The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-08-19
sIABLE.
q Trne siory.
M FASNfE BARI,ow.


By FAsisfE BlRIoHs
VIII you gosto the meeting with
me tins afternoon. Mabel CONC;
this Is your last day here do go
once sbefdre you leave tile White
;SIoHptains.
What do yon Go in neeting
asked the gay; beautiful High eifsLl'
New Y ork belle, with just . SHADE OF
contetnptnoas fiction inllersyoice.
Well there viii bs no sermon;
there never is IN lbe aftcrnoon Tie
good minister SITS Ii. the aisle, IN
front Of the pulpit and invites any
one he likes to,inalSe q prayer ANY
other one WHO feels the heed Of II
n.s.F lat o1.Allsl
tioned peTsonally inthc petition; and
those who wish it, may relate his or
her experience"
"How very funnyl All the old
women speakin' in meetin'," and
soaring themselves dreadfully. I'll
go. / dare say shall have a good
laugh, if / don't fall asleep"
So.we walked through the long.
hilIy street Of Bethlehem, in the
pleasant hour before sunset, in the
sweet, warm, hazy air Of early au-
.tumn. The glory of the Lord shone
round about us; forall the mountains
were FURNISHED, splendid, gorgeous,
in purple and crimson gold. Mabcls
deep gray eyes grew large and lumi-
nous as hcr artist-soul drank in the
ineffablc beauty.
The building was SO crowded with
the villagers and many visitors that
it was with difficulty we obtained
seats, apart from each other. Mabel
found place next toa young, sad
eyed, swcct-faced country-woman, and
looked, with. her hower-likc face and
superb French costume, like some
rare exotic by the side of an humble
mountain daisy,
The minister opened the services
with a fcwfervant, simplowor,ls, and
then said: "Brother, will you
lced in prayer"
A plain old country farmer rose in
the aisle before US, rugged, brown
andbowcd. His praycr-sincers and
.Idoubt, not, as acceptable, because
.sipeeree hadsbcen offered in
polishcdl language, made Mable shake
with laughter and when he prayed
that the Lord would "scnd down a
long, soakiM drizzlin' rain, to cheer
up the late craps" laughed too, in
that painful, agonizcd way which all
know who have been betrayed into
laughing on solemn occasions.
He sat down, and there was utter
silence for a moment. Then q high,
sweet woman's voice, far in front of
US, sang out, clear as bell:
"Sweet hour Of prayer! sweet hour ofpraycr
That calls me from world OF care,
And bide me at my Fathers throne
Make all my wants and wishes known"
The congregation joined in; only
one verse was sung; and again the
strange, solemn, silence fell upon us.
1t was broken by the sudden rising
of u lank, awkward boy who hurried
out in frightened nasal whine:
81 want to inform the congregation
that I've found Jesus" and he drop
ped down as suddenly as he rose.
This time Mabel was convulsed
with laughter; and when a girl in
long cork-scrcw ringlets popped up,
Immediately behind the boy, with
GIVE found hope" uttered
in sort of spasm of rapidity, and
down she wcnt-Mabcl was in such
aggravated spasms of mirth that l
became terrified lest, in the just ang-
or of those around US, we should be
ANONYMOUSLY expelled.
But the sweet singer, who saw in
these uttcranccs only the contrite
souls of the speakers burst forth tri-
umphantly with:
"Oh, gift Of gifts! oh faith Of faith!
My God, how can it be
That thou who hast discerning love,
Should give that gift to me?"
/ Only one verse, as before. Then
the pure notes, high above all the
othcryoices, died away,and strange
looking woman arose.
-"Ehain't got no gift of language" ]"
said shc;::'but 1 want to give in my
testimony. Fxe alters been wick
cd woman; Pve alters gone agin my