If he could not do that, they wanted no
more praying or preaching from him.
Uncle Peter made no answer, but, ascending the little pulpit, he put his
hat on the bench behind him where it was used to repose, took out his
red cotton handkerchief and blew his nose in his accustomed way, and
looked about him. The house was crowded. Even Aunt Rebecca was there.
After a deliberate survey of his audience the preacher spoke: "Brev'eren
an' sisters, I see afore me Brudder Bill Hines, who kin read de Bible,
an' has got one. Ain't dat so, Brudder?"
Bill Hines having nodded and modestly grunted assent, the preacher
continued. "An' dars' Aun' Priscilla's boy, Jake, who ain't a brudder
yit, though he's plenty old 'nuf, min', I tell ye; an' he kin read de
Bible, fus' rate, an' has read it ter me ober an' ober ag'in. Ain't dat
so, Jake?"
Jake grinned, nodded, and hung his head, very uncomfortable at being
thus publicly pointed out.
"An' dar's good ole Aun' Patty, who knows more Scripter' dan ennybuddy
h'yar, havin' been teached by de little gals from Kunnel Jasper's an' by
dere mudders afore 'em. I reckin she know' de hull Bible straight froo,
from de Garden of Eden to de New Jerus'lum. An' dar are udders h'yar who
knows de Scripters, some one part an' some anudder.
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