Tucky Sugg opened his eyes and saw something he had never seen before.
With a loud bellow like a frightened cow, he rolled backward on the floor, and got up with an intense desire to run.
“My Gawd!”
The voice was like an explosion of dynamite, and expressed the consternation of the congregation as they rose to their feet prepared for flight.
Ginny Babe Chew awoke from her slumber. She stared at the little child a moment, then reached out a fat, motherly hand.
“Come here, honey!” she bawled. “Yo’ mammy oughter had washed yo’ face an’ hands befo’ she sont you to de meetin’-house.”
She wiped the lime off the child with the end of her apron, and took the child in her lap.
Then, while the congregation was still standing, Dinner Gaze from his place at one side of the house began to sing, while all stood and listened:
“At de feast of Bill Shasser an’ a thousan’ of his lords,
While dey drunk from golden vessels as de Book of Truth records,
In de night as dey reveled in de royal palace hall,
Dey wus seized wid cornsternation—’twas de Hand upon de wall!
So our deeds is recorded—dar’s a Hand dat’s writin’ now.
Sinner, gib yo’ sins de go-by an’ to de Marster bow!
Fer de day am approachin’—it must come to one an’ all
When de sinner’s corndamnation will git written on de wall!”
On the instant that the song ended, a long, wailing cry, that was at once full of anguish and heart-break, ran through the building!