At the cabin a crowd of people gathered. Breeze could hear them babbling together, then keeping silent while one voice rose high. There was no making out what it said, and Breeze went as fast as he could, eager to know what was the matter. He found Brudge telling his experience. The boy had told it over and over until his voice was hoarse and trembly, yet he kept on, excitedly, as the people, mostly women, urged him to tell them again what God had done for him. Brudge said he was away off in the woods praying. Down on his knees with his eyes wide open, looking up through the trees at the heavens, begging God to hear him, to give him some sign, to let him know his sins were forgiven, just as Uncle Bill said he must do. He had been there for an hour or two, calling on Jesus with every breath, when all of a sudden the light cut off, just like the lights in the Big House at night when the white folks go to bed. Everything was pitch black dark. There was not one sound anywhere. He thought he had died and it scared him so he raised up and hollered loud as he could; the light came back quick as a flash, with such a brightness he was mighty nigh blinded. All the trees over his head began waving their arms and shouting. All the clouds up the elements broke in half, and in the middle of them he could see people, crowds of people waving their arms and shouting. He jumped up and shouted with them! He felt light as any feather! The wind fair blew him along as he ran home to tell the people what he had seen this morning!
“Great Gawd, what a vision dat boy did have!”
“Dat’s de first time anybody on dis place ever did see right spang into Heaven!”
“Son, Gawd is sho’ blessed you to-day!”
“It makes me pure scared to hear de boy talk!”
“It sounds to me like Brudge is called to preach!”
“De Holy Sperit sho’ did knock em on de head. Listen how de boy talks!”
“Now ain’ it so? Brudge must l’arn how to read an’ write.”
“Sho’! A preacher has to read readin’ an’ writin’ too.”
“Don’ you know Leah is happy in Glory to-day!”