In days long past (it is different now) if members of the church had a quarrel and rough and insulting language was used they were, even if women, "had up", as it was called, and the case laid wide open in church, with closed doors.

So it came to pass that Uncle Mac, of witch fame, and Nat W. Dudley, both church-members, had a funny little altercation, which doubtless would not be noticed now by the church; but they were "had up." I was young and not present when this laughable trial came on for investigation, but I was informed of the evidence brought out at this trial, and it was substantially as follows: One rainy evening Dudley was spinning a yarn before a crowd at Mac Beasley's blacksmith shop, to the effect that he had in some of his travels seen corn grown so large that he could sit a-straddle of the ears and cut its tops. Uncle Mac being present remarked "any cat could do that," which remark angered Dudley. Uncle Mac was a large, bony man and would have weighed at least one hundred and seventy five pounds; while Dudley, I am quite sure, would have weighed scarcely one hundred pounds.

But Dudley was grit all over and cared little for the preponderance of Uncle Mac, and went for him. I don't recollect precisely the result but I am sure there was no fight. This affair got before the church; the preacher in charge was named Baine.

From the evidence procured, it turned out that Uncle Mac had called his brother Dudley, that which was not his name, and which to say the least, was unbrotherly. Uncle Mac, in explanation, said that he had said "cat" because Dudley was so small; he considered the comparison allowable; that he did not call him cat, but only said any cat could have done as Dudley did in straddling said ears of corn. It was evident that Baine, who was boss, was defending the side of the smaller member, and had Walker's Dictionary to define the word "cat," out of which he read: "Cat--a four footed, domesticated animal; a kind of ship; a combination of pulleys; a double tripod having six feet and which falls like a cat" (that's it!" shouted Uncle Mac.) and so on to the end; then the preacher said brother Dudley was neither. Thereupon Uncle Mac bawled out the interrogatory that locally became so famous thereafter on the Island: "What has Walker's Dictionary got to do with it anyway?"

Neither of these brethren made any overtures to the other, nor were they turned out of church, but the case was left open for a near future reconciliation.

The road matter was not in this trial, as both were Southenders. It was said that Baine carried this trial beyond the usual limit for the fun he got out of it, and the church enjoyed it to its fill.

It strikes me that the word "cat" as applied to Dudley had a teasing and tantalizing definition, not found in Walker's Dictionary. About this time sixty five or seventy years ago, the quarrels about the roads had become tiresome and matters looked promising for peace.

Looking in the path of this cyclone nothing but social religious derangement could be seen; hence, all fair minded people welcomed an armistice.

The truly religious portion of the Island were glad once more to see the gleam and feel the impressions of the past revivals of Tom Jones and Anderson. It apperas that when war first comes everybody takes a hand in slaughtering the enemy, especially those who stay at home; while there are not five per cent in the field, doing the real work of war. Even in such a war as Napoleon's French War, a long and bloody tug will lessen the ire of the best fighting soldiers. Such was the case in this road war; those that did not fight in the open covertly encouraged the fighting crowds, until, as in nature bound, they became tired of the conflict.

The Devil, so far, having been quite successful in the road matter in mixing up both Church and world in a general row, and every thing in the field appearing so satisfactory, concluded to take a little rest on the hill-top of Mount Ease, leaving his cause in the hands of his trained and efficient officers.

He was so satisfied in viewing his troops carrying out his instructions that he must have dropped into a slumber; suddenly was waited on and informed of the armistice.

The Devil, now looking from his height and accusing himself of negligence and seeing his troops as on the eve of surrender, flew into a furious rage, determined to end this armistice by throwing a burning charge into the very heart of the enemy, stir up a Waterloo in the church, and retrieve his lost ground. The following will show whether or not he was successful.

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