The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-01-04
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Sist Esmerelda Humphreys was not
present at the meeting of Zion Hard
neil Baptist Church. II is question
Rbie whether there had been any such
nesting had she been likely to attend.
'ince how to dispense with the minis.
~ OF Sister Humphreys was its OBJ
ect, and the sister was a woman OF
power But she had gone TO the store
Tor her semi-annual settlement OF &C
count. Therefore the disaffected in
Zion raised their heads, perceiving
that their hour had come.
The church house" (of a weekday
ne schoolhouse) crowded a gentle
rise OF ground on the outskirts OF an
arkansas plantation. IL was basked
by the great gum forests. where the
Sun rose. while on one side. winding
toward the reddening evening skies,
he cypress slash had eaten its way
through the brown clay to the Black
river. Full Of mystery and uncanny
beauty was the slash. it's sluggish
Bleam OF water creeping darkly under
folemn Expresses and monstrous hack
berry trees. tinseled with COW lilies in
hummer, spattered with blood-red Der
ffes In winter. green with delicate
beauty when the cypress is in leaf. or
gray and softly brown when its short
eaved foliage falls. Did one care to
heal in mystical analogy. one might
Ind In the slash suggestions OF the
Africans undeveloped soul, where
brute and child still battle for mas
ery.
Il was a school house for children OF
he darker race only and only negroes
we're I'm the little band whose hymns
penetrated the wide sweep of cotton
helds. the weird African cadences
wilder and more mournful than the
boot owls oboe keening in the forest.
Tonight the house was but sparsely
piled by the regular worshipers. Zion
congregation proper. Brother Zubaeel
Morrow presided. because he had once
attended a district Republican con-
Fentioi where he had imbibed parlia-
mentary lore.
dis meetin' will please come to
brdah," he announced; lis you-all
Feadv TO de question:"
"W' are question. Bruddah Nor
Fow?" called out a brother in the
rear seats.
"Bruddah Carroll. you is out or or
iah. Whenst I git in dis cheer an
axe dis gabble"he extended the
Ratchet used. before its promotion. 10
ehop kindling notice. is de
Cheer; you-all is TO dress me as Mist
rheerman.' YOI is axn' bout de ques
ion: de question is Shall Sist' Ehme-
Feldy Humphreys continner TO usu'p
he rights of we-alls pastor? Amt
Hat de onderstandin OF dis here aw-
ence?"
Sings OF approval and assent came
rom the audience. The chairman.
Using. took the attitude of the white
speaker whom he had admired most
~ the convention. plunging one hand
INTO the bosom OF his coat-buttoned
5rtnsSrSrF>et>snr,,e-----S>-srs.- r.1,SI
about him. All the colored population
bf the country side were proud OF the
school house. which was painted a
neat lead color as to woodwork and
brown as TO walls. with red referring
hone by a member who had followed
he painters TRADED 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
FRS desk showed her excellent moral
Fentiments and penmanship. There
was no carpet on the floor. but II was
lean and the windows gistened.
us we're afnO0l-uOAEt. Ulo lfTe
chu'ch house. are a credit 10 de cullud
aides an Renl'men OF Zion Baptis'
bhu'ch," declared Brother Morrow. 30
horously, an veal had orter have a
pastor who w'u'd-wu'd CORES pond. !
amt sayin' one word Of disparsge-
ment Of our late deceased pastor lie
BEN good piOus man. t"Amen'
rom two halfgrown lads IN the rearl
but he'd a terrible sight OF losses an
roubles. losin' all o his children Ike
be done: an him sick such a spell
befo' de Lawd called him rom grace
10 glory. Mabbe he didn't ben elO-
1uent like the supply We had. but =.
Ter Wife had mare right To git Sist
lucy Tompkins 10 run way Md i'm.
ON 'er good. kin. respectable hus-
ban "a little. crumpled. elderly ne
gro raised his head with an air 81
modest pridel "an he done borsy two
ollars an fifty cents 81 De cheer dat
don't expec' nothln' Of ontwel dc
Judgement day 50 ven our pastor
passed away veal VAS like sheep
buten a shepherd and wen Sist Hum
bhreys done offah 10 keep de chu'ch
house clean and cyan on dc services
Z. Zion, an make no cha ges, veal
hcceptidi
Mist Cheerman"-a grizzled negro
decent black held up q finger
Mist Cheerman. vas hit SisT Hum
phrsys keep die ouse die away
NtH. - AuuhN MRllns FAf are n
Fight good scrubber." admitted the
rhairman. while The congregation
stared ~ the speaker tho richest col
red man in the county who had
move into the neiRhbOrhoOd recently.
bis being biz first appea ance On
g. siOn.
70 a spell" continued the chair.
nan. "tinzs went on EuspIc. 0uait
Doueh. Sist' Humphreys ben r. cdi
,ated LADY. an she .a plumb good
book. Her preachIr didn't BEN vhuf
Ee-all air lOnRin' t0 hnah. mare
hakin' Of d. soul ovah DO mDuf ~
bell. mare mo min. mare revival. bur
pc hilt our peace. an Zion attended
regular, an LAS sOchrrahIr gafhrrIr'
hese ben nigh hundred DIG an
title Dresint "
And she gave us 40 cake and can.
y ana lemonade with ire 600 If'" 70
Qman's mellow voice called out
The heads 81 The congregation vent
ound IN the direction 81 tho voice
nd n larKe number Of rolling black
res gfarrd o. the srhpoI. teacher
nose cOmely brown face .hOwaI that
eepenlnR - tnf which d. tho same
an Anglo. ssEonE blush Teacher.
lad been educated ~ Tuaregne and
Fas sutpeCted o. being "h.rgifv"