And we wonder if, in his brief sojourn, he saw a lad
of eight years, slim, tall, and blond, with daring and
mischievous blue eyes, and a certain, curve of the lips that
threatened havoc in the hearts of both sexes when he should be a
man and reach out with swift hands and reckless will for his
desires. If he saw this lad, he beheld John Sevier, later to
become one of the most picturesque and beloved heroes of the Old
Southwest.
Hardships abounded on the Brethren's journey, but faith and the
Christian's joy, which no man taketh from him, met and surmounted
them. "Three and a half miles beyond, the road forked.... We
took the right hand road but found no water for ten miles. It
grew late and we had to drive five miles into the night to find a
stoppingplace." Two of the Brethren went ahead "to seek out the
road" through the darkened wilderness. There were rough hills in
the way; and, the horses being exhausted, "Brethren had to help
push." But, in due season, "Br Nathanael held evening prayer and
then we slept in the care of Jesus," with Brother Gottlob as
usual in his hammock. Three days later the record runs: "Toward
evening we saw Jeams River, the road to it ran down so very steep
a hill that we fastened a small tree to the back of our wagon,
locked the wheels, and the Brethren held back by the tree with
all their might.
Pages:
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40