The Alligator Circuit
Ever since reading her story this morning I have been spending my time at the the link shown below reading about The Story of Beaumont, my hometown, when I got a good chuckle from an excerpt in the story about the Alligator Circuit, and thought I'd pass it on here. It's about a preacher back in the 1850s whose circuit covered what is today known as Deep East Texas. (BTW, there are some great stories about Texas history history at the links.)
Excerpts:
"The general seeing my obstinacy, lent me a big American horse and a colored man to accompany me. We reached a settlement six miles ahead, called Turtle Bayou, where I spent three days. Here they lent me a donkey. It took a whole day to reach the next settlement, fifteen miles distant, En route from there to Beaumont I saw a board stuck in the mud, bearing the following inscription, 'Sour Lake.'
"A few miles below Beaumont I found a Mr. Chiasson, with his numerous family and his father, aged 103 years, who was as deaf as a post. I had to hear the old man's confession half a mile from the house behind a bush he was so deaf. One day I wanted to cross the Neches river, but had spent my last penny for an old horse. I told the ferryman to choose between prayer and preaching for his fee. `Well, pray for my family,' he answered and invited me to take dinner with him."
http://mykindred.com/wiess/st-o-b/14-The-Alligator-Circuit.php
http://mykindred.com/wiess/st-o-b/index.php
Comments
Interesting read. I thought it was just me. Don't know what happened to my post. Yep, blank, nothing, nada, zilch.
We shall see. Rather weird.
All depends on your point of view
If you can't feel the music; it's only pink noise!