Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/205

 benches had been cleared for five rows back from the pulpit to give plenty of room for the mourners to crawl over the floor, walk back and forth and shout when they "came through," and for their friends to fan them.

This open place was covered with wheat straw to keep the mourners off the bare floor, and afford some sort of comfort for those far advanced in mourning, who went into trances and sometimes lay motionless for hours on their backs or flat on their faces.

The mourners had kicked and shuffled this straw out to the edges and the floor was bare. Uncle Josh had sent two deacons out for more straw.

In the meantime he was working himself up to another mighty climax of exhortation to move sinners to come forward.

"Come on ter glory you po, po sinners, en flee ter de Lamb er God befo de flames er hell swaller you whole! At de last great day de Sperit'll flash de light er his shinin' face on dis ole parch up sinful worl', en hit'll ketch er fire in er minute, an de yearth'll melt wid furvient heat! Whar'll you be den po tremblin' sinner? Whar'll you be when de flame er de Sperit smites de moon and de stars wid fire, en dey gin ter drap outen de sky en knock big holes in de burnin' yearth? Whar'll you be when de rocks melt wid dat heat, en de sun hide his face in de black smoke dat rise fum de pit?"

Moans and groans and shrieks, louder and louder filled the air. Uncle Josh paused a moment and looked for his deacons with the straw. They were just coming up the steps with a great armful over their heads.

"What's de matter wid you breddern! Fetch on dat wheat straw! Here's dese tremblin' souls gwine down inter de flames er hell des fur de lak er wheat straw!"

The brethren hurried forward with the wheat straw, and just as they reached Uncle Josh standing perspiring