An old southern preacher, who had a great habit of talking through
his nose, left one congregation and came to another. The first Sunday
he addressed his new congregation he went on about as follows:--
My beloved brederin, before I take my text, I must tell you of
parting with my old congregation-ah, on the morning of last
Sabbath-ah I entered into my church to preach my farewell
discourse-ah. Before me sat the old fadders and mothers of Israel-ah.
The tears course down their furrowed cheeks, their tottering forms
and quivering lips breathed out a sad fare-ye-well Brother
Watkins-ah.
Behind them sat middle-aged men and matrons, youth and vigour bloomed
from every countenance, and as they looked up, I thought I could see
in their dreamy eyes fare-ye-well Brother Watkins-ah.
Behind them sat the little boys and girls I had baptised and gathered
into the Sabbath school. Ofttimes had they been rude and boisterous;
but now their merry laugh was hushed and in the silence I could hear
fare-ye-well Brother Watkins-ah.
Away in the back seats and along the aisles stood and sat the
coloured bretherin with their black faces and honest hearts, and as
they looked up I thought I could see in their eyes fare-ye-well
Brother Watkins-ah.
When I had finished my discourse, and shaken hands with the
bretherin-ah, I went out to take a last look at the church-ah, and
the broken steps-ah, the flopping blinds-ah, and the moss-covered
roof-ah, suggested fare-ye-well Brother Watkins-ah.
I mounted my old grey mare with all my earthly possessions in my
saddle-bags, and as I passed down the street the servant girls stood
in the doors-ah and waved their brooms with a fare-ye-well Brother
Watkins-ah.
As I passed out of the village, I thought I could hear the wind-ah
moaning through the waving branches of the trees, fare-ye-well
Brother Watkins-ah.
I came on to the creek, and as the old mare stopped to drink I
thought I could hear the water rippling over the pebbles,
fare-ye-well Brother Watkins-ah. Even the little fishes-ah, as their
bright fins glistened in the sunlight-ah, gathered round to say as
best they could, fare-ye-well Brother Watkins-ah.
I was slowly passing up the hill meditating-ah on the sad
vicissitudes of life-ah, when out bounded a big hog from the fence
corner-ah with an a-boo a-boo and I came to the ground-ah, with my
saddle bags-ah by my side-ah, and as the old mare ran up the hill-ah,
she waved her tail back at me-ah seemingly to say-ah, fare-ye-well
Brother Watkins-ah.