CHAPTER XXXIX.

JONAS TAKES AN APPEAL

Jonas had waited for the coming of the quarterly meeting to carry his
appeal to the presiding elder. The quarterly meeting for the circuit was
held at the village of Brayvllle, and beds were made upon the floor for
the guests who crowded the town. Every visiting Methodist had a right to
entertainment, and every resident Methodist opened his doors very wide,
for Western people are hospitable in a fashion and with a bountifulness
unknown on the eastern side of the mountains. Who that has not known it,
can ever understand the delightfulness of a quarterly meeting? The
meeting of old friends--the social life--is all but heavenly. And then
the singing of the old Methodist hymns, such as

"Oh! that will be joyful!
Joyful! joyful!
Oh! that will be joyful,
To meet to part no more."

And that other solemnly-sweet refrain:

"The reaping-time will surely come,
And angels shout the harvest home!"

And who shall describe the joy of a Christian mother, when her
scapegrace son "laid down the arms of his rebellion" and was "soundly
converted"? Let those sneer who will, but such moral miracles as are
wrought in Methodist revivals are more wonderful than any healing of the
blind or raising of the dead could be.

Jonas turned up, faithful to his promise, and called on the "elder" at
the place where he was staying, and asked for a private interview. He
found the old gentleman exercising his sweet voice in singing,

"Come, let us anew
Our journey pursue,
Roll round with the year.
And never stand still till the Master appear.
His adorable will
Let us gladly fulfill,
And our talents improve
By the patience of hope and the labor of love."

"When he concluded the verse he raised his half-closed eyes and saw
Jonas standing in the door.

"Mr. Persidin' Elder," said Jonas, trying in vain to speak with some
seriousness and veneration, "I come to ax your consent to marry one of
your flock--the best lamb you've got in the whole fold."

"Bless you, Mr. Harrison," said Father Williams, the old elder,
laughing, "bless you, I haven't any right to consent or forbid. Ask the
lady herself!"

"Ax the lady!" said Jonas. "Didn't I though! And didn't Mr. Goshorn
forbid the lady to marry me, under the pains and penalties pervided; and
didn't Mr. Hall set his seal to the forbiddin' of Goshorn! An' I s