Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-09-11
CHAPTER ~.
In Which the Parson Cruises In
STRANGE Waters

Strange Waters.
The Come-Outer chapel was as bare
inside. almost. as 1t was without. Bare
wooden walls. beamed ceiling.
raised platform at one end with a
table and chairs and the melodeon
upon II, rows OF wooden settees for
the congregation-that was all. AS
the minister entered. the worshipers
were standing up TO sing. Three or
four sputtering oil lamps but dimly
illumined the place and made recogni-
ton uncertain.
The second verse OF the hymn was
Just beginning as Ellery came in. Most
| OF the forty or more grown people in
the chapel were too busy wrestling
with the tune to turn and look at him.
A child here and there in the back
row twisted curious neck but twist
ed back again as parental fingers
tugged at its ear. The minister tip
toed 10 dark corner and took his
stand in front OF vacant settee.
The man whom Ellery had decided
must be Captain Eben Hammond was
standing on the low platform beside
the table. quaint figure. patriarchal
with its flowing white hair and beard
puritanical with its set. smooth-shaven
lips and tufted brows. Captain Eben
held an open hymn book back In one
hand and beat time with the other.
He wore brass bowed Spectacles well
down toward the tip OF his nose.
Swinging a heavy. stubby finger and
singing in a high. quavering voice Of
no particular register. he led of the
third verse:
oh. who shall weep when the roll lie
| called
And who shall shout for joy
The singing over. the worshipers
sat down. Captain Eben took fig-
urcd handkerchief from his pocket
and wiped his forehead. The thin.
nea r.sighted young woman who had
been bumped over the keyboard Of the
melodeon. Strengthened up. The wor-
shippers relaxed a little and began to
look about.
Then the captain adjusted his spec
tscles and opened a Bible. which he
took from the table beside him. Clear
ing his throat. he announced that he
would read from the Word. tenth
chapter of jeremiah:
THUS saith the Lord. Learn not
the way OF the heather. and be not
dismayed at the signs OF heaven: for
the heather are dsmayed at them ="
"A-men!"
The shout came from the second
bench from the front. where Ezekiel
Bassett, clam digger and fervent re-
ngionist, was always to be found on
meeting nights. Ezekiel was the ia
Their OF Susannah b. Bassett. "Sukey
B." for short. who played the melo-
deon. He had been. by successive
seizures. a Seventh Day Baptist. a
Second Adventist, a Millerite. a Regu-
lar. and was now the most energetic
OF Com Cutters. Later he was to be
come Spiritualst and preside At
tahle-tipping seances.
EzckteTs amen was so sudden and
emphatic that II startled the reader
into looking up. Instead of the faces
OF his congregation. he found himself
treated to n view OF their back hair
Nearly every head was turned toward
the rear corner Of the room. there was
buzz of whispering and. in front
many men and women were standing
up to look.
Ezekiel Bassett stepped forward
and whispered in his ear. The cap
tain's expression OF righteous indigna
ton changed to one of blank aston
ishment. He. too, gazed at the dark
corner. Then his lips frightened and
he raped smsrtly on the table.
my friends" he said. let us bow
in prayer"
John Ellery could have repeated thai
prayer, almost word for word, years
after that night. The captain prayed
for the few here gathered together;
Let them be steadfast. Let them b<
constant In the way. The path they
were trsading might be narrow and be