"Swingin round the cirkle" : $b His ideas of men, politics, and things, as set forth in his letters to the public press, during the year 1866.
John Locke · en
I preached last Sabbath, or rather, tried to, from the parable of the
Prodigal Son. We hed a splendid congregashun. I notice a revival of the
work in this part uv the Dimocratic vineyard wich reely cheers me. The
demonstrashun our friends made in Memphis, the canin uv Grinnel by
Rosso, and the call for a Johnson Convenshun in Philadelphia, all, all
hev conspired to comfort the souls uv the Dimocrisy, and encourage em to
renewed effort. It is bringing forth fruit. Only last week five northern
men were sent whirlin out of this section. They dusted in the night to
escape hangin, leavin their goods as a prey for the righteous. Six
niggers hev bin killed and one Burow officer shot. Trooly there is
everything to encourage us.
The house wuz full. The weather wuz hot, and the pleasant incense uv
mingled whiskey, tobacco, and snuff wich ariz wuz grateful to me. The
sun shone in on Deekin Pogram's face ez he gently slept, and when the
sun hits him square I kin alluz tell wher he sets, even ef it is dark.
He drinks apple-jack instead of corn whiskey, and chaws fine cut
tobacker instead uv plug, and consekently when in the pulpit I kin
distinguish the pecooliar aroma uv his breath from those around him.
"My brethren," sed I, "sich uv yoo ez hev Bibles in yoor houses, kin get
somebody to read yoo the parable to wich I shel call yoor attention. A
man, wunst upon a time, hed sons, ez many men hev since, and wun uv em
wuz a tough one. He left his home and went into far countries, makin the
old man shel out his share uv the estate, and he lived high, jist, my
brethren, ez yoor boys do, or rather, did, when they went to Noo
Orleans, in the days when yoo hed a nigger or two wich yoo cood sell to
supply em with money. He played draw poker and faro; he drank fancy
drinks, and boarded at big hotels; and he follered after strange women,
wich'll bust a man quicker nor any one small sin the devil hez yet
invented, ez yoor pastor kin testify. Uv course, his pile give out, and
he got down, my friends, did this ingenuous yooth, to rags and
wretchedness, and ended in being an overseer uv swine. What did he do?
He ariz and went to his father, and the old man saw him afar off, and
went out to meet him, and fell onto his neck, and give him a order for a
soot of clothes and a pair uv boots, and put a ring onto his finger, and
made a feast, killin for the purpose the fatted calf wich he hed saved
for another occasion.