Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-10-27
The Lilies By The Steeple,
BY ANNETTE l.. NOBLE.

The Lilies By The Steeple.
BY ANNETTE l., NOBLE.
Out in the noisy world, where people
run here and there, few stop long enough
to study out the soul behind their neigh.
boris grimaces. If he smiles he must be
happy; it he sighs, dyspeptic, may be-.
And, on the whole, what man is does
not come into account one,half SO much
as what he does Out in the world this
is; still there are places where it matters
what he thinks Of things All the pub
lie wanted to know Of Jacob Strong was
that he sold curtain fixtures and cord,
keys and screws, and that he carried his
stock in trade about with him. One
afternoon in June Jacob was going home
Business after May was dull; then every
body was moving or cleaning house and
he reaped his modest harvest. He used
to shudder as he passed the swarming
dirty tenement houses, for if his home
had not chanced to be where it was he
could have afforded no higher rent tDan
was paid here, Thishot day he threaded
his way through the narrow streets and
past stalls smelling Of stale fruit, stop
ping only once at flower stand. Here
somebody jostled by the crowd had
knocked off tea-rose, bruising the
flower and breaking the pot.
"Sell it to me for ten cents ?"asked
Jacob.
The angry vender hesitated a minute,
then rolling up dirt and rosebush togeth.
er gave the paper to Jacob, He hurried
on, turned into an old square through a
by-lane to the rear of an ancient brick
building. Tho first floor was for Offices
and masonic hall, tie second for a
mission school and storing rooms, the
third for offices again. The style OF
architecture suggested church, and
such it had been.
There was such brilliant sunset light
without; but here Jacob stumbled up
and through shadows until he reached
familiar door which he opened with soft
eagernes5. Such quaint room was dis
closed. The new partitions were of I'M
plastered planks now neatly covered over
with brown wrapping paper; above
were the rich old oaken beams of the
ceiling; on the spotless floor were rugs,
soft and old-fashioned, an antique chair,
tall-backed and once richly cushioned,
stood at the end of the apartment, which,
for some reason was five-sided. The
pulpit chair was little removed from
the everyday cheap furniture as il it
we're the only fit companion for the other
glory Of the place, which was a small
round window of stained glass having in
its centre an Agnus Del. Everything
else was hoInely, but sweet with clean
illness. A thick white curtain cut Oft
one corner of the room, and two doors
opened out-one into tiny kitchen,
where Jacob retired to wash his hands
and put down the rose paper. With his
forehead cooled and his gray hair pushed
off it, one had fair look at the tall,
thin man and could not learn much
more from his immoyable face; but
under black, shaggy eyebrows were
singular eyes-blue and clear, like A
child's. As Jacob turned back, the white
curtain parted quickly and small wo-
man in short gown and striped skirt
seemed to have come suddenly out from
nap and to he troubled on that account.
She tied silk handkerchief about her
head, which was covered with short
air as white as silver, and in CHEEKY
voice began to chatter "Derrie me,
Jacob! six o'clock and no supper for you
| And lying there like Marjory Daw y
"What Ye haven't been and sold
yer bed, have ye? 1t appears to be there
all the same. There, there, old lady,
don't hurry! Ye know well enough
how it takes the breath out of We, and
Jacob caught her by the ruffle on her
Jacket and held her still for second, not
in play, but soberly, to break up her
speed, she having started rapidly toward
the kitchen. She laughed, showing even
teeth and a gentle, good old face, only
white-unanturally white.
"Ye're right, Jacob if ] go a bit
slower | gain time in the end. ! was
little more tired than ordinary-l-"
"Have ye been down the long stairs
this day."
She stammered like a child before she
confessed she had,
"Well, if ye 90 down tomorrow
Dolly, hereafter I'll lasten ye in--that il
if haven't yer promise"
"And if We have it :"
"Then what need of lock-" anC
Jacob loosened his hold on her gown, 90
ing hmselfto fill the tea kettle and Sc
it to boil on the stove. Dolly drew on
} the table; putting on bread, meat anC
: two or three simple viands. When th'
tea was made the old couple drew thei
chairs to the table and Dolly bowed he
! head, saying aloud:
, eve confess our unworthiness, we &C
knowledge Thy goodn rs, we praise Th,
: tender mercy and give Thee thanks"
, She could not see that Jacob looke'
open eyed at the blue and crimson win
dow. She-turned his tea from a funny
I brown earthen pot, round like cannon
ball, and suddenly cried
, "Wella day! Here we be eatiui
q away and the door not opened"
So she emphasized the words tha
. really they must be put in italics--quit
y as if there had been but one out Of tn
a room, not three. 1t was plain what sh
meant when she flung it wide open; fol
n if their home was queer, this outlook wa
4 oueerer. In adapting the old church t
~ prerent uses all sorts of excrescence
, had arisen out of and overran it. Thei
+ own snuggery was fitted into its topmost
, unavailable corner, and this door Opene
into an unaccountable bit of flat roo
away, away up above the roar of tn
il CITY, under the glowing sunset sky, 3
h high that distance softened picturesguel
n ali ugly sights below, and the eye coul
v take Ia az sweep the waters of the bay
v returning to rest Just here again in th
= delight Of Dolly's healthier garden
for garden this was, That very mt