Tidy was overawed and fascinated by the gigantic figure,
and when, after a few minutes of sacred silence, the new comer,
who seemed accepted as the presiding spirit of the occasion,
commenced singing, she was more than usually interested and attentive.
The words were not familiar to the company, so that none could join,
and the deep monotone of the woman, at first low, and by degrees becoming
louder and more animated, made every word distinct and impressive.

"I was but a youth when first I was called on,
To think of my soul and the state I was in;
I saw myself standing from God a great distance,
And betwixt me and him was a mountain of Sin.

"Old Satan declared that I had been converted,
Old Satan persuaded me I was too young;
And before my days ended that I would grow tired,
And I'd wish that I'd never so early begun."

"But, praise de Lord," exclaimed the woman, stopping short in her hymn,
and rising suddenly to her feet, "I habn't growed tired yet,
and I's been walkin in de ways of goodness forty years and more.
De Lord, he is good,--I knows he is, for I's tried him and found
him out, and I's neber tired o' praisin him. Bress de Lord! He's new
to me ebery mornin, and fresh as de coolin waters ebery ebening.
Praise de Lord! Hallelujah! When I was a chile, I use to make
massa's boys mad so's to hear 'em swar. It pleased dis wicked cretur
to hear de fierce swarrin'. One day I went to de garden behind de
house to git de water-melons for dinner, and I heerd a voice.
'Pears 'twas like a leetle, soft voice, but I couldn't see
nobody nowhar dat spoke, and it said, 'Lony, Lony, don't yer