A Month of Sundays by Ruth White

Author:Ruth White
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Published: 2011-08-22T16:00:00+00:00

Will there be any stars, any stars in my crown,

When at evening the sun goeth down?

When I wake with the blest in the mansions of rest,

Will there be any stars in my crown?

Silver’s voice is strong, and he hits each note clearly. When we have sung some more hymns, a squatty middle-aged man wearing a pair of thick specs steps up on a raised platform like a stage in the middle of the tent with the audience all around it.

“And now it is my great honor and pleasure,” he says, “to introduce to you a most talented man of God—Matthew Shepherd!”

Silver’s dad is tall and good-looking, with a neat salt-and-pepper beard. I think I would have known him by his smile. It’s Silver’s smile. Is this the someday Silver? When he’s what? Forty-five maybe? Mr. Shepherd goes to the pulpit in the middle of the stage and begins to speak.

“Welcome, my friends.”

It’s a sermon full of pleading to all those who have lost their way in life. At one point Mr. Shepherd gets sobs in his voice, and Silver squirms in his chair. The people respond with their Amen’s and Hallelujah’s. You can tell they like him. He’s an interesting talker—I think. No, I’ll tell the truth. I don’t hear much of what he says. I am still back there under that bruised sky with Silver, and my thoughts are scattered to the wind like dried dandelion fuzz.

But Aunt June is sitting on the edge of her chair, absorbing every word.

After the sermon we sing “Just as I Am” while people pour down the aisle to confess their sins. Mr. Shepherd welcomes each one, says God’s blessings are heaped upon them mightily, and arranges for them to be baptized.

“Next Sunday at Hanging Holler,” he announces, “there will be all-day activities for young and old alike, plus outdoor preaching, baptism in the river, dinner on the ground, foot-washing, and I don’t know what all. We might throw in a wedding or two for good measure.”

The people laugh.

And now we get to the real show. Two big, burly men and one short, hefty woman come from the rear, bringing in the boxes of snakes.

“This is Lester, Carl, and Mavis,” Mr. Shepherd tells us, “the traveling snake trio from North Carolina. And tonight, my friends, they will show us the power of God.”

Mr. Shepherd sits in the audience as Lester, Carl, and Mavis set the boxes down. First Carl goes in for a copperhead and pulls the ugly thing out by its round, fat neck. The people gasp, then ooh … ooh and aah … aah and clutch each other’s arms and hands.

Silver touches my hand.

Emory says, “Dern!” low under his breath.

Aunt June covers her eyes, then peeps between her fingers. Three snakes are out now. One is a rattler. You can hear his old tail going to town. Boy, is he mad. He wriggles and opens his wide mouth, showing fangs. They are real long and sharp, but he does not strike.

The snake handlers put the slithering creatures on their shoulders and around their necks.

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