THE FOGY DAYS AND NOW ; 159 



THE UNEXPECTED PREACH. 



A 



T the time of this story, our home was in Norcross, Ga., on 

 the R & D. R. R. One of the most venerable and useful 

 citizens of this town was Professor N. F. Cooledge, a distin- 

 o'uislied educator, and an earnest Baptist; a fine, portly looking 

 old gentleman, and one whose appearance would attract atten- 

 tion anywhere. 



The professor and I made a trip to Gumming, Ga., up near 

 the mountains; spent the night there, and hearing of a Bap- 

 tist cami)-meeting across the Swanee mountain, concluded we 

 would attend on the morrow, which was the Sabbath. So in 

 the morning we ordered out our conveyance and drove over. 

 Arriving at the enterance to the camp-grounds, we were met 

 by several clever looking countrymen, who had our horse 

 cared for and bestowed on us, as we thought, extraordinary 

 hospitilaties. We were invited down to the stand, as it was 

 about time for the morning services. Instead of entering the 

 aisle at the front, we were conducted round to the rear, and 

 before we were aware of the situation, were being ushered up 

 into the pulpit. We remonstrated, but they persisted, and 

 introduced us to the preacher, who had just risen to start the 

 opening hymn. We were seated, one on the right and the 

 other on the left on the preachers' bench, and left, to our own 

 reflections. As Brother Pirkle proceeded to line out his hymn 

 a sudden idea struck me that Professor Cooledge had been 



