"It is free," sez the man, "but this is only to smooth its way, put up
seats and such."

Sez Josiah, "I didn't know that Religion had to set down."

"Sinners have to set," sez the man.

Sez Josiah, "We hain't sinners." But I hunched him and sez, "Pay your
fee and go on." So after a deep sithe he produced his old leather
wallet and fished up ten cents out of its depths, and we proceeded
on.

The grove wuz a large one, acres and acres of big trees on every side,
and vehicles of every description from smart canopy top buggies, and
Sarah's, and automobiles, down to one horse sulkies and rickety
buck-boards, and horses of every size and color wuz hitched to 'em.
And on the fallen tree trunks sot wimmen and girls, young boys,
children, and pairs of lovers wuz walkin' afoot amidst the deep green
aisles. Way in the green depths of the woods you could see the glimpse
of a woman's dress, or see the head of a horse lookin' out peaceful.

But we advanced a little furder as the road led out amongst the trees
and pretty soon we come in sight of a large round tent where the
meetin' wuz held, and from which we could hear the voice of hims and
oratory, along on both sides of the immense tent, so's to leave a road
between, wuz rows of small tents where the campers dwelt. They
stretched on like two rows of white dwellings way off into the green
of the woods. Josiah and I are well thought on in Jonesville, and as
fur out as Loontown and Piller Pint, and a man soon advanced and gin
us an advantageous position, and Josiah hitched the mair and we
advanced into the amphitheatre.

The tent riz up like a big white umbrell, or like great broodin' wings
overhead, leavin' the sides free for the soft air to enter. There wuz
rows of seats, boards laid on wooden supports and on one side a high
wooden structure, open towards the seats, in which the preachers sot
or stood. A wooden railin' run along in front of that rough pulpit.
Under foot wuz the green moss and rich mold of the onbroken forest.
And way up over the white tent the tall tree tops arched, and you
could look way up into the green aisles of light with glimpses of
sunshine between, castin' shady shadows and golden ones on the grass
and moss below.

Folks wuz settin' round of all sorts, some handsome, some humbly, some
dressed up slick, some in rough common attire, but most on 'em looked
like good sturdy farmers and their families. The old grand-ma of
ninety with bent form and earnes