Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-07-16
THE MAN
DOUBT
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright, 1918 by Associated Lit
erary Press

cabin, and after we had given each
other good day he asked:
Bound fur the camp meetin' at Ce-
dsr Grove, strangerr'
II hadn't heard there was one there"
replied
~Yes, and It's whopper. Powerful
lot OF prayin' and singin' over thar"
Aren't you interested in IT."
al ar and hain't. sorter want to
90 and then / sorter think l hadn't
better That's the way with the old
woman too"
"You think there may be trouble
thereI"
"Oh, no."
'sroo busy with your work.
mo. stranger. The Lawd prter be
ut that camp meetin'. hadn't hep
Il should say So"
"And he orter gin us a fair deal II
the old woman and me went over?'
Yes"
But what I'm afraid of Is that he
won't"
/ looked at him and wondered what
be meant and after a minute he
went on:
"sit down and be to home. and I'll
tell you bit Of story. II happened
vars ago. You see. me and the old wo-
man had both bin havin' chiils and
faver. shakin' like scared rabbits one
day and Albumin up the next. and I
was almost too weak to lift an Ak
when Teller named Abe Brockford
go, out to humiliate me. He wasn't
dom any braggin' as long as was
able TO be about but when he heard
how porely was be squared OF In
front OF the cabin one night and
shouted:
Hello thar. insidel Am I maxim
mistake In supposin' this to be the
residence Of Bin Hopper
"-syo' amt says T. as crawis to
The door In my weakness.
"'Come out like man and squar' OF
at meF says be.
81 told him I'd been freezin' and
burnin' aud couldn't fieht rabbit. but
that only made him wuss.
"'BIii Hope. II yo've got any mercy
in yo'r heart come out yere and dance
around while puivesfze yo'r bonesT
"Tt hurt noe mighty bad TO be talked
to that way" said the old man. but
was helpless abos. 1t. All | could
do was TO shet the doah and ding my
self on the bed and cuss and weep.
The old woman tried to console me.
but the Teller kept his mouth goin' TIL
was purity nigh crazy. By and by I
says to her:
"Do yo' reckon that II prayed to
the Lawd fur strength my prayer
would be answered.
That's nccor,iin'.' she answers.
What do yo' want the strength furr
"sro 90 out and smash Abe Brock
ford
Then yo' won't git it. The Lawd
amt mixin' up In sich rows
"'But he might II yo' prayed too
but shan't do It. When the crit
ter out thar gifts tired of taikin' he'll
60 home
81 lay quiet for half an hour. but
Abe didn't go. and when the old wom-
an sees how bad was feelin' she
says:
"'Bni. I'm wiilin' to try sort Of ex-
Pertinent. II amt right to bother the
Lawd with our trubbles. and prayers
and hghtin' don't go together. but I'M
der the circumstances I'll do what
kin
AN Of a sudden l begun to feel
stronger. and by the time the old wo-
man had finished told her that was
all right to go out an drive Abe into
the airth.
Better not co. she says as she
looks trubbled.
why notr
"'Bekase I'm not suah about It I
prayed hard nun. but heven't got
the feelin' that yo' are gwine out to
whop anybody. sorter feels to me
that yo1i git the worst Of it
1T was mighty Gurus about my git
TN strong" unused Bill. -and TO this
day can't make It out Perhaps II
was all OWN to my madness. The old
woman hung on fur me not to go. but
| put her aside and rushed out II
was a darkish night. but saw Abe
- AEW ArUA AWAY aha S&>NN~~
tur him. l was gwtne to whop him
hhnd In two minits. but I hadn't
counted on startin' things. Fustly.
me critter had got tired and gone
nome, and, secondly. powerful big
par had taken his place. ! knowed
y as l grabbed his fur, but 1t was
tnen too late. He Jest hauled or with
his right paw and fetched me swat
On the side of the head that put me
out OF 1t. and IT was daylight befo' l
come to and found myself on the bed.
What's happenedr asked of the
old woman.
Experimentin'.' she answers.
As howr
Praytn' to the Lawd to back 20
wallop Abe Brockford. Abe slip