Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/151



The weight of dismay in Mary's heart made her knees shaky. Tears burned her eyelids.

Prayer-meeting was over and the shouting was about to start. The middle of the room was cleared quickly as the benches were carried out into the yard and put back under the house where they would stay until next meeting night. All the Christian men who had strong singing voices grouped themselves in one corner, and after a few minutes' talk decided on the spiritual Jubalee. Andrew raised it, his deep voice ringing out full, his great throat swelling with the song.

The others marked the beat of the words with a slow hand-clapping and a quiet knee-bending, singing low until the whole congregation joined in with a hearty fervor. Men, women, children sang with faithful reverence,