute and child still battle for mas
terry.
It was q school-house for children of
the darker race only and only negroes
were in the little band whose hymns
penetrated the wide sweep Of cotton
fields, the weird African cadences
wilder and more mournful than the
hoot-owl's oboe keening in the forest.
Tonight the house was but sparsely
filled by the regular worshipers, Zion
congregation proper. Brother Zubaeel
Morrow presided, because he had once
attended a district Republican con-
vention, where he had imbibed parlia-
mentary lore.
Dis meetin' will please come to
ordah," he announced; 'is you-all
ready TO de question:"
wv are question, Bruddah Nor
row." called out a brother in the
rear seats.
"Bruddah Carroll, you is out Of Or
dab. Whenst I git in dis cheer an
take dis gabble"-he extended the
hatchet used, before its promotion, to
chop kindling-"take notice, / is de
Cheer; you-all is to dress me as Mist
Cheerman.' You is akin bout de ques-
ton: de question is, Shall Sist' Ehme-
reldy Humphreys continner to usu'p
de rights Of we-all's pastor? Amt
dat the onderstandin' of dis here aw-
3enoer
Signs Of approval and assent came
from the audience. The chairman,
rising took the attitude of the white
speaker whom he had admired most
at the convention. plunging one hand
into the bosom of his coat-buttoned
for that purpose-and gazing solemnly
about him. All the colored population
Of the countryside were proud of the
school-house, which was painted a
neat lead color as to woodwork and
brown as to walls; with red lettering
done by a member who had followed
the painters trade (although not very
far), declaring piously on the west
wall. The Lord will provide" and
politely requesting on the east wall
Please do not spit on the floor" A
stately blackboard behind the teach
er's desk showed her excellent moral
sentiments and penmanship. There
was no carpet on the floor, but 1t was
clean and the windows glistened.
Dis yere school-house, dis yere
chuch-house, are credit to de cullud
ladies an gen1'men of Zion Baptis
chu'ch," declared Brother Morrow, so
norously, an we-all had orter have g
pastor who w'u'd-w'ud correspond.
amt sayin' one word OF disparage
ment Of our late diseased pastor He
BEN a good. pious man" ("Amen!'
from two half-grown lads in the rear)
but he'd q terrible sight Of losses an
troubles. losin' all of his chillen like
he done; an him sick such a spell
befo' de Lawd called him f'om grac,
to glory. Mabbe he didn't ben elo
Quent like the supply we had, but FL
der Wfte had mare right to git Sist
Lucy Tompkins to run way wild i'm
fom 'er good. kin, respectable hus
BAN" % little crumpled, elderly ne
gro raised his head with an air o.
modest pride), "an' he done borry two
dollars an fifty cents Of de cheer da'
I don't expec' nothin' of ontwel dc
jedgment day! So wen our pastor
passed away we-all was like sheel
outen q shepherd; an wen Sist' Hum
phreys done offah to keep de chu'ch
house clean an cyah on de services
Of Zion, an make no cha'ges, veal
accepted"
Mist Cheerman"-a grizzled Negro
In decent black held up a finger
Mist Cheerman, was hit Sist Hum
phreys keep dis 'ouse dis away?"
Yes, Bruddah Moore; she are /;
right good scrubber," admitted tn,
chairman. while the congregation
stared at the speaker, the richest col
ored man In the county, who hat
moved into the neighborhood recently
this being his first appearance in Zion
"Fo' q SPELL" continued the chair
man, things went on suspiciousl,
enough. sist' Humphreys ben an edi
Gated lady; an she is a plumb goot
cook Her preachin' didn't ben whu
we-all air longin' to heah; mar
ghakin' OF de soul oyah do mouf n