But the next morning, long before church time, he received
warning enough of what was going to happen. Individuals and deputations
gathered in and about his cabin--some to tell him all that had been said
and done; some to inform him what was expected of him; some to stand
about and look at him; some to scold; some to denounce; but, alas! not
one to encourage; nor one to call him "Brudder Pete," that Sunday
appellation dear to his ears. But the old man possessed a stubborn soul,
not easily to be frightened.
"Wot I says in de pulpit," he remarked, "I'll 'splain in de pulpit, an'
you all ud better git 'long to de chu'ch, an' when de time fur de
sarvice come, I'll be dar."
This advice was not promptly acted upon, but in the course of half an
hour nearly all the villagers and loungers had gone off to the church in
the woods; and when Uncle Peter had put on his high black hat, somewhat
battered, but still sufficiently clerical looking for that congregation,
and had given something of a polish to his cowhide shoes, he betook
himself by the accustomed path to the log building where he had so often
held forth to his people. As soon as he entered the church he was
formally instructed by a committee of the leading members that before he
began to open the services, he must make it plain to the congregation
that what he had said on the preceding Sunday about every woman being
possessed by seven devils was Scripture truth, and not mere wicked
nonsense out of his own brain.
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