"How good kin you clim a pole?"
"He can't climb one at all," Penrod answered for Georgie. "Over at Sam's
turning-pole you ought to see him try to----"
"Preachers don't have to climb poles," Georgie said with dignity.
"GOOD ones do," declared Herman. "Bes' one ev' _I_ hear, he clim up an'
down same as a circus man. One n'em big 'vivals outen whens we livin' on
a fahm, preachuh clim big pole right in a middle o' the church, what
was to hol' roof up. He clim way high up, an' holler: 'Goin' to heavum,
goin' to heavum, goin' to heavum NOW. Hallelujah, praise my Lawd!' An'
he slide down little, an' holler: 'Devil's got a hol' o' my coat-tails;
devil tryin' to drag me down! Sinnuhs, take wawnun! Devil got a hol' o'
my coat-tails; I'm a-goin' to hell, oh Lawd!' Nex', he clim up little
mo', an' yell an' holler: 'Done shuck ole devil loose; goin' straight to
heavum agin! Goin' to heavum, goin' to heavum, my Lawd!' Nex', he slide
down some mo' an' holler, 'Leggo my coat-tails, ole devil! Goin' to
hell agin, sinnuhs! Goin' straight to hell, my Lawd!' An' he clim an' he
slide, an' he slide, an' he clim, an' all time holler: 'Now 'm a-goin'
to heavum; now 'm a-goin' to hell! Goin'to heavum, heavum, heavum, my
Lawd!' Las' he slide all a-way down, jes' a-squallin' an' a-kickin' an'
a-rarin' up an' squealin', 'Goin' to hell. Goin' to hell! Ole Satum got
my soul! Goin' to hell! Goin' to hell! Goin' to hell, hell, hell!"
Herman possessed that extraordinary facility for vivid acting which is
the great native gift of his race, and he enchained his listeners.
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