"Mr. an' Mis Buggone, have you nothin' to say?" asked Mr. Birdsall sadly.
"Elder," began Uncle Sheba in his most plaintive tone, "you know de heat yistidy was po'ful—"
"Mr. Buggone," interrupted his wife severely, "dis ain't no 'casion fer beatin' round de bush an' creepin troo knotholes. You knows de truf an' I knows de truf. No, Elder, we'se got not'in ter say at jes' dis time."
"Den, Elder, you put de motion dat we take steps," said Tobe, promptly.
With evident reluctance Mr. Birdsall did so, and the affirmative was unanimously voted by the committee.
"I wants ter be s'pended too," said Aun' Sheba, still gazing at the ceiling.
"Now, Mis Buggone, dere would be no right nor reason in dat," the minister protested.
"Elder, I doesn't say you-uns ain't all right, an' I does say you means well, but I'se de bes' jedge of my inard speritool frame. Hit was neber jes' clar in my mind dat I was 'ligious, an' now I know I ain't 'ligious, an' I wants ter be s'pended."
"But it is clar in my mind dat you are religious, dat you'se a good woman.
Would to de good Lawd dat de church was full ob Christians like you!"
"I'se spoke my min'," persisted Aun' Sheba, doggedly. "Ole Tobe shall hab his way an' de church be purged."