“GAWGE PERKINS AM DAID.”
He fixed his eyes upon the congregation after he had repeated the text, and sez:
“Gawge Perkins am daid; he wuz a waitah at Wyandotte, an’ of cose he died.”
It seemed that to him this wuz a clear case of cause and effect, which he did not explain to his audience.
“Of cose he died. Now, dar am in dis audnance many no doubt dat tink dey have got riches, an’ honoh, an’ fame; but Gawge Perkins am daid, an’ you have to go and see Gawge Perkins.
“An’ you may tink you are gay, an’ happy, an’ in high sperits; but dis fac’ remains, an’ you can’t get round dis fac’, Gawge Perkins am daid, an’ you have got to go and see Gawge Perkins.
“But dar am one consolation, Gawge Perkins can’t come back to us.”
Durin’ the sermon he spoke of the last day and the sureness of its comin’, and the impossibility of tellin’ when it would come.