The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1926-07-22
SMILIN THU
BY GORDON COOPER
RING DEM BELLS, FER AH's COMM HOME"


"Ah's ies' stranger hyah hebben is nah homel"
shouted Doc Bloom he urged sinners to come ter
de moanahs bench, git forgiveness fer yo sins"
He had preached eloquent Sermon and his
hearers worked up to fever heat the tune
hister" started song amid vocferous "amens" and
"hallelujahs."
cell be comm roun' de mountain wen E Gomez
Ell be comm 'roun' de mountain wen E come;
Ell be comm 'roun' de mountain
Ell be comm 'roun' de mountain
Ell be comm roun' de mountain wen e comet!
"Yo' done spoke parable den,' shouted happy
nanny as she beat a tattoo with her foot upon the
floor. GLORY ter Gawdl'
"Ahs jes' a stranger hyah hebben is nah home"
repeated Doc with great gusto, and it fortunate
that he didn't hear "smaht alecky Niger" in the
back of the audience who said to his companion Een
hebben is dat nggers home, den all Abs got ter say
is dat e sho is long ways frum home"
won't dat be happy meetin' wen e come;
Won't dat be happy meetin' wen E come;
Won't dat be happy meetin,
Won't dat be a happy meetin,
Won't dat be happy meetn' wen e GOMEZ
The congregation swung thru the second verse
with even greater vehemence than the first, and one
weather beaten old darby made his to the rail
before the pulpit where he fell his knees, still
singing. He happy; his singing gave way to fervent
prayer, and Doc kneeled down beside him.
"'E1 be drivin fo' white bosses wen e come;
'E, be drvin fo' white bosses wen e come;
Ell be drvin fo' white bosses,
Ell be drvin fo' white bosses,
Ell be drivin' fo' white bosses wen e come"
Two more penitents joined the old darby at the
altar; the air becoming electric with emotions the
stamping feet keeping time with the singing kept the
building vibrating; the GLORY hallelujahs and the
praise de Lawds" nterspersed the singing with
tempo of fervor.
Suddely strident voice began praying with almost
fanatical zeal Doc stopped his lowvoced persuasons
with the old darby at the altar and looked his
specs in the direction of the voice Perceving that
Jim Perkins, who perpetually falling from
grace Doc got up and went him and shook him by
the elbow "Shet up, nigger!" he said in a stern voice
Let somebody pray whut knows de Lawd better dan
yo' does!"
.We1I kill de OF red roster wen f Gomez
Well kill de OF red roster wen Il come;
Well kill ed OF red rooster;
Well kill de OF red rooster;
Well kill de OF red rooster wen f come
While Doc had been sencng Perkins, several pick
anninnies had knelt the altar He approached
them with CLEAN of love in his heart patting them
on the had and comendng them sfer seekin de Lawd
vile E yet may be foun'" Passing from to the
other he spoke cosongy to each and patted them low
ngy the head And in the dim light of the oil
lamps he stumbled the number fourteen shoes
sticking up behind the old dafky who praying fer
vently Without gancing down. Doc patted them also.
AN may de Lawd bress desc ill felers hyah he said
as he passed
'Wer hab chicken an dumplins wen e come;
Well hab chicken an dumpins wen E come;
Well hab chicken an dumplins
Well hab chicken an, dumplins,
Well hab chicken an dumpn's wen f come'
ring dem bells, fer Abs comm home" shouted
buxom just the song closed, and she made her
way shouting to the altar.
Doc shuddered he raised his head and looked at
her. She perpetual joiner; she had joined every
negro church in Macon, Ga, and he in position
to know that she the biggest hypocrite in seven
counties.
"Ring whut bells?" he asked with frown as she
fopped her knees like a ton of brick.
"De bells O. glory, Docl De bells o glory!" she
answered in a piercing shrill.
"TIuh!" Doc snorted ring dem bells would be
mo- ttin effen yo had ring fer evey time yo oughta
been mated an wuzn't!' And he abruptly turned away
from her