Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/352

 20 Journal of American Folk-Lore.

he smell the blood of his land, trouble trouble." Brer Rabbit he say, "Hush your mouth," and he go on with the meeting. Now Brer Bear ain't the onliest man what been losing hogs that Christmas. Brer Wolf he done lose some o' his fine shotes ; somebody done take his onliest hog outen Brer Fox pen. They take it up in meeting and make it subject of inquiry. They put it on old Brer Rabbit, so the old man don' know which way he going to get to, when Brer Bear walk in, and his hands and arms covered with the blood, what he take to prove up old Brer Rabbit before the meeting.

Directly Brer Bear walk in the door with the blood on his hands, Brer Rabbit he clap his hands and he shout, " Praise the Lord, brethren ! The Lord done deliver me and bring forth his witness ! " and the people all that distracted they don' listen to a word poor old Brer Bear say, but they all talk, and take votes, and they church old Brer Bear right there ; and that why old Brer Bear ain't no church- man. But Brer Rabbit he run the church yet, and they say how he never miss quarterly meeting.

II. WHEN BRER RABBIT WAS PRESIDIN* ELDER.

Now Brer Rabbit he never get to be no sure 'nough presidin' elder. Brer Rabbit he always been a meeting going man, but it all along of his trifling ways that he never get no higher than a steward in the church. Brer Rabbit he never get to be a preacher, not to say a sure 'nough presidin' elder.

But one year Brer Rabbit he get powerful ambitious. He see all his neighbors building fine houses, and Brer Rabbit he say to his- self he going to have a fine house. So Brer Rabbit he study and he study how he going get the money for his house, and one day he say to Miss Rabbit, " You bresh up my meeting clo's."

So Miss Rabbit she get out Brer Rabbit's meeting clo's, and bresh em up, and take a few stitches, and make the buttons fast.

One Saturday Brer Rabbit he put on all his meeting clo's, and his churn hat, and take his bible and hymn-book, and cut hisself a fine walking cane, and Brer Rabbit he start off.

Brer Rabbit he take the circuit, and he preach in every church, and Brer Rabbit he say how he be the presiding elder of the district, and how he taking up a collection to build a new parsonage ; and being as Brer Rabbit am a powerful preacher when he aim to try hisself, and preach in the spirit, the people they give with a free hand.

Brer Rabbit he know what he doing, Brer Rabbit do, and he ride the circuit just before Christmas, and they tells how nigh 'bout the lastest one enduring the whole circuit done rob his Christmas for Brer Rabbit's parsonage.

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