There was a preacher who came and held a meeting here. Mr. Williams
said he didn’t have any more sense than a "run-away nigger,"
but must have had plenty of power. Got Dr. G. H. Perry to join the church.
Mr. William Maxwell joined. That at that time he, Cad, and Hal were
running a saloon on the west side and were selling Uncle Billy Williams a
quart of whiskey a day and he quit and never drank another drop. This
preacher really hurt the salon business. Even Old Uncle Chris Miller went
up to the mourner’s bench on the straw.
And they were praying over him and singing "Old Ship of
Zion." The children went home and told their mother he was dead, had
misunderstood the song. Thought it was the old ... is dying.") He
didn’t quit drinking, however. Mr. Williams said he was probably at the
saloon the next morning by the time it opened.
